Some of my RATS! (Picture heavy)

So, although since I have been breeding feeder rats from the start ever since I started collecting ball pythons, I have recently been getting into the color and coat patterns and dumbo eared rats, etc... and I have had some things that I think are cool pop up. Not sure what the coat markings/ colors are, but feel free to make your best guesses. They probably aren't anything too special yet, but I'm working on having a "Pet" stock and a "Feeder" stock. I just recently added a black berkshire dumbo male to breed to all the females which are supposed to be het. dumbo ears, you can see his ear in one of the pictures, ha ha.

Anyhow, here's a few of my "Pet" stock, enjoy the pictures!
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file.../9/2/rats8.jpg
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file.../9/2/rats7.jpg
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file.../9/2/rats6.jpg
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file.../9/2/rats5.jpg
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file.../9/2/rats3.jpg
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file.../9/2/rats4.jpg

So cuuuuute. I adore rats, they are sweet little things. :love: Your "pet stock" looks great!

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Originally Posted by rebelrachel13

So cuuuuute. I adore rats, they are sweet little things. :love: Your "pet stock" looks great!

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Thanks, I just figured I could have as much fun with the rat genetics as I do the snakes.

Good looking rodents :sweeet:

Regards,

B

Looks like you have a few hooded and a few partial hooded.. Couldn't completely tell by the photos, but maybe some black and possible partial "mink" colors on the heads? I used to have a black Dumbo with a white belly and blaze.. he would run up my arm when he was scared and hide with his head pushed into my neck under my hair (when it was long). I also had a hooded fancy rat named Cheeseburger who would bite onto the corner of a piece of paper.. flip it over his back and try to sneak across my desk underneath it.. too cute. All of mine were free range,(they came when called) I miss them but now that I have cats.. its completely out of the question. Enjoy!

P.S I like the boys better then the girls... Waay more cuddly.

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Originally Posted by bsash

Thanks, I just figured I could have as much fun with the rat genetics as I do the snakes.

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Check out some websites "fancy" rats have gotten really popular and there are hundreds of breeds.. here are a few:
http://www.camarattery.com/rattypescolors.htm

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Originally Posted by sissysnakes

Looks like you have a few hooded and a few partial hooded.. Couldn't completely tell by the photos, but maybe some black and possible partial "mink" colors on the heads? I used to have a black Dumbo with a white belly and blaze.. he would run up my arm when he was scared and hide with his head pushed into my neck under my hair (when it was long). I also had a hooded fancy rat named Cheeseburger who would bite onto the corner of a piece of paper.. flip it over his back and try to sneak across my desk underneath it.. too cute. All of mine were free range,(they came when called) I miss them but now that I have cats.. its completely out of the question. Enjoy!

P.S I like the boys better then the girls... Waay more cuddly.

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I don't know what the mink colors are, are they the husky looking ones? Because I thought they were the blazed rats. And I actually think my girls are friendlier. The rat in the very first picture I named "Momma" and I held back all of her female babies, which is most of the others, is the sweetest rat ever. All her babies are that way too. I can sort through the babies right after they are born and she won't bite, she will just sniff and walk away, and she won't kill them all later either.

Just a heads up breeding high white rats can sometimes result in megacolon. If you breed them for pets keep an eye on the pups, if any are born with it it is recommended that you don't continue to breed the same pair or the siblings of the effected pup.

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Originally Posted by Lupe

Just a heads up breeding high white rats can sometimes result in megacolon. If you breed them for pets keep an eye on the pups, if any are born with it it is recommended that you don't continue to breed the same pair or the siblings of the effected pup.

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Thank you very much I was aware of this, but only the females are high white, male is a black berkshire. That should reduce the risks of mega colon, right? So far I have had absolutely no illnesses in them, so keep my fingers crossed. I am looking to add some Manx rats into the collection if I could find any local.

Mink just refers to a type of soft brown color, there are a bunch of different color variations ranging from white, to silver, to fawn, blue, chocolate, mink, black, grey.. etc..etc. They are all friendly I think the major difference I have experienced over the years is that girls are more outgoing and want to play, run around and explore. Boys are the same but are also a little more dependent (mama's boys). The last girls I had were fantastic, and very funny, but kind of like my terriers. The boys want to cuddle and the girls love you but might be more interested in what ever that is over there.. then you.. :P