# Pet Rats



## Jewly (Oct 3, 2008)

I've never really considered rats as pets until a close friend of mine got them and now I love them. They are so cute and are very friendly and will just sit on your shoulder for ages which amazed me to start with, cause I thought they would have taken off like a shot. 

I had to go to the pet shop last night to actually get some frozen rats for my snakes and I was checking their live rats out and these 2 little guys kept coming up to the glass and they were just so cute that I couldn't resist them. I already had a cage, cause I bought one a little while back to use as a bearded dragon sunning cage so I just had to get a few little bits and pieces and I was all set up. They are both boys and they are brothers so they get on really well. I decided to call them Tom & Jerry, not very original I know but I'm getting to the point where I'm finding it hard to think of names.


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## RedEyeGirl (Oct 3, 2008)

Aw how cute Jewly.And very cute names


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## Kurto (Oct 3, 2008)

mmmmm.... lunch! lol!


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## Jewly (Oct 3, 2008)

RedEyeGirl said:


> Aw how cute Jewly.And very cute names


 
Thanks 




Kurto said:


> mmmmm.... lunch! lol!


 
I kinda feel a bit weird having pet rats, when I have frozen ones in the freezer. :lol:


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## miss2 (Oct 3, 2008)

lol


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

I too have pet rats, 9 female 3 of them with a combined 19 bubs 1 female due anyday and I have 1 boy.... I just couldnt use them for feed and as I only have 2 snakes that eat rats fortnightly its not that expensive to buy frozen, yet! 
I can post some piccies if you dont mind, later though as I am at work *hehe*


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## Jewly (Oct 3, 2008)

Yeah I'd love to see some pics.


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## mysnakesau (Oct 3, 2008)

I have had pet rats. Best pair I've ever had I drove to Mosman to get them. Such sooky sweet pets, the only pair I ever had that I could allow free run and trust them not to go anywhere. Except they killed my mice while out one night


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

I have mice too but need to get rid of them, really need the space....... but they are so cute, we also have a combined 23 bubs in 3 litters also there.



> Except they killed my mice while out one night


 
thats so sad....


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## Deleted member 9890 (Oct 3, 2008)

pet rats are the best! the last rat i had was the cutest little guy 'boris' he only died a few months ago. he was about 3 years old... i just bought my self another one yesterday hes pure white and really cute. 
nice rats jewly they will bring u heaps of joy


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## pythons73 (Oct 3, 2008)

I brought a pair 2 years ago,in that time,the girl has had about 15-18 litters,some of the babies ive keeped for food,but ive ended up keeping as pets,ive got 6 big ones i wont use as food,they are my pets.Ive got 16 others just for food,one female last week had 15 babies,thats a record 4 me,usually get 10-12 babies from each litter,my original males name is bbb triple b,big ball bastard..


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## Chris1 (Oct 3, 2008)

they are really cute, which is the exact reason i dont breed my own for food.


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## [email protected]$ (Oct 3, 2008)

I have a pet rat named Milly 
i used to breed my two pet rats for food but we couldnt kill them so we gave them to the pet shop.
Your rats are sooo cute.

The first pic is my old rat Jess when we were breeding 
And the other pics are my rat Milly


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## cris (Oct 3, 2008)

Its a shame no one seems to have tried breeding rats for longevity, apart from them crapping all the time and their typcally short lifespan they are great pets. Is it possible to get rats that have stripes like a tiger?


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

I breed just as pet, and i love the little ratties, I hopeing to get some rex's some time does anyone breed them?


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

I am home early today, so here are my babies... be prepared there will be heaps of pics
The first ones are Nibbles 7 bubs born on the 29th, next is Coco she has 6 bubs born 28th, then Shars 6 bubs born 26th, last but not least some of the rest eating nice cold watermelon on a hot day...


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## Chris1 (Oct 3, 2008)

nooo,..stop posting pics!

i'm finding myself wanting pet ratties!!!!

nah, keep posting, theyre so cute,..!!


