When hearing the word “house rats,” many people feel disgusted and immediately imagine animals that run around yards, cause damage to property, and may well be carriers of diseases. But in reality, pets can be quite interesting. Science has proven that rodents are very smart, easy to train and extremely smart.
What should you consider when choosing a pet rat? The colors of the animal are varied. There are white, black, gray, orange, brown, blue, and beige pets that children like so much.
Description of the animal
Rats belong to the class of mammals. Body dimensions can be up to 30 cm and weight 300 - 400 g. Animals lead a terrestrial lifestyle. In nature, there are rats that can climb trees. They live in burrows alone or as a family.
In addition to wild rats, there are also affectionate, caring domestic pets. Currently, many interesting decorative individuals have been bred. They communicate very well with people.
Among them it is possible to meet a unique animal without hair - the sphinx or, conversely, curly-haired animals. A rat can be tailless or have a flat tail and ears of different shapes.
A very interesting specimen is the Dumbo rat, whose coat colors can be gray, white or black. And the advantage is the ears. The larger they are, the more valuable the specimen.
The color of a rat is an important criterion when choosing a pet.
In China, Ancient Egypt and Japan, these animals were revered as sacred animals and lived in temples. It was believed that they could predict events.
Nutrition
Since the domestic blue rat is a rodent, this must be taken into account when choosing a diet. Store-bought food alone is not enough to keep your animal healthy. The animal’s diet must include foods such as, for example, boiled meat. This product must be thoroughly boiled and the fat separated. The meat must be cut into small pieces.
You can also give porridge, but it is better to give preference to crumbly porridge. You can give semolina in small quantities, but be careful - a blue rat can easily choke on the viscous porridge, and to help the animal, you need to know a special technique that is not so easy to learn. Therefore, be careful when feeding cereals.
It is also allowed to give raw meat, but infrequently and in small quantities. It will also not be superfluous to occasionally feed the rat well-cooked kidneys, liver or heart. It is necessary to add boiled egg whites to the diet 1-2 times a week.
Also don't forget about different plants. For example, in the summer, the animal can be given flowers and leaves of dandelion, plantain, chamomile and branches of fruit trees (which will help the rat grind its teeth). Also, for the same purpose, pine nuts and chicken bones are added to the diet.
Pets
Professionals know a considerable number of colors of rats. All of them in most cases appear in the form of various color combinations. Meanwhile, not all rodents meet the requirements of the standard. Nevertheless, owners of such rats can register them in the prescribed form and present them as an independent breed.
The most important thing is to focus on a limited number of relevant features. Worried about the color and color of the eyes, breeders often neglect to take care of the physique and well-being of the animal. As a result, many purebred rats, unlike wild rodents, are characterized by poor health and reduced vitality.
Every pet can be identified by color, markings and coat type. Some rat color names were taken from other representatives of the animal world, namely cats and dogs. For example: Siamese, Rex, Husky. Currently, the colors of rats are often found in completely different shades, which can be red, black, or silver. Siamese and Himalayan animals are found in large numbers.
Varieties of decorative rats
Rats first began to be seen as ornamental animals in Great Britain in the second half of the 19th century. This happened after the royal rat catcher Jack Black began catching rodents of various colors and crossing them with each other.
Courtiers and Queen Victoria herself kept these creatures in gilded cages as pets. However, the first standards for various types of rats were developed in 1901; official organizations of rodent lovers appeared only in 1976 in Europe, and 2 years later in the USA.
Currently, these animals occupy an honorable place in the line of pets along with other pets.
Those who decide to get a decorative rat for the first time are often surprised by the variety of colors and types of rodents. Most owners make their choice based on individual visual preferences. But those who are going to engage in breeding or take part in exhibitions should know exactly what rats of certain varieties look like. In this case, it is necessary to take into account certain requirements for body build, length and color of coat, configuration and location of ears, and other parameters.
The classification of rodents is based on body type and coat characteristics. Certain species of rats got their names by analogy with dogs and cats (sphynxes, huskies, double rexes and others).
Particular attention is paid to the shape of the ears and the presence of the tail, which in many cases determine the species.
