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.
Visual orientation
The rodent moves well around the territory under study - it is responsible for this visual memory, in which the position of surrounding objects is recorded. Thus, if you change the location of objects around the rodent, it will lose its orientation in space.
Finally, there are a few other interesting features worth noting. Animals see well at a distance of up to one and a half meters. They see obstacles in their path only from a distance of up to 75 cm. The older the animal, the worse it sees - only animals under two years old have good vision by rat standards.
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.
Which breed is better to choose?
Given such a variety of rat breeds, novice breeders often wonder what type of pet to buy. To make the right choice, you must be guided by the following criteria:
- Price . Among decorative rats there are both expensive and affordable breeds. If the financial situation does not allow you to pay a large sum for a rat, it is better to choose the classic option - the standard.
- Animal size . Breeders who prefer compact rodents should pay attention to varieties such as Dumbo or Manx. If large pets are in favor, the ideal option would be a standard or satin breed.
- Presence of allergic reactions to wool . An ideal option for allergy sufferers would be the Sphinx or Fuzz. Although the latter have fur, it is very short and practically does not grow. But it is better for breeders prone to allergies to avoid Double Rex and Pseudo-Sphinx rats - rodents of these breeds shed heavily.
- Appearance . Quite often, when choosing a decorative rat, buyers focus solely on appearance. The main thing here is to choose the animal that you like most.
- Lifespan . In general, rats do not live long - about 3 years. However, representatives of some breeds do not live to this age due to health problems, for example, rexes or sphinxes. Among the long-livers are Dumbo, Husky, and Fuzz.
- Unpretentiousness to living conditions . If you plan to purchase a rat that is not very sensitive to external conditions, it is better to purchase a standard or albino breed. Among the demanding rodents are sphinxes, fuzzes, and rexes.
The types and breeds of rats are amazing in their diversity. And each variety has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, before buying a pet you need to weigh the pros and cons. After all, a rat is not only a pet, but also a faithful friend for all family members.
Source
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.
Grooming
They constantly need to comb their white fur, and they also need to be washed constantly. To comb the rodent, use a toothbrush, and be sure to have a soft one. While combing, you will have to hold the rodent with your thumbs and forefingers.
If you find yellowness in your pet's fur, then this is a reason to worry. It is possible that your rat is sick and is unable to care for itself. Important! You should not risk the animal's psyche if you decide to clean the fur by washing it in a basin. You can simply wet cotton pads and wipe your pet's fur. After the procedure, you need to wipe the rodent dry.
Place the cage with the animal away from direct sunlight, as white rats are afraid of bright sunlight.
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.
Features of cat vision
The cat's organ of vision differs sharply from the human one in structure and ability to perceive space. They have large, round eyes with a convex lens. The viewing angle of space is 270 degrees.
A special feature of cats is stereoscopic vision. Each eye receives its own image of an object, which is then combined by the brain into one three-dimensional picture. As a result, the predator receives accurate information about the location of the prey and the distance to it.
Everything that the left eye sees goes to the right side of the brain and, conversely, the right eye transmits the picture to the left half
The genetic memory of a predator makes animals react to moving objects. Stationary animals are practically of no interest to them. Watching a moving object, the animal begins to actively move its head up and down: this is how the cat changes its viewing angle and focuses on the prey. This natural ability helps the predator calculate the distance to the prey down to the millimeter, which is why the cat’s jump is so accurate.
The special sensitivity of a cat's eyes is directly related to the structure of the pupil. It is located vertically and has increased elasticity. In bright light, it narrows, limiting rays from reaching the retina. Lack of lighting causes the pupil to dilate greatly, allowing more light to enter.
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.
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.
Perception and orientation
Panoramic vision helps rodents perceive the environment and navigate it. With its help, they cover a large area, which helps to avoid dangers. On the one hand, this can be considered a plus, and on the other, a minus, since this location of the eyes interferes with the perception of depth.
Since rats have very poorly developed binocular vision, they cannot accurately understand how far away an object is. To move safely, they learned to use their nose and receptors located near their whiskers, the so-called vibrissae.
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.
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.
Main differences between the species
Rats are classified into separate breeds based on the presence of certain criteria characteristic only for a particular species. The main distinguishing features are:
- Body type. The classic option is considered standard. Representatives of this species are distinguished by their average body size - up to 25 cm from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, rounded, high-set ears, and large eyes. In general, pets look proportional and graceful. Boys are larger than girls. The next type is dumbo. The main distinguishing feature is small round ears set on the sides of the head. Pointed ears are also considered a variant of the norm, but only slightly. Another body type is tailless. The name speaks for itself; the animals do not have a tail.
- Coat type. Standard – medium-length shiny coat evenly covering the body. Only the toes and tail are covered with barely noticeable fluff. Curly – pets are distinguished by curled mustaches and a curly coat, slightly straighter on the stomach. Wavy – thick coat with developed undercoat. The fur of both sexes is soft to the touch. Vibrises are distinguished by barely curled tips. Downy – the rat’s body is evenly covered with dense short fluff, reminiscent of corduroy to the touch. The fur on the face may be slightly longer. The Sphynx has no fur at all. A minimum amount of hair is allowed on the muzzle and in the groin area. Long-haired - the animal is covered with thick, long hairs that are soft to the touch.
- Color. Among decorative rats you can find a pet of a wide variety of colors - plain, targeted, combined, silver, even tricolor.
Different breeds of rats differ not only in appearance, but also in character and temperament. Some breeds lead a sedate lifestyle. Others, on the contrary, prefer active recreation.
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.
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.
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.