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## hydropython (Oct 3, 2008)

why try to connect and empathise with horrible smelling, vermin???? just breed them to ensure pristine feed items for your snakes.


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## cris (Oct 3, 2008)

hydropython said:


> why try to connect and empathise with horrible smelling, vermin???? just breed them to ensure pristine feed items for your snakes.



We are talking about rats here, not cats. Rats dont stink at all if you look after them, they are very clean animals. Rats are highly intellegnt social animals it makes far more sense to empathise with a rat than a snake.


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## steph (Oct 3, 2008)

yer i love rats there sooo cute. but mine never sit still they always just want to escape.... here are some pics of mine, by the way does anyone no what age is good to start breeding them? because i have tried to reaserch it but their are to many different answers i dont no which is correct, some say start breeding at 7-10 weeks and others say start breeding at 5 months????


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

like with all animals rats only smell as much as you let them. put it this way, if you put a dog in a cage for a week and don't clean it, it's gona smell right? well it's the same with rats!!!


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

Breeding with rats is recommended from about 6mths of age.... I have a much younger female that has just had 7 bubs, I got her from the pet shop the day she delivered her babies.A pet shop is no place to raise babies.


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## steph (Oct 3, 2008)

So start breeding at 6mths and what age should you stop breeding them?


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

are you feeder breeding or pet breeding?


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## =bECS= (Oct 3, 2008)

steph said:


> yer i love rats there sooo cute. but mine never sit still they always just want to escape.... here are some pics of mine, by the way does anyone no what age is good to start breeding them? because i have tried to reaserch it but their are to many different answers i dont no which is correct, some say start breeding at 7-10 weeks and others say start breeding at 5 months????



Ive had rats breed from 6 weeks, but they were in with my top male and he jumps anything that moves


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

they can be breed from 6 weeks onwards but 12 years olds can be too


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## cris (Oct 3, 2008)

xenathepython said:


> like with all animals rats only smell as much as you let them. put it this way, if you put a dog in a cage for a week and don't clean it, it's gona smell right? well it's the same with rats!!!



Mice stink, but you are right for most animals.


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

I have to agree, we clean out the mouse enclosure regularly and yet they still stink.....


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## TWENTY B (Oct 3, 2008)

i've got a pair called lunch and dinner.
And 7 little breakfasts. 
Dinner is about to drop another litter so all my breakfasts are about to "go to the farm".


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

yes i hate my mice they stink aswell, rats don't


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## Saz (Oct 3, 2008)

Unfortunately I got sucked into pet rats too. They are clever little animals. I still breed for food too but most of them are pets. I've got some rex ratties (curly coated) and headspotted/blazed ratties.

Rats and female mice are ok smell wise, but male mice STINK to high heaven. Mine scent everywhere, even over their water bottles...disgusting little creatures lol!

Here are some of the boys






Some of the girls





And the cages





Black berkshire double rex female - bit difficult to see her curly coat here but you can see her curly whiskers





And a couple of other little curlies


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

Oh those little rex's are so darn adorable


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

we meet again

I so want a blazed rat


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## Saz (Oct 3, 2008)

LOL! Here's one of my headspot girls (hopefully a blaze carrier as she is sister to my lightening blaze boy)





and my lightning blaze boy - hoping to breed wider blazes with selective breeding


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

do you breed blazed ofen


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## Saz (Oct 3, 2008)

Haven't bred any blazed yet as they are still young. The females I won't breed just yet but the male is ready to go so I have plans to put him over a couple of my dove berk females soon to see what we get.


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

my little guy is looking for a bareback wife or a capped.


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

bad picture but I would like to see if I can breed barebacks or capped in the future


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## Saz (Oct 3, 2008)

Very nice little fella. There isn't a gene as such for bareback/capped, it's just a variation of the hooded gene. You could try putting him over normal hooded females and see what you get. It's luck of the draw really, you can put two perfectly marked animals together and they aren't really any more likely to produce perfectly marked animals than if both parents were mismarked. Odd huh.


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

I know but chance might have it. but you see the only hooded females i've got are wide hooded and it would be hopelesss trying with them


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## Saz (Oct 3, 2008)

Fingers crossed you find one!


