Welcome to LittleCrittersMN!
Hi, I'm Gabby!
Welcome to LittleCrittersMN, a fun creative space where my passion for pocket pets meets miniature art. Based in Minnesota, I am the proud owner, caretaker, and artistic director behind a very special crew of beloved pet rats who love to paint!
My shop started out of a love for these incredibly smart, clean, and highly social animals. Rats are so often misunderstood, and I wanted to find a joyful way to show the world just how full of personality they really are. Every single miniature canvas in my shop is an authentic collaboration: I prep the safe, non-toxic colors, and our little critter crew brings the masterpiece to life with their tiny paws!
When you purchase a piece of art from us, you aren't just getting a unique decoration, you're getting a story. Every painting comes with a personalized biography card of the specific rat artist who made it, so you can get to know their quirky habits and favorite snacks!
Where LittleCrittersMN began...
I have owned pet rats for a very long time now, and paintings, in one way or another, have always been a part of it. My first pair of rats were named Twig and Sprig. Rats have very short lifespans, 2-3 years on average. We decided it would be a fun idea to make a keepsake for each rat, so that we could remember them forever. But, it had to be fun for the rats too. So, we decided to give paintings a try. Sure enough, the rats had a blast!
After Twig and Sprig passed away, we adopted another pair of rats; named Maple and Truffle. But little did we know, Maple was pregnant at the time we adopted her. She had nine adorable babies, seven of which we re-homed. We decided to keep two of her babies, which we named Waffle and Peanut.
Like we did with Twig and Sprig, we decided to make a painting with each one of our four rats. The paintings were so cute and quirky, they would always make me smile. That's when I had an idea.. I didn't have to be the only one that enjoyed them, others could too. That's how our Etsy shop began.
Sure enough, others enjoyed their art too. The rats and I have a ton of fun making paintings and sending them all over the world. Painting with our rats is a unique way for us to bond with them, while they have fun doing so!
In January of 2025, a TikTok video of one of Maple's paintings went viral, which helped us show a large audience of people how smart & adorable pet rats really are; despite their negative reputation. Feel free to check out the articles written about our shop, by clicking on our shops related links.
Our studio recently got a little busier! We welcomed two new adorable rats to our crew, Pepper and Toffee!
You can meet each rat artist in our crew here at LittleCrittersMN by checking out our shop member page here on Etsy.
Here at LittleCrittersMN, our rats always come first, no matter what. We prioritize their health and well-being over all else. If your order takes a little longer to ship, don't worry, we are just making sure the rats are happy and healthy, and never overworked. Our rats are never forced to paint.
Thank you for supporting my small business, and most importantly our spoiled little rat artists! If you have any questions or concerns, please send us a message via Etsy, or email littlecrittersmn [!at] gmail.com
