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hairless rats?

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  • 02-06-2007, 03:12 PM
    BaLLPAddICT
    hairless rats?
    I was wondering what the difference would be to a snake with a hairless rat or a regular rat. Does it have any different nutritional value? Or are they the same?

    - Thanks
  • 02-06-2007, 03:14 PM
    JLC
    Re: hairless rats?
    I'm gonna go out on a limb here and take a guess. I'm thinking an occasional hairless won't hurt....but I believe the hair/fur of their prey plays a roll in their overall digestive health. Sorta like fiber in our diet.
  • 02-06-2007, 03:34 PM
    xdeus
    Re: hairless rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JLC
    I'm gonna go out on a limb here and take a guess. I'm thinking an occasional hairless won't hurt....but I believe the hair/fur of their prey plays a roll in their overall digestive health. Sorta like fiber in our diet.


    I'm not so sure that it does as hair isn't really digested that well, however I do think it's convenient for the keeper as it will bind their stools instead of leaving you a runny mess to clean up. :tp:
  • 02-06-2007, 03:43 PM
    JLC
    Re: hairless rats?
    Hehe....there's a "smiley" that doesn't get used very often.


    I was pretty much thinking the same thing. Not that the fur gets digested...but that, as you say, helps to bind the waste together. Consistent, properly formed stools are an important part of any digestive system. (I can't believe I'm typing this while trying to eat lunch! LOL)

    I may be erroneously applying what I know about mammals to snakes...but from what I understand...a long period of time having loose, runny stools (when an animal was designed to have solid "logs") can weaken the intestinal muscles and eventually make it very difficult to pass "normal" stools.
  • 02-06-2007, 03:44 PM
    xdeus
    Re: hairless rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JLC
    Hehe....there's a "smiley" that doesn't get used very often.


    I was pretty much thinking the same thing. Not that the fur gets digested...but that, as you say, helps to bind the waste together. Consistent, properly formed stools are an important part of any digestive system. (I can't believe I'm typing this while trying to eat lunch! LOL)

    I may be erroneously applying what I know about mammals to snakes...but from what I understand...a long period of time having loose, runny stools (when an animal was designed to have solid "logs") can weaken the intestinal muscles and eventually make it very difficult to pass "normal" stools.

    TMI! TMI! Especially so close to lunch. :8:
  • 02-06-2007, 03:47 PM
    Adam_Wysocki
    Re: hairless rats?
    Hairless are good for monitors, but for snakes, the hair of their prey is an important component of the digestive process.

    -adam
  • 02-06-2007, 03:57 PM
    xdeus
    Re: hairless rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki
    Hairless are good for monitors, but for snakes, the hair of their prey is an important component of the digestive process.

    How so? I mean, besides the binding aspect. I'm wondering about all the snakes that consume other snakes, reptiles, eggs, and fish?
  • 02-06-2007, 06:10 PM
    adizziedoll
    Re: hairless rats?
    Besides the nutritional value, because I have no idea (lol), they are pretty worthless to try to get into feeding them to your snakes on a regular basis - even if it's for one snake. They are expensive, hard to come by, and ridiculous to try to breed as well.
  • 02-06-2007, 06:31 PM
    BaLLPAddICT
    Re: hairless rats?
    why i was asking was because a few of my rats gave birth to several hairless rats and I was wondering if they would be okay to feed to snakes and thought maybe if they were good or even better that maybe I would start breeding them.. maybe I could try breeding them to sell live at local pet stores, you say they are expensive and somewhat rare? Thanks for all your help!
  • 02-06-2007, 07:17 PM
    adizziedoll
    Re: hairless rats?
    I know that hairless mothers are, well, bad mothers. But if you happen to have two breeders that have the hairless gene but actually have hair, then I dont see why you couldnt continue breeding them and try selling the hairless babies to a pet store, or even locally. I saw them at a shop around here for $20 a pop, so you could make a little bit of money on the side... for as long as they are willing to breed.


    just read up on them because they do require a little more care then "haired" rats, and if you do get stuck with a few for a while, you'll want to know what those requirements are :)
  • 02-06-2007, 07:26 PM
    BaLLPAddICT
    Re: hairless rats?
    thank you, i just went and found this site on hairless rats which has everything ill need.. i think im going to keep breeding my haired rats and once i come by some hairless try to sell them to some pet stores.. sounds like a good idea! :)
  • 02-06-2007, 11:52 PM
    BaLLPAddICT
    Re: hairless rats?
    thats funny, i just read at that website that they can develope eye infections easily or something and I just noticed that there was something wrong with one of the hairless rats' eyes.. they have like this brownish stuff around them.. any suggestions as to what i should do?
  • 02-06-2007, 11:55 PM
    jglass38
    Re: hairless rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JLC
    Consistent, properly formed stools are an important part of any digestive system.

    I'm always preaching this to anyone who will listen! Coworkers, homeless people, bus drivers, priests....I consider it a public service..
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