Division of colors
Color is the color or shade of the fur of a decorative rat. Currently, there is a fairly large number of shades, and they are all divided into uniform, ticked and combined, silver and marked:
- Uniform colors are when all the hairs are the same color and tone. For example, black - the coat is black from root to tip. The undercoat is extremely dark. There may be other colors - blue, Russian blue, smoky blue.
- Ticked colors. Ticking is uneven hair coloring. In other words, there are zones on the wool that are colored in different colors. Among these non-standardly colored hairs, guard hairs of the same tone are identically interspersed. Agouti-colored rats are ticked.
- Silver color is absolutely any of the generally recognized colors. They can be uniform and ticked. Their main feature is the periodic repetition of silver and colored hairs in the same amount. All silver hair should be mostly white, although it is acceptable to have a colored tip. The skin of such an animal gives the impression of shine and sparkle. If few white hairs are observed, the color is not recognized as such. In order not to confuse the silver color with pearl, the silver color should be clearly expressed.
- Combined colors are a combination of several colors. All shades can participate, with the exception of white. Multicolor extends to the entire body of the rodent in accordance with the standard. This includes Siamese colors - Siamese and Himalayan.
- Marked - a combination of white and colored areas of the hair. And marking is a pattern that involves a certain combination of white and colored areas.
A direct relationship has been established between the color of the hair coat and the color of the eyes of the animal. The shade of the eyes directly depends on the color of the coat. Quite often, white rats have red or black eyes.
When breeding ornamental animals with certain qualities, it is imperative to take into account the laws of genetics. It must be borne in mind that color, coat texture and a number of other physical characteristics are inherited by rats according to the general, well-known law of heredity.
Combined (Pointed) colors
These include colors consisting of a combination of two or more colors (except white) distributed over the body in accordance with the standard.
This section includes: Siamese colors (Shaded) - Himalayans, Siamese, Burmese, as well as merle color variations (Merle).
Seal Point Siamese
The main color is beige, gradually darkening on the rump in the direction from the loin to the tail and from the belly to the upper back; The darkest color is at the base of the tail. The tail is colored along its entire length. Darkly colored brown markings are also on the muzzle (up to eye level or slightly more), ears, front and hind legs (up to the elbow and ankles). There should be no sharp boundaries between the colored areas and the beige color of the body. There should be no white or very light areas on the body, legs or tail. The eyes are red to light ruby.
Genetics: c(h)c(h)
Black Eyed Siamese/Siamese with black eyes
author unknown
A variety of color variations are possible, just like the Siamese with red and ruby eyes. The color distribution follows the same pattern. Eye color is black.
Genetics: Be- c(h)c(h) (two copies of the Himalayan gene plus one copy of the black eye gene)
—
Blue Point Siamese
Author Kulikova N.
The main color is silver-beige, gradually and evenly darkening on the rump. The darkest rich blue color is at the base of the tail. The tail is colored along its entire length. On the muzzle the darkening goes towards the nose. Dark blue markings should also be present on the ears, front and hind legs. There should be no sharp boundaries between the areas painted in rich blue and the silver-beige color of the body. There should be no white or very light areas on the body, paws or tail. The eyes are ruby to dark, almost black.
Genetics: c(h)c(h)gg
Russian Blue Point Siamese
Author Anna Rudakova (tigra)
The main color is beige, gradually and evenly darkening on the rump; The darkest brown color is at the base of the tail. The tail is colored along its entire length. Darkly colored markings of a rich brown color should also be on the muzzle (to eye level or slightly more), ears, front and hind legs (to the elbow and ankles). There should be no sharp boundaries between dark-colored areas and beige body color. There should be no white or very light areas on the body, legs or tail. The belly is light beige. The eyes are red to light ruby or black.
Genetics: c(h)c(h)dd
Golden Siamese
Author Budnikova Elena
There is no information at the moment.
Himalayan/Himalayan
Author: runa
The main color is white, without shades of other colors or spots, uniform throughout, with markings of a rich dark brown color. The eyes are red. Painted areas: nose - the mark does not rise above the eyes; ears - the coloring does not extend beyond the boundaries of the ears and does not extend onto the head; the front legs are colored no higher than the elbows; hind legs - coloring does not extend beyond the ankles; the tail is colored along its entire length, the mark does not extend beyond the base of the tail; feet - solid color over the entire surface, without white.
