For whom are tailed animals the best friends and why a rat is not a gift. “A rat is not a gift, like any other animal. Not a toy or an element of decor”, “Not a single little rat will leave his parents’ house on the eve of the New Year holidays. There are a lot of NON-LIVING souvenirs” - such reminder posts appear every now and then in groups on social networks dedicated to rats. If for some a funny rodent is just an idea for a present under the Christmas tree or an unusual decorative element for a festive night, for others it is a pet, a friend, a family member who requires attention and care. Is it difficult to keep rats? What can they give in return? And why shouldn’t you give a tailed miracle without warning? We asked members of the Belarusian club of lovers of decorative rats “Tailed Legend”.
Description of the animal
White rats are considered one of the most popular pets. Back in the 18th century, they seriously interested the Chinese, and they began to gradually tame them. Later, the rodents came to America and were crossed with albino rats. These animals have recessive genes and a unique set of chromosomes. Therefore, it is almost impossible to obtain them at home.
Nowadays, albino rats are actively bred in laboratories and are used for scientific research in the fields of toxicology, genetics, virology, micro- and radiobiology.
Appearance
The white rat is medium in size. The weight of an adult male is 400-650 g. Females are smaller in size and weigh between 300-450 g.
Externally, albino rats can be easily distinguished by the following characteristics:
- the muzzle is elongated, slightly pointed;
- the body is stocky, oval;
- eyes and ears are small;
- the tail is long, almost naked, covered with ring scales and sparse hairs;
- The molars grow in dense rows; between them and the elongated incisors there are free areas - diastemas.
On a note. An albino rat has a transparent eye white, riddled with many blood vessels. Therefore, it appears that her eyes are colored red. Occasionally, a defective albino with grayish fur and dark, beady eyes may be born.
Character and habits
White pet rats are funny animals that are very interesting to watch. They quickly get used to different conditions and easily adapt to the rhythm of life of their owners. Newly purchased young albinos can initially sleep during the day and be active at night. But after a few days, rodents develop new habits and adapt to the changed schedule.
Smart and curious albinos do not need constant walks. But in warm weather they will be happy to be outside (the pet is placed on the owner’s shoulder). Although white rats are not particularly timid, in an unfamiliar environment they will prefer to hide under the collar or in the owner’s pocket.
Contact albinos need constant communication with people and their own kind. White rats love to be petted and do not tolerate mistreatment. With a lack of attention, rodents can become fearful and angry.
Health and life expectancy
Decorative white rats with red eyes are characterized by poor health and live on average about 1.5 years. But with favorable conditions and proper care, this figure can increase to 3-3.5 years. Rodents that are bred in laboratories live up to 4 years.
A white rat with red eyes is prone to the following diseases:
- mycoplasma infection;
- suppuration and dermatological problems;
- allergies;
- problems with teeth due to their accelerated growth.
On a note. Due to the lack of camouflage, white rats are very vulnerable to predators and are unable to survive in their natural environment. Therefore, inevitable death awaits albinos who find themselves in the wild.
Varieties
Thanks to breeding work, several varieties of domestic dumbo rats have been developed. They differ in color and coat type.
Rex
Dumbo Rex rats have thick, curly fur. The cover is soft and silky. Little rats' fur does not curl, but sticks out in different directions, it looks very funny. In adult pets, formed curls can be seen. Mustaches can also curl.
Siamese
This is a very beautiful and rare variety with an original color, like a Siamese cat. The main shade of six is cream. There is a dark mask on the face and paws.
The gene that is responsible for this type of color is recessive, so it is passed on only to some cubs from the litter. This explains the high cost of Siamese rat pups.
Husky
Dumbo Husky rats are very popular. Pets with this color have dark fur of gray, brown or almost black color. As the animal grows, snow-white hairs appear, which are concentrated in the muzzle area, on the neck and abdomen.
Blue
Decorative blue Dumbo rats are very beautiful, so breeders often sell them at a higher price. These pets have light gray fur with a distinct bluish tint.
Manx
Domestic Dumbo Manx rats are the result of complex genetic mutations. This variety differs from others not in the type of coat or color, but in the absence of a tail.
Although the animal looks funny, life is hard for him without a tail. This part of the body is necessary to maintain balance. It also plays an important role in thermoregulation - the tailless rat often suffers from overheating. Therefore, for reasons of humanity, veterinarians are against breeding Manx cats.
Sphinx
These are unique representatives of the species that differ from their relatives in the absence of hair. The hairless Dumbo rat has numerous folds on its skin, like cats of the same breed. The vibrissae are underdeveloped and curled, but the standard allows for their absence.
Dumbo Sphinx rats require special housing conditions, as they are susceptible to colds and often suffer from skin damage.
