Questions

[sorraia]

Although these rats have "a lot" of white, I do not think they are what is classified as "high white". I personally hate the term "high white" because it makes it sound as if the animal that has lots of white will have problems (megacolon). That's not true. There are different genes that cause white markings, and many of those genes are NOT responsible for or associated with megacolon. The H-locus genes do not have any association with megacolon, while dominant spotting genes are said to have that association. These genes can be combined though.

What I am seeing in your rats is *most likely* H-locus genes. That does not mean they absolutely are "safe", but they do not fit the "typical" pattern of megacolon-risky white markings. What I am seeing that makes me think this is markings in the places where they are "supposed" to be. Some of the rats pictured look like blazed hooded or variegated rats with a high degree of white, while others look like variations of capped or masked. None of them follow the show standards, but for pets, that’s ok. Another thing I am seeing is "silvering" in the colored areas and along the edges of their markings. This is common in H-locus markings, and NOT indicative of the megacolon-related markings.

Again, this does not mean they are NOT risky, but I don’t see the traits that scream to me "megacolon risk". IF you are worried about it, there are some things you need to look out for. First of all, watch any babies for “failure to thrive”. This is often one of the first signs of megacolon. As they get closer to weaning (around 4 or 5 weeks of age) they may start to bloat and appear constipated. When they do poop, it may be a large mass of stools, sometimes watery, rather than normal "raisins". They will continue to fail to thrive, despite how much they may be eating. If you do see this happening, you will not want to continue breeding these animals as pets.

As for what varieties you should breed for pets – that depends. Different people have different preferences, and different areas of the country will desire different colors or markings. I’ve seen a lot of people like the kinds of crazy markings you have now. I’ve seen others who want nearly solid colored rats with almost no white. Some people like blue, some people like beige, some people like brown (whether it be mink, agouti, or some other "brown" color or combination). Most people looking for a pet generally avoid the “boring” or "common" black rats or those with pink or red eyes (some beige have red eyes, others have dark red eyes that pretty much look black). You just have to figure out what people in your area want.