Genetics: cc(h)
Black Eyed Himalayan
Author: dambik
The main color is white with beige markings on the nose, paws and base of the tail. The beige “darkening” does not extend on the face above the eyes, beyond the elbows on the front legs and beyond the ankles on the hind legs. The ears and tail are lightly pigmented. Eyes black
Genetics: presumably c(h)c + black eye gene (BE)
—
Burmese/Burmese/Burmese
Photo by Listik
The main color is a uniform deep brown, without an ashy tint, silvering, interspersed with other colors, with darker points of the same shade. There should be a pronounced contrast between the color of the body and points. The eyes are black.
Genetics: aa c(h)c(h) Bubu, aa cc(h) Bubu
—
Sable Burmese/Sable Burmese/Sable
Author VaKa
Body color is a warm, rich dark brown (otter color) with slightly darker markings (points) on the paws, ears, muzzle, and tail. There should be no dusty tint, silvering, inclusions of other colors or spots. The contrast between the color of the points and the body should not be too strong. The black color in the point color is a fault. The eyes are black.
Genetics: aa c(h)c(h) BuBu, aa cc(h) BuBu
WheatenBurmese/Agouti Burmese/Wheat Burmese
Author: dambik
The body color is sandy, the points should be significantly darker than the main color. The base of the hair is light brown. Short and medium-length hairs have a yellow belt. The belly color is light silver-gray. The eyes are black.
Genetics: A- c(h)c(h) Bubu, A- cc(h) Bubu
— — — — — — —
Other colors of animals
Sometimes you can come across a completely unexpected color of an animal’s fur. They are given specific names. For example - hood color. This original color is the most common. It looks as if a dark “hood” covers the head, but the back and belly remain white. An animal with this color is born from two black parents.
New rare colors of rats are obtained as a result of mutation, completely unexpected for breeders.
Very rare, but still there are tricolored individuals. Numerous lovers of decorative rats know them under the name “mosaic”. They are considered especially valuable and rare. It is rare to find individuals with such an original color. With their specific color, they are similar to tortoiseshell cats. In addition to white, there may be spots of two other colors on the coat. It can be gray, red, or beige.
According to various sources, only two individuals of tri-colored rats are known.
Choosing store food
When choosing store-bought food, you should pay attention to the fact that it contains:
- barley;
- wheat;
- millet;
- oats
In addition, the choice of food depends on the age of the animal. So, for young rats, such “fatty” foods as Little One, etc. are well suited. But for old animals, fatty foods need to be “diluted” with simpler grain compositions, for example, “Zverushki” food.
Don’t skimp on your animal - you shouldn’t buy too cheap food that only contains 2-3 cereal crops.
The only tricolor beauty
The second tricolor rat was born in 2006 and received the original name - Dusty Mouse Shabu-Shabu. This is an amazing baby that violates all previously formed concepts about the genetics of rodents. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the wool is dyed in three colors. According to the marking standard, this animal has a champagne hood color. The tri-colored Shabu-Shabu rat has a champagne-colored stripe along its back, head and shoulders, and the rest of the body is white. But in addition to these colors, black spots are also visible on this original. Theoretically, this is considered impossible.
More than 40 types of markings and colors are known to professionals involved in breeding and keeping rats.
However, there is not a single individual that combines exactly three colors. Shabu-Shabu Dust Mouse's parents were champagne and black hoods. Nothing similar was observed in other litters of these parents.
Recently, rare white rats with red eyes have been observed. These are albinos. This white color and eye color indicate that they have problems with melanin production.
How to care for a white rodent?
The cage - the place where the albino lives - must be kept clean, regularly removing excrement and food debris. This will protect the animal and the cage from an unpleasant odor, and will also keep the rat’s fur clean.
A retractable tray is the best solution for cage care. By pulling it out and changing the filler, you can easily ensure cage hygiene.
Being a collective and sociable animal, this animal needs the attention of its owner. Therefore, it is better to have two or more animals at once. Of course, if you do not plan to breed offspring, you should give preference to same-sex rodents.
