Balding???

[Jyson]

So, my eldest male (about a 1 year and 10 months) breeder rat is starting to go bald on his back. Its genetic, his dad had the exact same thing. He is doing fine, he is healthy, on weight and is showing no signs of illness.

Its actually kinda funny, I will try to post some pics of him later once my camera is charged.

The main thing I am concerned about is what else could be linked to this gene. So far I have notice that both him and his dad had wavey fur on their back. Other than what I have noticed so far, does any know of anything else that could be linked with baldness in rats?

I did keep one of his offsprings (another male) as a breeder, however this male doesnt have wavey hair, nor is he balding, but then again he isnt that old.

Other than that, does anyone have balding or hairless rats? If so, feel free to post pics.

[marmie]

I notice my males hair starts thining as they get into their old age.

[littleindiangirl]

If he is a rex which it sounds like he is (wavy hair) then you will see the thinning as he gets old.

The only thing associated with the rex gene is the homozygous form is a faux hairless. Meaning they will have very little hair almost like a hairless rat, and some have patches of hair around their bodies or patchwork hairless. It's varying degrees of hairlessness when it's homozygous (or as some call Super rex.)

[MonitorLove]

This occurs with pretty much all of my velveteen rexes. There all in perfect health, clean cages, fresh water, good food, no stress, yet they just all seem to go about loosing, then after a few weeks, regrowing there hair (this process only occurs once, however). The only issue with this is that once the hair regrows, it isn't as wavy as before and they look more like standard rats.

Though, all of my rexes are either sired by, or have hairless in there lines. This could possibly be the culprit. x)

[littleindiangirl]

This occurs with pretty much all of my velveteen rexes. There all in perfect health, clean cages, fresh water, good food, no stress, yet they just all seem to go about loosing, then after a few weeks, regrowing there hair (this process only occurs once, however). The only issue with this is that once the hair regrows, it isn't as wavy as before and they look more like standard rats.

Though, all of my rexes are either sired by, or have hairless in there lines. This could possibly be the culprit. x)

I'm not sure if you have rex velveteens, since I am fairly certain rex and velveteen are two different things.

Young rats go through a molt just after weaning, about 5-6 weeks of age. They lose their baby fur and get their adult fur, which is often far less curly. Females lose more curl, and males tend to hold onto it, and can take a couple of months before they are in their full awesome curliness.