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

this is the only hooded girl i've got


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

xenathepython said:


> this is the only hooded girl i've got


 
Off topic here....

hans is that you????


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

yer took you long enough


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

LOL is was your thick hooded that caught my eye


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

I know as soon as i saw your litters


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

LOL I have another female rat "PO" which I am pretty sure is in labour as we speak or not far off it.


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

ANOTHER?? wow you are gonna be ratted out


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## KaaTom (Oct 3, 2008)

I know.... the kids put the boy in with the girls so no doubt there will be more as ther are still another 5 females aarrrrgghhhh but we'll easily find nice homes for them


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## xenathepython (Oct 3, 2008)

thats good, it's hard to find new home here


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## Jackrabbit (Oct 3, 2008)

Jewly said:


> I kinda feel a bit weird having pet rats, when I have frozen ones in the freezer. :lol:


 

Good to know you can hold something over them if the misbehave. Just take them to the freezer and point saying, 'that will be you if you don't do as you are told!":lol::lol:


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## Jewly (Oct 3, 2008)

Jackrabbit said:


> Good to know you can hold something over them if the misbehave. Just take them to the freezer and point saying, 'that will be you if you don't do as you are told!":lol::lol:


 
Ohh I could never do that....I wouldn't want to traumatize the poor little things :lol:


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## steph (Oct 4, 2008)

Hay does anyone no if you can breed rats with no tails? i no with some animals there is a gene were the animal is born without a tail can that happen to rats?


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## Australis (Oct 4, 2008)

Yes and yes.


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## steph (Oct 4, 2008)

Oh cool does anyone here have any? would love to see some pics of them


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## Hetty (Oct 4, 2008)

You can breed manx rats (rats without tails) but it is more difficult because the female's tail is used in the mating process. Manx rats aren't common in Australia, you'll have trouble getting them. They're pretty useless anyway, tails are very useful when dangling rats in front of snakes.


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## Dipcdame (Oct 4, 2008)

Jackrabbit said:


> Good to know you can hold something over them if the misbehave. Just take them to the freezer and point saying, 'that will be you if you don't do as you are told!":lol::lol:



PMSL jackrabbit...... a person after my own heart!!!!!!!!!


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## dragon-lover (Oct 4, 2008)

mysnakesau said:


> I have had pet rats. Best pair I've ever had I drove to Mosman to get them. Such sooky sweet pets, the only pair I ever had that I could allow free run and trust them not to go anywhere. Except they killed my mice while out one night


 

is that bubbles and squeek? or a different 1 ???


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## xenathepython (Oct 5, 2008)

manx rats are really rare at the moment and they don't do the best in the heat becasue there tail is also used to lower the body temperture. but if anyone is breeding them let me know..lol


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## LullabyLizard (Oct 5, 2008)

I love rats! I really want one but mum says no


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## xenathepython (Oct 5, 2008)

than ask for 2!!!!! really they are really nice and clean


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## LullabyLizard (Oct 5, 2008)

xenathepython said:


> than ask for 2!!!!! really they are really nice and clean




Thanks lol  We had mice in the past and she said they were too smelly, so she thinks rats are the same


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## xenathepython (Oct 5, 2008)

mice are gross, i bred them for feeder, but my rats are pets and pets only


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## LullabyLizard (Oct 5, 2008)

Mice are not gross!!!


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## mias (Oct 5, 2008)

im getting some rats soon from a freind who breeds them for his snakes but his adults are like pets got heaps of colour combos to choose from cant wait my fav is the light caramel and white dont know how i will go feeding the babys i breed to my snakes thats my intetention im a sucker for any animal


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## xenathepython (Oct 5, 2008)

mice poop non stop


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## LullabyLizard (Oct 5, 2008)

But they are cute!


