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I Breed/Own
This page is to give an in-depth look at the varieties I breed and own and answer questions you may have about their care/background. |
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 | Standard Ears: Other names are "top-eared" rats or just rats. These ears are on the top of the head. They have the shape of a tulip petal and might be more rounded or more pointed. Ears are typically bigger than those of wild rats but may vary widely in size and shape. | ||
 | Dumbo Ears: Originally called "elephant-eared" rats. Dumbo ears are caused by a simple recessive gene. Dumbo ears are not as folded as standard ears which gives them the illusion of being bigger. While dumbo rats are bred for larger ears in general, it is the placement of them NOT the size that makes them dumbo. Dumbo ears are more on the sides of the head (like an elephant) than the top. This also gives them the illusion of a wider skull than top-eared rats. Dumbo rats are often believed to be more laid-back than top-eared ones, although this is likely just a myth spawned from the fact that dumbo rats have traditionally been bred as pets while top-eared ones have been bred as snake food and laboratory animals for centuries (which would result in less docile animals). Dumbo rats are different from other rats only in the placement of their ears, not in personality, health, or anything else. A top-eared rat and dumbo rat can and often ARE born in the same litter (as are all other varieties listed on this page; there are no rat "breeds"). | ||
 | Standard Fur: In males, the standard coat can feel soft but is usually coarser than females. The hair has a shine to it and rats hold their fur on end when sick, scared, or acting dominant. In female rats, standard fur can feel soft to silky and should have a shine to it. (Darker-colored rats look shinier than others.) | ||
 | Teddy Rex Fur: Teddy Rexes (sometimes just called Rex) have a plush feel to their fur rather than the silky feeling of standard fur. Rexing can range from curls to waves to just a few cowlicks. Rex rats can be identified very early on by their curly or wavy whiskers (but you can't tell a Rex from a double Rex until they are 6 weeks old or even older). Some Rex rats go bald or partially bald when they are babies as they moult, but they do not get bald patches or thin spots in adulthood. Rex fur is caused by a single dominant gene (two Rex genes make double Rexes). Rex/Teddy Rex rats require no special care or grooming and behave no differently than standard-coated rats. | ||
 | Double Rex Fur: Also called mock hairless or patchwork hairless. Double Rex rats are NOT related to hairless genes. In fact, most double Rex rats have a complete coat of hair throughout most of their adult lives. Rex (curly) fur is caused by a single dominant gene. Two of these genes cause double Rexes. Their fur is short and wavy to curly. On the shoulders, it is coarser and has a tendency to have bald patches there off and on. When a double Rex is a few weeks old, it becomes almost completely bald except for the feet, face, and base of the tail (the fur there is VERY soft). Then the fur grows in again. (Some regular Rexes will go bald at this age too.) In general, double Rexes look like lambs at various points in shearing cycles. They always have furry legs, but the fur on their backs and bellies is short (though sometimes long and sometimes bald). Double Rex rats have warm skin, like hairless rats, but they don't have any of the lactation/reproduction problems or dry skin associated with hairless. Double Rexes need no special care, though frequent nail clipping is encouraged because they have less "protection" against their own scratching. Double Rexes usually have short, tightly curled whiskers, which make some more susceptible to eye irritations (like hairless rats). | ||
 | Satin Fur: Not much is known about satins. Some people say they are a myth. It is believed to be a recessive mutation, though. Standards and Rexes can both be satin. Satin rats have silky fur. Standard satins' fur lies flat against their skin and has no coarseness. It is almost impossible to tell a satin coat from a photo, but the difference can be felt. In females, it is very hard to tell a satin rat from a non-satin one, since most females have very soft fur. The difference is obvious in males, though. (The rat in the picture is a male, but you can see he has very "feminine" fur.) | ||
 | Hairless: Hairless rats grow fur but lose it at around 3 or 4 weeks old. Their skin is soft to the touch, like baby skin. They often have some hair on their faces and genital area. Hairless rats have short, curled whiskers. Hairless rats can be any color or ear type. They are warm or hot to the touch because they lose body heat through their skin. This also means they have a higher metabolism and benefit from a little extra protein in their diets (a cat treat or extra bones to chew on are great). Some hairless rats have loose or wrinkly skin, but not all do. They can live happily with other types of rats and have no special needs except that they can't tolerate extreme cold very well (any temperature you find comfortable is fine for them). Nail trimming will reduce accidental scratches, and the hairlessness on their faces can make them more susceptible to eye irritations. Hairlessness is recessive and there are at least three different genotypes. Some hairless lines have trouble lactating, weakened immune systems, or malocclusion (teeth aren't aligned). Hairless rats, in general, have a shorter life expectancy than other rats. Rats that carry a hairless gene but are not hairless do not show any effects related to hairlessness. | ||
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