The fur of a white rat requires constant care. It needs to be combed regularly using a brush, and the rodent must also be provided with regular water treatments. If the white fur turns yellow, this means that the rodent may have become ill and cannot care for itself - a reason to contact a veterinarian.
The cage with the white animal should be placed in a place where direct sunlight will not be directed at it, as the pet is afraid of them.
Human vision is 30 times better than that of an ordinary rat. In turn, the vision of an ordinary rat is 2 times better than that of an albino rat. The animal sees its surroundings as blurry, so the space around it needs to be protected. Care must be taken to ensure that the rodent does not bump into sharp objects or fall from great heights. The same applies to other domestic animals - predators.
Cute animals that look like cats
Quite recently, a rat with an interesting color was bred - Siamese. The color of this variation is very similar to the color of a Siamese cat. There is a black mask on the muzzle.
Siamese rats have a light beige coat throughout their body. The beginning of darkening is noted closer to the tail. In the front of the head, in the area of the nose and paws, they are black. There is an opinion that the darker the color, the more “pedigreed” the rat looks. Siamese pets almost always have pink eyes. However, more recently, Siamese rats with black eyes have appeared. As it turns out, a large number of animal lovers prefer individuals with dark eyes.
SectionsI would like to note right away that this section does not provide a description of all existing “rat colors”. Not all “rat colors” existing in nature are represented in our country (by the sign *
after the name of the rat, I marked those varieties that, according to information known to me, exist in Russia).
In the "Varieties"
I have already mentioned the existence of different standards in different countries.
But since our country adopted the Russian standard in 2006, this is what I will use to describe the color sections of decorative rats. Under the name of the color, the genotype inherent in the rat with this color is indicated in red font. An asterisk (*) next to the name of the color indicates the presence of rats with a similar color in our country. Section “Homogeneous” (Self) Variety
| Description | |
| Black * aa | Smooth, rich coal-black color, without inclusions of other colors or ashy tint. The hair is black from tip to root, the undercoat is as dark as possible. The color of the belly matches the color as a whole. The eyes are black. ( Torin , owner Golovanov , photo - Golovanova S. ) |
| Blue * aagg | An even gray color with as strong a blue tint as possible. From steel blue (English or British Blue) to very light bluish blue (Slate Blue). The hair is dyed along the entire length. The color of the belly and paws corresponds to the color as a whole. The eyes are black. ( Max , breeder Simanova S. , photo - Simanova S. ) |
| Russian Blue * aa dd | A very dark grey-blue color with a metallic sheen; due to the fact that the pigment is concentrated in the spine of the hair, there is a slight effect of unevenness and ticking of the color, but this is not a disadvantage of the color. The hair is colored along the entire length to the base, the undercoat is dark blue. The color of the paws corresponds to the color as a whole. The belly is gray-silver-blue. The eyes are black. In general, this color is reminiscent of the blue color in Greyhound dogs or the “Russian Blue” in cats. ( Olinka of Lobega , owner and photo - Simanova S. ) |
| No photo available Mink aa mm (where m is most often British Mink) | Smooth brown-gray color with a bluish tint. The hair is dyed along the entire length. The color of the belly and paws corresponds to the color as a whole. Eyes black or dark ruby. |
| American Mink (Mock Mink) * aa mm Rr or aa momo (where mo is an American mink - a modification of the mink color) | Warm rich brown color. The eyes are dark ruby, in harmony with the color of the coat as a whole. ( Latoya , Silver Mock Mink, owner Simanova S. ) |
| Platinum* aa gg momo (where mo is an American mink, not English!, i.e. mock mink) | The color is light gray with an icy blue tint. There should be no cream, brown or strong blue tints. The hair is dyed along the entire length. The color of the belly and paws corresponds to the color as a whole. Eye color varies from light ruby to almost black. A bright ruby eye color is preferred, but should not be too light. ( Chamomile , owner Kulikova N. , photo - Kulikova N. ) |
| Beige, Buff * aa rr | Warm color of slightly tanned skin (to warm magnolia for buff). The color should not be dull, excessively yellow or gray. The hair is dyed along the entire length, to the base. The color of the belly and paws corresponds to the color as a whole. Eye color is ruby to black, the darkest possible eye color is preferred. ( Pansy of Lobega , owner and photo - Simanova S. ) |