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## mysnakesau (Oct 5, 2008)

Just consider your neighbours. I discovered yesterday that my mice's wheels were keeping my neighbour's son awake. His bedroom is separate to the house and said he laid awake trying to work out what the squeaking noise was he could hear. Oopsie - you really need to be as quiet as a mouse :lol:


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## xenathepython (Oct 5, 2008)

very. but so are humans


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## xenathepython (Oct 5, 2008)

my mice wheels wake me up somethimes...lol


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## hallie (Oct 5, 2008)

Rats are good pests and are quite intelegent but if they are to end up snake food probably not a good idea to get too attached...:|


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## mysnakesau (Oct 5, 2008)

hallie said:


> Rats are good pests ...:|


:lol: really?

Well rats are good pets as well. They can be pests, their nature is quite responsive to us so not boring like a mouse can be.

Get attached? Would you really feed your pet to snake?


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## KaaTom (Oct 5, 2008)

I love my rats but will be downsizing to keep costs down..... I have 1 male, 9 female 4 of which have bubs. I agree they are soooo intelligent, none of mine with bubs have bitten me, PO grabs onto my finger with her teeth but never hard but that is fairconsidering she only had 12 bubs yesterday afternoon....


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## xenathepython (Oct 5, 2008)

hope your not selling them as feeders


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## KaaTom (Oct 5, 2008)

nope most are sold already and the others will stay with me until they find nice family homes


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## Sdaji (Oct 6, 2008)

I have pet rats and mice, although their babies get fed to snakes  Sometimes we get ones which are just too sweet to kill  If anyone in Melbourne wants a really lovely mouse or rat let me know :lol:

Saz: The 'barebacked hoodeds' or whatever the rat fnaciers call them aren't entirely random. The hooded/Berkshire/self thing is Mendelian, but other genes can affect the trait. A Berkshire with the 'extra white' genes will have larger belly patches and the hooded version will have extra white/less pattern. It's a gene interaction situation.

We have rex rats, they're gross! We tried growing up double rex rats out of curiosity, and now that they're inside snakes we don't feel the need to repeat it :lol: My partner wants to get rid of all the rex rats, but I want to keep a few, just for the sake of variety. We have many different colours, I can't even remember the names of all of them. Silverfawn, topaz, champage, dove, black, agouti and others I think. It's pretty easy to get attached to the rats, and the mice are lots of fun too  Good fun playing with the genetics as well


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## wokka (Oct 6, 2008)

We had some mice that my keeper called waltzing mice. They spent their day staggering around in circles. It was heretable but did nothing extra for the snakes so we dont have them anymore. If only I'd thought of you Sadji it could have been another project.


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## KaaTom (Oct 6, 2008)

Im getting rid of all my mice if anyone is interested??? 10+ males 14+ females some possible preggas and 23 bubs....
I also have some rats that will be ready in 4 weeks or so give or take 

But I agree rats are so cute & very hard to part with... I currently have 4 litters with 1 on the way and the very first litter born are like little cheerios but black, totally gorgeous


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## travie (Oct 6, 2008)

mm i couldnt ever have a per rodent, i have too many in the freezer


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## Saz (Oct 7, 2008)

That's good to know, thanks for that Sdaji.

I love my little rexies! They are just too cute. The doubles go through a rather disturbing bald stage but grow their fur back lovely and plush. I think tt looks really nice in the ticked varieties, agouti, cinnamon, argente.

I love my longcoat rex mice too, they are my favourites!

Rex mousey babies






Just thought I'd add this as its so cute - feeder females growing up chinchilla/himilayan litters - they are really good Mums





This poor gal got mugged for milk whilst she was having her breakfast. Bless her!


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## zeke22 (Oct 7, 2008)

*rats*

I just wanted to ask how do people go handling their pet rats and then the snakes? if you wash your hands enough does it totally get rid of the scent?

would like to have a pet rat, always wanted one but just wasn't sure about having a snake and a rat!


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## Sidonia (Oct 7, 2008)

Two of the three adults I have are really really sweet and they wont be fed to snakes until they die of old age; the other adult is not very nice at all, so she will be culled once she's big enough for my snake.
I'm keeping one of the mean rat's babies to raise for another breeder and the rest are going to be snake food.

This is my favorite rat, her name is Vahana and she just had her first litter (only 5).






