hold backs?

[JoeNapoli]

"... hold back the hooded rats (the ones that are white and have black/brown/beige faces and shoulders, and typically with some black/brown/beige spots or stripes down their backs) to use as breeders mainly because those seem to have the least medical issues (or so I've read)..."
http://kark.motion-forum.net/t267-my-feeder-rat-colony

Agree? yes or no? If not, which ones do you hold back? and why?

[satomi325]

Disagree.
Solid selfs and other types of markings can be just as healthy as hooded.(Her description of hooded is wrong either way....)

She talks about Megacolon. Its an issue for high white rats.

And she also says how hooded is co-dom. Hooded is recessive.

Not a very accurate post, IMO.

I would hold back from parents who have large healthy litters. Cull animals and/or lines that show genetic weakness and health issues.

I personally breed rats for certain color, ear, and coat types. My lines are very high white, but free from megacolon. I have zero hooded rats in my colony. The majority are capped or bareback with the occasional variegated. My colors are mainly American Blues, Russian Blues, Mink, and pink eyed Siamese. I dont have any beige or brown(Im going to assume she meant Agouti). The only blacks I have are patched....

I hold back offspring from rats who were good mother's and had large litters. I also hold back rats who have desired genetics and good temperaments as well. Aggression in rodents is heritable and should be culled out of your breeding lines.

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[carlson]

My hold backs need to have either dumbo ears, Rex fur, hairless or hairless carriers, an I try to keep certain colors. Mainly blues.

[JoeNapoli]

Yeah I disagree too.

I'm holding back dumbo ears, Rex coats, solid selfs, blues, fawns, and some near black which, especially when tame, are worth more as pets on craigslist than as feeders.


Re aggression in rodents: IMO/IME it is heritable to an extent, but the Nature vs Nurture concept plays a hand in this as well. Ample room in cages/racks, abundant high quality food, etc, can mellow out otherwise aggressive rats.