| White with red eyes (Pink Eyed White, Albino) * usually cc, but also a combination of several lightening genes | Pure, bright, brilliant white color. The hair should be snow-white along its entire length. The color of the belly and fur on the paws is white. The eyes are bright, light red (pink). (breeder Kocheshkova E.G. (Donetsk, Ukraine), photo - Evgeniy Gladenyuk ) |
| Champagne, Cream * aa pp | Very light, slightly pinkish beige color. Shouldn't be too yellow or too grey. The hair is colored evenly along its entire length. The color of the belly and paws corresponds to the color as a whole. The eyes are pink. ( Chuk , owner Fedorova Yu. , breeder - Vorobyova O. , photo - Golovanova S. ) |
Section “Ticked”
| Variety | Description |
| Agouti * A-, no mutations | Rich chestnut color, guard hairs are black. Short and medium-length hairs should have a yellow-orange (preferably as warm a shade as possible) band. The base of the hair is dark gray. The tips of the hairs are black. The color of the paws matches the color as a whole. The belly is silver-gray. The eyes are black. ( Nika , owner Simanova E. , photo - Simanova S. ) |
| Amber * A/- pp (pink eye agouti) | Light yellow-orange color, each hair is marked with a silver-beige belt (ivory color). The guard hairs are silvery. The undercoat color is cream. The belly color is light beige. Eyes are pink. Preference is given to rats with the lightest eyes. ( Ksyusha , owner Vorobyova O. , photo - Golovanova S. ) |
| Blue Agouti, Opal *A/-gg | Each hair is gray-blue at the base, with a reddish-brown band at the top of the hair. The guard hairs are light blue in color. The color of the paws matches the color as a whole. The belly is light gray-blue interspersed with silvery hairs. Eye color - black. ( Wust , owner Rumyantseva E. , 8th meeting of rat lovers, Moscow, photo - Golovanova S. ) |
| Photo is temporarily unavailable Platinum Agouti * aa gg momo (mo - American mink, i.e. Mock Mink) | A vibrant mix of light gray and cream with an even icy blue tint. The base of the hair is light blue. Each hair is marked with a cream belt. The belly color is light silver. Paw color is light gray. Eyes from light to dark ruby. |
| Cinnamon * A/- mm (Mink Agouti) | The main color is reddish-brown interspersed with chocolate guard hairs. Short and medium-length hairs are marked with a bright golden-red belt. The base of the hair is medium intensity gray-brown. The color of the paws matches the color as a whole. The belly color is silver-gray, like the agouti, but in a lighter variation. Eyes black or dark ruby. ( Guan Yin , owner. Simanova S. , photo - Simanova S. ) |
| Fawn (Fawn, Dark topaz, Topaz, Orange) A/- rr | Rich golden brownish-orange color (similar to the color of a fawn), as bright as possible, with uniform inclusions of silver guard hairs. The ticking is weakly expressed, of the same red-golden hue. The undercoat and base of the hair are light gray or bluish in color down to the base. The belly is creamy silver. The color of the back and sides should be uniform, without losing intensity on the sides. The boundary between the color of the back/sides and the belly should be clear and distinct. The base color should not appear dusty or greyish. The eyes are dark ruby, the darkest possible eye color is preferred. |
| Photo is temporarily unavailable Topaz * A- rr + other lightening genes | A color similar to the fawn color, but less intense and with a lighter, duller undercoat. |
| Pearl * aa mm Pepe (dominant) or aa momo pepe (where mo is American mink; it is likely that the pearl gene behaves as a recessive gene in combination with American mink). | Very light silver color, transitioning to a creamy base color. The tip of each hair is lightly marked with light gray. Gray can be a warm shade and sometimes even closer to lilac in tone. The belly color is light creamy silver. Eye color - black (or dark ruby, depending on modifications). ( Toma , owner Kulikova N. , photo - Kulikova N. ) |
| Pearl cinnamon (Cinnamon pearl) * AA mm Pepe or Aa momo pepe (?) | The coat color is based on a combination of three colors (from the base of the hair upward): cream, bluish-gray and orange. The guard hairs are silvery. General impression of color: golden with a silver tint. The belly color is light silver-gray. The color of the paws matches the color as a whole. The eyes are black (or dark ruby depending on modifications). |
| Pearl Blue (Platinum Pearl) * aa mm gg Pepe (dominant) or aa momo gg pepe (where mo is American mink; it is likely that the pearl gene behaves as a recessive gene in combination with American mink). | Light creamy gray color with a blue tint. The tip of each hair is marked blue-gray. Gray can be a warm shade and even sometimes closer in tone to lilac. The gray-blue color of the upper part of the hairs transitions to the cream color of the base of the hair and undercoat. The belly is creamy bluish-gray. The eyes are black (or dark ruby, depending on modifications). ( Jerry , owner Kulikova N. , photo - Kulikova N. ) |
Section “Combined” (Pointed)
| Variety | Description |