She's so sweet, whenever I open the cage she has to climb up on my shoulder and make little ratty noises in my ear.


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## xenathepython (Oct 14, 2008)

I'm getting manx rats!!!!!yay!!!!!


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## Hetty (Oct 19, 2008)

I've bred some interesting looking babies lately, was going to start a rat appreciation thread but remembered this one -

Black Butt the Pirate-





Goth-





and these new pinkies-





Should have some really nice stuff in the next generation or two  I also have plain black eyed white rats but I thought these guys were more interesting


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## tanyaac (Oct 20, 2008)

xenathepython said:


> this is the only hooded girl i've got


 
the white bits look like she has wings ,so cute!


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## xenathepython (Nov 5, 2008)

Hetty Is there anyway for me to steal your bubs...lol


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## the-lizard-king (Nov 6, 2008)

this is missy she is pregnant babys should be due in the next week or two hopefully


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## Ashleigh:] (Nov 6, 2008)

Awwh they all look so cute, makes me want to rush out and buy one.
However, if i were to keep a rat/mouse in the same room as my snakes, how would that affect them??


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## Hetty (Nov 6, 2008)

Xena, I do sell rats, if you're in Sydney I'll sell you some 

Ashleigh, if your snakes can smell the rats then they'll be more likely to bite you.

Those mice have great ears Saz


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## miley_take (Nov 6, 2008)

I have my rats up one end of the room, near an open window, and my snakes down the other end...haven't noticed any difference in my snakes...but i do say if you kept them within cm's of each other there would be a differnce


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## Snakebuster (Nov 6, 2008)

They only live 2 years, I only like pets that live at least........8-12 years.


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## xenathepython (Nov 6, 2008)

aslong as the rats are clean than there smell won't be as strong

And hetty I'm in rocky (DAZZIE on rats forums) but If you freight In the future I would be very intrested in your fancy ones and even your feeders as they sound so healthy!!


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## rodentrancher (Nov 6, 2008)

Jewly said:


> I've never really considered rats as pets until a close friend of mine got them and now I love them. They are so cute and are very friendly and will just sit on your shoulder for ages which amazed me to start with, cause I thought they would have taken off like a shot.
> 
> I had to go to the pet shop last night to actually get some frozen rats for my snakes and I was checking their live rats out and these 2 little guys kept coming up to the glass and they were just so cute that I couldn't resist them. I already had a cage, cause I bought one a little while back to use as a bearded dragon sunning cage so I just had to get a few little bits and pieces and I was all set up. They are both boys and they are brothers so they get on really well. I decided to call them Tom & Jerry, not very original I know but I'm getting to the point where I'm finding it hard to think of names.




I just love pet rats! Haven't got one at the moment though. I used to have a lovely little girl called Turbo(she was soo flat out), just like the one on the right in your 3rd pic. She died of old age I think, but didn't get fed on. Just might take another weaner rattie one day and have another pet. Have to look out for "Bluedog" our crazy Aussie Cattledog girl as she likes chomping mice etc out in the backyard. I would hate for her to chomp a pet rattie. Cheryl


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## Hetty (Nov 6, 2008)

xenathepython said:


> aslong as the rats are clean than there smell won't be as strong
> 
> And hetty I'm in rocky (DAZZIE on rats forums) but If you freight In the future I would be very intrested in your fancy ones and even your feeders as they sound so healthy!!



Oh, hi DAZZIE :lol:

My 'fancy' rats all have feeder blood in them. Rats bred for pets tend to be so unhealthy! I'll let you know if I start freighting rats, I don't really think it's worth it because the freight costs more than the rats though.


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## centralian11 (Nov 6, 2008)

Hetty do you realise just how special your rats are . OK i breed feeders but my rats are also special . They are great pets , my future breeders all come inside for my wife to care for so they are quite when they go into the breeding shed. Less bites that way .
Barry


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## Hetty (Nov 6, 2008)

Yes, I do. They're black-eyed whites (except the one with the dove patch, that's a ruby eyed white).