Pros and cons of pet albino rats
The white domestic rat has managed to gain the status of one of the most popular pets. But, like any other rodent, an albino has its advantages and disadvantages.
| pros | Minuses |
| Pretty appearance | Difficulties in breeding |
| Lack of aggression | Low life expectancy |
| High adaptability |
Is it worth keeping a dumbo rat at home?
Dumbo rats are often adopted by those who are unable to keep another pet - a cat, dog or chinchilla. This animal can become a good friend.
But before you decide to buy a Dumbo rat, you should weigh the pros and cons:
| pros | Minuses |
| High intelligence | Having an unpleasant odor |
| Easy to care for | Poor health |
| Friendly character, sociability | Short life expectancy |
| Cleanliness | Dependence on communication with a person |
| Low maintenance costs | Cannot be kept with cats or other predators |
| Affordable price | |
| Undemanding to the food supply |
Obviously, the Dumbo rat has more advantages than disadvantages. This is why many people willingly get a cute animal.
Care and maintenance
White rats are unpretentious rodents; they quickly adapt to any conditions. Albinos do not require special care, and the key to their health lies in proper feeding, a clean, spacious home and maintaining basic hygiene.
Cage and filler
A spacious cage made of durable materials, the minimum dimensions of which are 40 x 50 x 60 cm, is suitable as a house for your pet. The more spacious the home, the more comfortable the white rat feels. It is best to purchase a cage with a metal roof, a deep plastic tray and closely spaced bars.
Inside it, it is recommended for an albino to install a wooden house for sleeping, a plastic drinking bowl and a metal or earthenware feeder. Additionally, the rodent cage can be equipped with a hammock, ropes and ladders.
When choosing toys for an albino, you need to take into account its main anatomical feature - a long tail. It prevents the rodent from exercising and is easily injured. Therefore, the white rat does not need a running wheel and walking balls.
When choosing a litter, you should give preference to corn, since it does not cause allergies in rodents and absorbs odors well. It is advisable to change it at least once every 4 days.
Every week, the albino cage must be thoroughly cleaned using detergents. After cleaning is completed, it is recommended to scald the animal’s house with boiling water and dry it completely.
Important! If a white rat is kept in an insufficiently clean cage, its fur begins to fall out, tearing increases and red dots appear on the skin.
Hygiene
To make a decorative rodent look neat, it is provided with proper care:
- If the animal is unable to sharpen its claws on its own, they can be carefully shortened with nail clippers or a nail clipper. Otherwise, they will begin to bend and injure the skin on the rodent's paw pads.
- White rats are unable to clean their ears on their own, so dirt accumulates in them. The albino ears are wiped weekly with a cotton pad soaked in a special ethanol-free product.
- The rodent's white fur is regularly brushed with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- The albino's light coat does not require frequent bathing. A white rat should be washed no more than several times a year. To do this, the rodent is placed in a basin with warm water, gently moistened, treated with foamy shampoo and rinsed. The wet rat is thoroughly dried with a towel and only then released.
On a note. The appearance of yellowness on the snow-white fur of an albino may be a consequence of some disease or excessive exposure to sunlight.
Taming
The white rat is a very smart and sociable animal that is easy to train. To make the rodent more tame, it is often taken out of the cage and treated with a treat. After establishing close contact, the albino can be taught to respond to his own nickname and perform simple tricks.
What else do you need to buy for your rat?
Savic Freddy 2 Rodent Cage
The costs don't end with purchasing the pet itself. Before buying a rat, you need to first prepare by purchasing everything you need to keep it. Required attributes include:
- Cell. Rats are active animals, so it is better to purchase multi-tiered structures with a plastic tray. Based on 2-3 animals, the area of the first floor should be 2500-3600 cm². The distance between the twigs should be no more than 12 mm, for small rats a little less - up to 10 mm. The cost of the most modest cage that meets the listed parameters is 4-5 thousand rubles. Buying second hand will cost less - 2-2.5 thousand rubles.
- Filler. The cheapest option is shredded napkins or toilet paper. But such a filler quickly becomes dirty and does not remove unpleasant odors well, so it is better to spend money on purchasing sawdust or hay. On average, prices for filler vary from 100 to 200 rubles.
- Little house. The rat definitely needs a cozy corner for privacy. A small plastic house is perfect for this so that the fluffy doesn’t chew through it. This material is also easy to clean with warm water. The cost of such houses starts from 400 rubles.
- Hammocks. Rodents should have a place to rest, sleep or just lie down. To do this, you will need to hang 2-3 hammocks around the cage, maybe more, depending on the number of animals. The price for one product is about 350 rubles.
- Drinkers and feeders. For 2 rats you will need 2-3 pieces of each item. Depending on the model, the price for drinking bowls is 300-1000 rubles, for feeders - 200-500 rubles.