| Siamese (Seal Point Siamese) * c(h)c(h) | The main color is beige, gradually and evenly darkening on the rump in the direction from the loin to the tail and from the belly (starting from about 1/4 of the width of the side) to the upper back; The darkest brown color is at the base of the tail. The tail is colored along its entire length. Darkly colored markings of a rich brown color should also be on the muzzle (to eye level or slightly more), ears, front and hind legs (to the elbow and ankles). There should be no sharp boundaries between the dark-colored areas and the beige body color; the markings should blend smoothly and evenly into the body color. There should be no white or very light areas on the body, legs or tail. The belly is light beige. The eyes are red to light ruby. ( Baakir de Morthy , owner and photo Elena Kocheshkova (Donetsk, Ukraine) |
| Blue Point Siamese * c(h)c(h)gg | The main color is silver-beige, gradually and evenly darkening on the rump in the direction from the loin to the tail and from the belly (starting from about 1/4 of the width of the side) to the upper back; The darkest rich blue color is at the base of the tail. The tail is colored along its entire length. On the muzzle the darkening goes towards the nose. Markings of a dark blue color should also be on the ears, front and hind legs (up to the elbow and ankles). There should be no sharp boundaries between the deep blue areas and the silver-beige body color; the markings should blend smoothly and evenly into the body color. There should be no white or very light areas on the body, paws or tail. The belly is silver-beige. The eyes are ruby to dark, almost black. ( Denali Hakalla , owner and photo - Simanova S. ) |
| No photo available Siamese Russian Blue (Russian Blue Point Siamese) c(h)c(h)dd | The main color is beige, gradually and evenly darkening on the rump in the direction from the loin to the tail and from the belly (starting from about 1/4 of the width of the side) to the upper back; The darkest brown color is at the base of the tail. The tail is colored along its entire length. Darkly colored markings of a rich brown color should also be on the muzzle (to eye level or slightly more), ears, front and hind legs (to the elbow and ankles). There should be no sharp boundaries between the dark-colored areas and the beige body color; the markings should blend smoothly and evenly into the body color. There should be no white or very light areas on the body, legs or tail. The belly is light beige. The eyes are red to light ruby. |
| Siamese mink (Mink Point Siamese) c(h)c(h) mm | Color cream or beige. The markings are light brown (mink). The color distribution follows the same pattern as in other varieties of Siamese color. The eyes are ruby red. ( Burger Volzhsky , owner and photo - Zhukova O. ) |
| Himalayan * cc(h) | The main color is white, without shades of other colors or spots, uniform throughout, with markings of a rich dark brown color. The eyes are red. Painted areas: nose - the mark does not rise above the eyes; ears - the coloring does not extend beyond the boundaries of the ears and does not extend onto the head; front legs - coloring no higher than the elbows; hind legs - coloring does not extend beyond the ankles; tail - colored along the entire length, the mark does not go further than the base of the tail; feet - solid color over the entire surface, without white. |
| Photo is temporarily unavailable Blue Point Himalayan * cc(h)gg | The main color is white, without shades of other colors or spots, uniform throughout. The markings are smoky blue. The eyes are red. Painted areas: nose - the mark does not rise above the eyes; ears - the coloring does not extend beyond the boundaries of the ears and does not extend onto the head; front legs - coloring no higher than the elbows; hind legs - coloring does not extend beyond the ankles; tail - colored along the entire length, the mark does not go further than the base of the tail; feet - solid color over the entire surface, without white. |
| Black Eyed Siamese Be- c(h)c(h) (two copies of the Himalayan gene plus one copy of the black eye gene) | A variety of color variations are possible, just like the Siamese with red and ruby eyes. The color distribution follows the same pattern. Eye color is black. ( Asterixin Valtakunta , owner and photo - Lazareva V. ) |
| No photo available Black Eyed Himalayan presumably c(h)c + black eye gene (BE) | The main color is white with beige markings on the nose, paws and base of the tail. The beige “darkening” does not extend on the face above the eyes, beyond the elbows on the front legs and beyond the ankles on the hind legs. Ears and tail are slightly pigmented. Eyes are black. |
Photos from other resources were used on the page, kindly provided by their authors:
“DanaWorld” “AFRMA”
Regular colored pet
The variety of shades represents the agouti color. The impeccable beauty of this suit wins the hearts of even harsh experts. Agouti is a “wild” color. In the reference book it is presented as gray, but is actually red-black.
