Rodent Breeding Can Be Fun! Ratster!

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Originally Posted by truthsdeceit

I don't know about the UK but in the USA both tailless and hairless are rare sought after morphs in the rat fancy trade. I myself love the hairless, they're so ugly they're CUTE!!!

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Hairless are insanely common O.o There's tons of them in the pet stores, always. I also know several people with hairless rats.

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Originally Posted by ericson1777

i cant answer any of your comments up top but that hairless is pretty creepy im my opinion but the top one is pretty cool

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Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Denial

the hairless rats creep me out lol

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lol

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Originally Posted by Holbeird

Wish you were closer as I'd love one of each!

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Only over the pond lol

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Originally Posted by bad-one

Yeah.. they are a bit freaky looking. Still cool, especially the tailess rat!

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Thanks

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Originally Posted by katia

AHHHHH those hairless rats look kind of like yoda! lol!

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There ugly but cute!

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Originally Posted by Dean

the Hairless one reminds me of a movie "The Witches" where the witches turned into rats. =) as for if there popular in the pet trade I couldn't find anything on google other then they make great pets but awful mothers as they don't produce enough milk sometimes.

But while searching I found an interesting article, and of course it happened in my state, the state of Florida.

http://animalrights.change.org/blog/...strangling_rat

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Thanks!

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Merged your duplicate threads together for you! :gj:

I like that little Rex baby - could be that momma chewed his tail off by accident when she was cleaning him and chewing off the umbilical cord after he was born. He's a cutie pie for sure!

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Thanks, no he was born with the hamster like stump tail!

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Originally Posted by truthsdeceit

I don't know about the UK but in the USA both tailless and hairless are rare sought after morphs in the rat fancy trade. I myself love the hairless, they're so ugly they're CUTE!!!

But unfortunately they also have a documented history of health problems, so I wouldn't breed them back into your stock.
Tailless tend to have balance problems and can overheat easily since the tail is used to thermo regulate. Whether is genetic or not.
Hairless rats have the opposite problem on getting cold easily, they also tend to suffer scratches/wounds from haired cage mates who play too rough for tender skin. And females can also fail to produce milk if bred.

Sorry to be all negative. They are super cute. Have fun with them!

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Thanks for that, wasn't fully aware of all the health implications...

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Yes, Manx is genetic but that's not a manx. If he has a stump, mom bit it off.

Your hairless look very unhealthy and one looks to have megacolon(see the discoloring and bloating on the left side of the belly?) Notice how bony they look, but bloated. Could have parasites or megacolon.

It would be best to stay away from high white rats altogether since they have a greater risk for carrying and passing megacolon in their genes. It's a very painful way to die for the babies and they cannot be used as feeders. High white rats are just like your little stumpy tailed guy. Anything other than a self, hooded, berkshire, irish, english, will be considered high white. Head spots are even considered high white. www.ratguide.com

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Cheers for the info...

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Originally Posted by Raptor

Hairless are insanely common O.o There's tons of them in the pet stores, always. I also know several people with hairless rats.

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They are fairly common over here too...

OMG! That tail-less Rex is absolutely ADORABLE! :) That would definitely be a keeper, in my house, anyway. lol. I have a hairless, myself, though she has a small amount of black "fuzz" on her face. She's a darling and a very good mother. So far, she's birthed three litters for me, the largest was 12. Since I have fed off most of her offspring, I never got the chance to see if she didn't produce enough milk, but for as long as they lasted, they were all very fat and healthy babies. :D

Anyway, that's a beautiful little group. :) Enjoy them!

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Originally Posted by Deano

First up is a tailess rat (has a small stump similar to that of a hamster) that is also a rex (het hairless) oh and male. Anyone know if these are popular in the pet trade??

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Hairless are typically not quick sellers.

The Tailless rat you have could be one of two things, the most common is when the mother chews off the tail of the pinky while cleaning after the birth. You can normally tell by looking. Is the tip of the stub flat or rounded? or it is pointed? If it's flat or rounded, it was likely chewed off and healed when it was a pink.

If it's pointed, like the normal end of a rats tail, then it could be genetic. It's called Manx. It is rare, but it does happen. The reason it is rare if because Manx have a gene that shortens their tail, but it also affects the pelvis, and normally causes issues giving birth, generally killing the manx.

I have seen Manx rats selling for as much as $15 online as pets.

I once produced a Manx mouse, which is even more rare, but sadly it died before reaching adulthood.

Rick