- Game complex. Rats love to frolic, so you should definitely install shells in the cage. The price range here is very wide, since today you can find many toys for rodents on sale. For example, the cost of the simplest running wheel is 150-200 rubles. At the same time, prices for balls for rodents vary between 700-1500 rubles. The bridge can be bought for 400-800 rubles, depending on the size and configuration.
- Tray. There is an opinion among rodent owners that it is impossible to toilet train rats. However, this is not so, you just need to set a goal and devote 2-3 weeks to training. The cost of a rat tray is about 200 rubles. It should be taken into account that the number of containers must correspond to the number of pets living in the cage.
- Feed. Ready-made mixtures for feeding rodents cost from 100 to 800 rubles per package. In addition, the rat will have to be supplemented with natural food - vegetables, fruits, lean meat, dairy products. Typically, all of the listed products can be found in any refrigerator, so you can not take them into account when calculating costs.
To summarize, the starting investment in keeping a rat, depending on the quality of the selected accessories, will range from 6,000 to 13,000 rubles. In addition, it is necessary to take into account that this is only the first expenditure on a pet. Because food and filler will have to be purchased constantly. And the remaining accessories can be changed as needed.
How much a pet rat costs is a controversial question. The cost of a rat and everything needed to keep it varies depending on many factors. Therefore, before going to the pet store, you will need to first calculate all the costs so as not to find yourself in an awkward situation.
Features of feeding
White rats love to eat tasty and satisfying food. The animals have no sense of proportion, so they are prone to overeating, which entails many unpleasant consequences. In order for rodents to stay healthy longer, they need a nutritious diet.
The main food of white rats is cereals. They can be given in the form of specialized feeds, bread crusts, pasta or porridges cooked without adding oil. Another important component of the rat menu is vegetables and fruits.
Contrary to popular belief, albinos do not need large amounts of protein foods. To maintain balance, it is enough to feed them a piece of hard cheese or boiled meat once a week.
All food must be fresh and warm. Due to their sensitive digestive system, albinos should not be given food that has just been taken out of the refrigerator.
Important! White rats can live without food for no more than 2 days. Therefore, hunger strikes are strictly contraindicated for them.
In addition to a feeder with fresh food, the cage of white rats should have a drinking bowl with clean water and a mineral stone for grinding down teeth.
Information on choosing rats, comparing the cost of different breeds
Domestic weasel - breeds, maintenance features
Depending on the breed of the animal, its cost will vary significantly. Decorative pets come in a wide variety of colors.
White rat
There is no specially bred breed of white rat. Nature created albinos; they got this color due to a genetic failure and can appear in any breed. You rarely see white rats in the wild; they are eaten by their own relatives; a rat cannot survive alone.
However, albinos are popular because of their beautiful appearance, with beautiful ruby eyes and white fur.
White rat
Note! In nature, there are no rats with pink, blue, or green shades of fur. These animals are sold by scammers. In order for the animal to acquire an unusual shade, a coloring pigment is added to its food, which changes the color of the rat. After stopping such feeding, the animal will return to its original color, but such nutrition will not be in vain for its health.
Dumbo
These representatives have large round ears. They are similar in appearance to the tiny cartoon character Dumbo the elephant. Pets of this breed have a lively and perky character, are attached to the owner and are flexible. Their fur can be gray, black, white or spotted.
Dumbo
Blue
Blue rodents are actually light gray in color. Their fur appears blue due to the bluish undercoat. This breed, with such a shade, is considered aristocratic and highly valued.
Blue Rat
Rex
These rodents have tousled fur that sticks out in different directions and creates the appearance of fluffiness. Grown-up individuals have small curls of fur on their backs.
Note! Baby Rex is not born with curls. He changes fur color weekly.
Rex
Sphinxes
Animals without hair are the rarest and are more valuable than other breeds. Purebred individuals have a little fluff on the ankles, in the groin area and under the eyes. The skin can be different, even spotted.
Sphinx
Anurans
It is considered the rarest breed. The body shape of this rat is similar to a pear. There is a small bump where the animal should have a tail. Scammers often sell animals with docked tails. It is recommended to buy this breed only from a trusted breeder. The color of tailless animals may be different. The fur can be curly, short, long, or the rat can be bald.
Tailless rat
Odd-eyed
This breed is considered the most expensive. The eyes of these animals can be: black, dark ruby and red. The cost of the animal depends on the external difference between the eyes. Multi-colored eyes in rats can appear in any breed.
Odd-eyed
Breeding
The female white rat is capable of reproducing offspring from 3-4 months. The albino male matures a little later. A rodent's pregnancy lasts about 20-26 days, after which 4-10 rat pups are born.