These are the ones that are kept at home in most cases. The agouti rat has golden fur. Most individuals have a dark back and a light yellow or white belly. Sometimes there may be a hint of orange in the color. This is because the rat has a shiny coat. The lifespan of agouti at home can be up to 20 years.
Appearance of the animal
What do rodents look like? There are mainly 2 types of rats: gray and black, they are called synanthropic. Gray and black rats are the most common, so a person may never see more than 2 species in his entire life, except for the white (laboratory) one.
It is not difficult to distinguish a rat from a mouse, since the former are much more massive than the latter, and the huge size of the tail speaks for itself that this is really a rat.
Factors that will help you recognize a rat at first sight:
- The considerable size of the tail of these rodents can be the same length as their entire body, or even longer. In mice, the tail is usually short and covered with hair, while in rats, on the contrary, it is large and hairless.
- The animals are distinguished by their provocative coloring: thick black, red and gray fur.
- A clearly defined convex and massive muzzle.
- The body size of an adult varies from 20 to 35 cm, depending on food and habitat.
- These rodents have toes on their paws, unlike their mouse relatives.
An interesting fact is that rats can jump up to 80 cm, but this is not the limit. In isolated and very extreme cases, they can even jump up to 2 m.
A rat with a color like a four-legged friend
People who hear the word “husky” immediately think that we are talking about sled dogs. However, in nature there are other animals with this name. These are domestic decorative rats.
The variety of the animal is very interesting, with different properties. The Husky rat gets its name due to the similarity in color to this breed of sled dog. Unlike other varieties, they can change coat color. Cubs are born with a normal color. May also be black.
Their markings may be similar to banded. This means that the colored spots are located on the body or body of the rat, which is dark in color, as if covered with a cloak, and the tummy is white.
But over time, as the animal grows up, the baby fluff changes to adult fur, and white hairs appear in the color. This dilution with white occurs throughout life. Over time, the original color fades to white. This is how the rat changes color.
The ideal color for a husky is salt and pepper. There is a white spot on the rat's face that resembles the spots on the faces of dogs. It has an inverted V-shape and is called "blaze".
It is because of this feature that the animal was given such a name.
Nail care
It happens that rats sometimes cannot sharpen their claws on their own, perhaps this is due to illness, but in any case, you should help your animal. If a rodent's claws are long, they can damage the pads on its paws. Therefore, if you notice that your rodent has long nails, cut them immediately. The best way to trim nails is to use a rodent nail clipper. You can also use nail clippers.
Albino rat claws sometimes require care
Also about the cost of albino rats. The cost of white rats is not much different from the cost of other decorative rats.
Important! Many breeders refuse to keep these ornamental rats because of their short life span. They have weak immunity, so they often get sick.
Markings for this color
A husky rat can only be one of two available markings:
- Berkshire Husky.
- Banded Husky.
The Berkshire Husky is a coat type marking with a white belly and colored rat back. The head, like the back, is also colored.
Banded Husky is a "hood" type marking where the animal's head, chest and shoulders are evenly colored. The exception is Blaze. From the so-called hood, a strip of dyed wool runs along the back. In this marking, such a stripe is very wide.
Types of rats by body type
There are 3 types of rats based on their build type. Standard are rodents of a familiar species. They have an elongated body, they have a long bare tail of about 20 cm. Like their wild relatives, such rats can weigh up to 0.5 kg and reach 24 cm in length. Rodents have round ears on top of their heads and an elongated snout. The fur of the animals lies tightly to the body, it is smooth and shiny.
The most common type of rats of the standard breed
Dumbo - another variety differs from the standard in ears. They are located not on the top of the head, but on the sides of the head, like the elephant of the same name in the cartoon. Dambo ears are large and open; a slight bend in the upper part of the auricle is allowed. Due to the position of the ears, the head appears wider. The back of the head of these rodents may be slightly convex. The rear of the rat is wider, so the body shape may be slightly pear-shaped.
The round ears of the domestic rat of the Dumbo species give it a special charm
The Manx, a rat without a tail, is classified as a separate species. A rodent needs its tail to cool its body and balance itself. A high proportion of anuran rats have problems with their hind legs and genitourinary system. The birth of cubs is associated with the risk of having a non-viable litter. Sometimes, under the guise of Manx cats, sellers sell ordinary baby rats with their tails amputated after birth. The body of the tailless rat is not elongated, like that of the standards, but in the shape of a pear.
The Manx breed of domestic rats is fraught with many unpleasant surprises.
Important: The tailless rat is a potential handicap, and self-respecting communities do not seek to support this genetic lineage.
Beautiful blue rats
This amazingly beautiful animal deserves special attention. Among the large number of ornamental animals, the blue rat is considered an aristocrat. The animal's fur to the base and undercoat have a blue tint. The belly can have a different color: white or gray, a blue tone is possible.
This rat has very beautiful glossy fur. Loneliness is undesirable for her. She doesn't tolerate it well. That's why they are brought up in pairs. But if there is no desire to have several such animals, then you will have to pay more attention to this one existing pet. During the day, one hour of communication with a person is enough for them.
Wool standardization
In contrast to the numerous markings, there are not many types of wool at all, and they have long been standardized. “Standard” by its name makes it clear that this type of wool is the most common. It is smooth and looks like gloss. Those animals whose fur is stiffer, denser and coarser are classified as “curly” hair type; all their hair and even their mustache curls.
There is also a “wavy” type, which differs from “curly” only in having softer hair. “Satin” is a type of wool that is more shiny and fine.
In the 2000s, long-haired rats also appeared; they have slightly larger fur than standard ones. There are few other species; rather, they are determined by the absence of hair. Therefore, hairless rats are only decorative and were bred quite recently.
Predators in nature
As a rule, in urban areas you can most often find ordinary rats. They may have a gray, sometimes black skin color. The colors of rats in nature range from grayish to red. Sometimes you can find a brown rodent.
The most common types of rat colors in nature:
- Gray rat. Young animals have gray fur. When they mature, they acquire a reddish tint. On the abdomen, white hairs have a dark base.
- Black rat. On the back, the color of the skin has a greenish tint. The belly has dark gray or ash-colored hairs.
- Small rat. It has a brown skin color.
In central Russia, there are mostly two types of rats: black and gray.
Rodent vision
Albino rats have very poor vision and otherwise see the world very blurry. For example, if you compare the vision of a rodent and a person, then the vision of a pet is 40 times less. And if we compare an ordinary gray rat with an albino, then the white rodent has half the vision of its gray relatives. To begin with, pet owners need to secure the cage, and it is advisable that the cage be large. You should also secure the room where the rodent will roam. When you let your rodent out for a walk, you will need to constantly monitor him, since his vision does not allow him to see dangers in the form of heights or sharp objects.
Albinos have poor vision due to their eyes
Why are rats dangerous?
Rats are a disaster for all humanity. They gnaw through walls in the basements of houses, sewer pipes, damage electrical mains, and damage crops.
Rats are carriers of more than 20 infectious diseases, such as leptospirosis, plague, salmonellosis, pseudotuberculosis and others. Many are dangerously fatal to human life.
It is difficult to exterminate rats using chemicals because the animal’s body quickly adapts to the poison and develops protective immunity to toxins.
