Master Splinter the runt...wth?

[MontyP2016]

Has anyone ever seen a rat look like this? A few days ago I was feeding my rats and stumbled upon this ugly dude with a litter of healthy, fully furry siblings. I first thought he was a runt that died because he was laying on his back, eyes shut, and not moving. I open the cage and to my surprise he jumps up and moves around just as good as the rest. Between raising pigs and not rodents I have seen my fair share of runts but this little ugly stick outweighs them all! Besides looking nothing like the rest, he is half the size (normal runt) but his incredible lack of fur makes me believe theres more here than just being a runt??? I left him with his mom/siblings for another day but yesterday I combined 2 litters and figured he probably wouldnt make it being bullied by 17 other full size babies so I put him in a small container with a water bottle and am trying to nurse him back to health--although I dont think thats the correct term because his health seems 100% normal! Normal attitude, normal eating, halfsize and ugly?! Anybody ever have an uglystick such as this? Anyway, I brought him up into the common areas and if he lives i think I just got a new pet cause I cant see nursing him to health and then feesing him off.

[Fraido]

Double rex or hairless. Do the parents of that baby have wavy fur?

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[MontyP2016]

I know I have a 'rex' but I don't believe the mother/father had rex in them. Even if so, can just 1 baby come out like this from a litter of 8? Actually, now that I recall, I got this momma and her 8 babies when they were 1 day old off of a girl who's "pet" had babies and she didn't want them...so...maybe they do have rex, but still, just one??

[Fraido]

I would think so, just poor odds.

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[Jeanne]

I like them like that..they r unique. I would keep it as a pet.. If u do.. Do know they are affected by cold quicker, so keep it a lil warmer during cold weather.

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[Jeanne]

That rat is a double rex.

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[Jeanne]

Rex gene causes kinky or wavey hair. Dbl rex causes patchy furred areas or very very short peach fuzz type fur or lack of in spots or combo of all.

Both rat parents wld have to hav rex gene for it to b dlb rex.

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[voodoolamb]

Yep, I agree with the others - double rex.

Some pet quality rexes loose a lot of their curl as adults, especially in the females. Sometimes to the point you can't even tell they are rex from sight alone, you'd have to get in there and really feel the texture of their coat to tell.

where any of the others in the litter rex?

[wolfy-hound]

Yes, poor quality rex often just look "messy" instead of curly as adults.

I'd say double-rex, but sometimes the hairless look like that and then lose the last hair as they get a bit bigger. If it's a true hairless, it will be smooth skinned. If it keeps the patchy stuff(or loses it and grows it back), it's a double rex.

[piedlover79]

"I think I just got a new pet"

Considering that you've named him I think you definitely have a new pet. Congrats! Rats of all hair types make awesome pets.