Why are most feeders Albino?

Depends on the company and their stock. I order from Rodent Pro and always get a mix of colors from pups to adults.

I just bought a woman's babies from an albinoXalbino litter and there were 17!

I just had an albinoXcolored litter of 14!

My colored rats (eating the same food, on the same bedding) are having 6-8 babies at a time.

ONE colored group gives me consistently 10-12 at a time.

I definitely think it has most to do with the lines. If you breed from lines that consistently have larger litters, you will probably continue to have larger litters. And since feeder breeders, pet shop breeders, etc want MORE MORE MORE babies, they will be doing just that, breeding for LARGER litters. They probably just started with albinos and kept going.

Plus, maybe labs like the "clean look" of the white rats because they can see any imperfections on them easier. And labs also like large litters I'm assuming

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Originally Posted by yeti2k3

Thanks for the info! I have no clue where im going to find white rats though that arnt an arm and leg and uncared for. Most places near me wont sell live rats. And if they do they do they are either crazy expensive and uncared for or crazy expensive and not white =/

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I think it's okay if you breed or feed those. Some adult ball pythons will become particular about color if they've only ever seen prey items of a particular color. But assuming that's not the case, there's no reason why you can't use brown rats.

If you want to breed them, though, you should expect smaller, more irregular litters. As stated above.

I don't breed rats, but I usually get a mix of colors from the sources I use and have used. My snakes don't have a preference either (yet, knock on wood?) so I haven't really taken more note of the colors of my feeders

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Originally Posted by Rhasputin

Here's my thought.

"Anyways, back on topic.....white rats GENERALLY have ALOT of babies....that is why breeders use'em........"
That is completely not true. Any rat can have any sized litter. The amount of babies in a litter has to do with health, feed, and the line that the rat comes from. Colour has almost nothing to do with it, with the exception of lethal homozygous mutations.

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Well, that is the beauty of forums.....we all have our own opinions....I have been doing this a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time, and I would be willing to put a litter of mine, YOUR choice, against a litter of yours, your choice........mine WILL be bigger.......just saying......

Oh well......carry on.......

Jason

Jason

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Originally Posted by Rhasputin

Here's my thought.

Feeders rodents have been bred for a long time, and originally not many colours were available. Black, agouti, and albino are the most common feeder colours, not in that order.
So why all the albinos?
Well, if you breed albinos to albinos, you will get nothing but more albinos. So if one feeder place started with albinos, and bred them, they'd only have albinos. If they sold to another place that started up a feeder business, then they'd also -only- have albinos.
Even if you had a few agouti or black mice, the albino seems to always prevail, because it cancels out every other colour.

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I agree everything said here. If you start with albinos, all you're going to get is albinos.

The feeders I buy are rarely albinos because the reptile store I purchase them from started their colony with colored rats.

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Originally Posted by reptilegirl07

Plus, maybe labs like the "clean look" of the white rats because they can see any imperfections on them easier. And labs also like large litters I'm assuming

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I work in a medical research laboratory. Not all lab animals are albino. There are many strains of colored mice and rats. Color usually depicts a certain strain. Every rat or mouse in research is genetically designed for lab work. For example, certain lines of albinos and black mice(C57) are immune deficient. Perfect for disease or stem cell research. NOD strains of animals are diabetic. Lethal Yellow mice are used for obesity projects. etc. etc. The majority, but not all, are inbred strains.

However, the original reason to use albinos in research is due to their lack of pigment. It's easier to find blood veins compared to colored animals with colored skin.

And most people are correct. Lab rats tend to be larger and throw larger litters. It's part of their design.

:)

Great info everyone :) I hope to find some good breeders here in the near future to really get my colony going...Im unsure how the lines will be in my area. Hopefully I'll be able to get some good producers and healthy animals to start. Everything I got from rodent pro has been albino which is what made me start wondering if there was some secret code against using colored rats is all. I originally figured it had to do with colored rats were easily associated with pets and white with lab rats and there for easier to feed off to some people.
Already have a 3 tub rack ready to go. Just need stock :D

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Originally Posted by JTrott

Well, that is the beauty of forums.....we all have our own opinions....I have been doing this a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time, and I would be willing to put a litter of mine, YOUR choice, against a litter of yours, your choice........mine WILL be bigger.......just saying......

Oh well......carry on.......

Jason

Jason

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Yes. Your LINES have larger litters. It has nothing to do with their colour. If you popped out a black rat, it would still have a similar size litter to the rest of your rats. :P

You're agreeing with me, and not even realizing it. :rofl: