What do you look for in holdbacks?

I'm going to be holding back 4 females to breed from these two litters, and I was wondering what everyone looks for in size, temperment/personalty, health, etc.

I have one black hooded, one beige capped, one white with a 2 or 3 barely noticeable cream spots on the back, and the rest are all either bareback beige or hooded beige. Im thinking of holding the black hooded for sure. Ill get pictures up in the morning.

I usually pick one with a pattern than appeals to me, and that looks healthy and robust. I try and start holding them, and those that take to it better usually are the last to get fed off and have a better chance of sticking around.

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

I usually pick one with a pattern than appeals to me, and that looks healthy and robust. I try and start holding them, and those that take to it better usually are the last to get fed off and have a better chance of sticking around.

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Yep, exactly what Christie said!

I hold back all of the females that I produce. When I need males, it's just totally random.

Hope this helps.

-adam

Generally I make sure they are proficient in Bell ringing, and able to fling down stones, timber, and molten lead in defense of the Cathedral in the event of an assault by the thief clans of Paris...

Oh wait; you said "Holdback". Never mind.... go with what Adam said... ;)

I usually go first by the mother of the females I'm considering. I like keeping back females for future breeders from mothers that had no problems birth, give me large and healthy litters and are good tempered rats. A lot of these things seem to be genetic in rats, so a good mother makes for a good daughter type thing. Then I go by size (I like the bigger more robust females) and lastly by look (unless the pattern is related to any genetic concerns).

Thanks everybody. I'm looking a lot closer into rat genetics now, the different colors, and and health problems related with any. Getting different colors and patterns has really caught my attention, and I like reading up on it.

Something that's important to me is temperament and health. I'm trying to decide between all the rats that look almost identical, and its getting harder as i get more attached. But I figure I'll have 4 girls picked out pretty soon, as some have to go this saturday.

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Originally Posted by Gecko Den

Generally I make sure they are proficient in Bell ringing, and able to fling down stones, timber, and molten lead in defense of the Cathedral in the event of an assault by the thief clans of Paris...

Oh wait; you said "Holdback". Never mind.... go with what Adam said... ;)

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:sweeet:

my daughter hand picks all her hold backs... i have no say in the matter. she's 8 and it's her "business" and i'm to stay out of the process... :P but it seems to me that cuteness is definitely a factor in her choosing. also she prefers to pick a new female which doesn't look like the others, so she can tell them apart easier (although she always knows who is who).

oh and if it's a male... she holds back 3... sees which one becomes the most hand tamed... and keeps him. ;)