Babies are born blind and deaf, and their weight does not exceed 6 g. Rats develop quickly and at 14 days they already begin to try adult food, and by the age of a month they become completely independent.
White rats are amazing animals, whose character and lifestyle make it easy to adapt to different conditions and give them the right to be called one of the most popular pets. Unpretentious and omnivorous rodents are highly trainable, and even a child can handle caring for albinos without any problems.
Final cost table depending on the place of purchase
To make it easier to determine the price of a rat depending on the place of purchase and breed, you can use a special table:
| Breed | Cost, rub. | |||
| From hand | At the poultry market | At the pet store | From professional breeders | |
| Standard | 200-300 | 400-500 | 600-700 | 800-3000 |
| Fuzz | 700-800 | 900-1000 | 1200-1400 | 1500-2000 |
| Sphinx | 400-500 | 600-800 | 800-1000 | 1200-2000 |
| Blue standard | 350-500 | 500-700 | 700-900 | 900-1200 |
| Dumbo | 500-600 | 700-800 | 900-1000 | 1000-1500 |
| Rex | 600-700 | 800-900 | 900-1000 | 1100-1600 |
| Tailless | 1000-1300 | 1300-1500 | 1500-2500 | 2500-3000 |
It is worth noting that the table shows only approximate prices for rats of various breeds. Prices for fluffies may vary slightly at different retail outlets.
Hygiene
The pet's fur and claws require special attention from the owner. The animal performs basic hygiene procedures itself. This is a very clean animal. You can often see a rodent washing itself.
Brush the fur of the red-eyed albino with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Animals love this procedure very much if it does not cause them pain. If you notice yellowish spots on the fur, you should contact your veterinarian, as this may be a sign of some disease. In case of severe contamination, the animal can be washed in a deep bowl, but you need to be prepared for the fact that the rat is unlikely to like the procedure.
If the animal does not grind its claws down on its own, then they have to be trimmed. This is necessary so that the fingertips do not suffer. For this manipulation, special nail clippers or nail clippers are used. The procedure is simple and does not cause pain to the rat.
Character
What is the character of a white rat with red eyes? Ideal, without exaggeration. Whoever kept the rats will not let you lie.
These animals are smarter than dogs. Rats are highly trainable and very sociable, but they require the attention of their owner. They are easily tamed, affectionate and responsive to kind treatment.
It's better to buy a little rat. It's easier to tame. Rats love to sit on their owner's shoulder and kiss. Yes, yes, these pets, like dogs, lick with a neat pink tongue. They also sleep on their owner’s lap, curled up like cats.
A white rat with red eyes can be taught various tricks. The minimum that a rat can master: responding to its own nickname, bringing a small toy ball, leaving its hiding place at the owner’s command. Don't believe me? Watch this video and see for yourself:
Origin of the white rat
The white rat is a direct descendant of herding representatives. White color is considered a mutation.
At the beginning of the 20th century, laboratory rats - pasyukov - gave birth to offspring. Among the rats was a white guy. Later, this comrade was crossed with an ordinary sister, and again pups with white fur were born.
Thus began the breeding of a laboratory rat with red eyes. Experiments have been and continue to be carried out on them.
Animal rights activists are outraged by this harshness. Many rats are bought out and placed in good hands. Others end up in pet stores. And some of them are unlucky, and the rats die in laboratories, becoming objects for experiments.
Appearance
What does a white rat with red eyes look like? This is a medium-sized rodent. The pet's weight can reach 500 grams. On average, rats weigh 300-400 grams. Males are larger than their mates.
Rats have white fur and red eyes. The muzzle is elongated and sharp, with four long and sharp teeth. Two up, two down.
Another feature of the rat is its long tail. At first glance, he appears to be bald. This is wrong. The rodent's tail is covered with barely noticeable white fibers. They are almost impossible to see.
Since we're talking about rats
At the same time, let's touch on the topic of dreams. It would seem, what does a pet and dreams have to do with it? Yes, despite the fact that people often wonder: what to do if you dreamed of a white rat with red eyes?
The rat dreams of an enemy. This means that a secret, very cunning and dangerous enemy has appeared in the dreamer’s environment. And what happens next depends on the behavior of the rat in its sleep. If she is calm, she will be able to get rid of the enemy in reality without unnecessary hassle. If he rushes at someone who is dreaming, there will be scandal and trouble in reality. In any case, it is worth remembering that dreams are not the case on which you need to focus your attention.
Why are rats red-eyed?
This question often worries beginners: why do white rats have red eyes?
The thing is that white rats are not capable of producing melanin. Melanin is a dark pigment, meaning it gives dark color.
It turns out that this same melanin is absent in the eyes of red-eyed individuals. This is the reason why blood vessels on their surface become visible. A feature of a white rat with red eyes is poor vision. Its severity is significantly reduced.
