Help with rat ID

[shadowsnakes]

So my black and white hooded female and beige and white hooded male produced a litter of 10 squeakers. Typical mix of hooded babies with the exception of two, a male and female. Their pattern is hooded, like mom and dad, but their colors are odd. The hood itself has black fur tipped with brown, and an intact stripe down their backs is stark black. No belly markings. I'll try to get a pic later but they are three weeks old and *racing* around the tubs.

Any ideas? The male is super calm and I think I'll hold him back.

[sorraia]

It sounds like they may be rusted. Rusting is pretty common, basically just means the fur is faded. It is called "rusting" because it is typically a reddish color (like real rust). Most obvious on darker colors, doesn't really happen on light colors because the pigment is already lightened (discoloration on a light colored rat is typically porphyrin staining). Rusting usually happens in adult rats, but can happen on babies too, especially around the time they start moulting.