I'm going to make some with big black spots and stuff. Most of my black eyed whites have some black on them, but I'm going to muck around with them a bit once I've outcrossed them with feeders. I haven't been working with them long, those are my F2 generation. I'm breeding some nice capped and headspot/blazed rats too.

My rats don't bite, and I don't think people should breed from rats that bite either.


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## xenathepython (Nov 6, 2008)

I think the rat fanciers should stop and take a look at what they are breeding and outcross them with feeders. at the rate fancy rats are going they won't even live for a year.

And hetty I so love your rats and I do really hope you will freight them in the future. :lol:


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## Hetty (Nov 6, 2008)

They have such crappy immune systems. I'm often tempted by what they produce but it'd be too much work for me to buy pet rats then out-cross them with feeders, and what I'm starting to produce in terms of patterns is just as good as what they breed anyway, and that's just in my F2 generation. I'll have great rats in another couple of generations.


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## xenathepython (Nov 6, 2008)

most of mine are pet shop rats and they are always getting myco flare up but the one feeder rat I have is so healthy and she is well over a year, put the dam thing won't get pregnant again. 

I think the BEW are the best find yet, because of all of the cute spots!!! and the markings on Goth's face


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## Hetty (Nov 6, 2008)

I don't know, I'd kill for a siamese rat. I'll work with these for a while though, BEWs are good for producing really good berkshires and capped rats as well as the interesting things with black spots.


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## xenathepython (Nov 6, 2008)

Me too..lol 

there are some post on the rat forum about someone having some put I don't know to much more.


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## bredli84 (Nov 6, 2008)

anyone ever tried catching a wild rat to introduce a bit of diversity into their gene pools?


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## Hetty (Nov 6, 2008)

Half wild rats are very wild, and you don't need a lot of diversity if your rats are healthy.


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## cris (Nov 6, 2008)

Hetty said:


> Half wild rats are very wild, and you don't need a lot of diversity if your rats are healthy.



Yeah i got some that im guessing were approx 50% wild, slightly better litters, but it bitted so got killed pretty quick. I havnt found fancy rats to be weak, they may not have over 18 young a litter, but they seem to breed well and live for over 2 years. In saying that though i want to get some super rat blood into my rats, first i want to get the markings i want though. I want them to look like zebras, until they do the reptiles will get them...


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## Hetty (Nov 6, 2008)

'Fancy' rats are the same as what I have (and what most people who breed for food have) but people who breed for food have selected for hardiness rather than for looks.

Not many people who breed for food have real 'super rats'.


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

The BEW carrier I got from you, Hetty, is heavily preggers. Hopefully she produces some BEWs and 'goth' style bubs like yours have!

I've also got three girls preggers to my blazed boy. Two headspotted siblings and one feeder bred female. I'm a bit disappointed though as they snuffle and sneeze a bit. I'm hoping the bubs with the feeder genes will fare better than the father has. If the bubs snuffle like the parents I won't breed that line again.


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## Hetty (Nov 7, 2008)

Good luck 

Have you got some hardy feeder rats? You'll need them to breed the myco out (well, to improve their immune systems). I've found the snufflyness can be quickly bred out with good feeder rats.


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

Dexter (silverfawn buck) and Baxter (ruby eyed mink buck) were from feeder lines, they never snuffle or sneeze and I've got two dove berk females that have never shown signs of myco. I bred them both to the blazed boy in the hope that the bubs would be less likely to suffer from it. Only one mating took though.


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## Hetty (Nov 7, 2008)

Problem with blazes is that they're so hard to reproduce. You might not get any blazes at all. I've produced some killer headspots from the BEWs so I reckon that's the way to go with blazes.


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## xenathepython (Nov 7, 2008)

Does anyone breed wedge blazers


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## Colin (Nov 7, 2008)

Jewly said:


> I've never really considered rats as pets until a close friend of mine got them and now I love them. I decided to call them Tom & Jerry, not very original I know but I'm getting to the point where I'm finding it hard to think of names.



names for pet rats? ummm... what about... breakfeast.. lunch and dinner?


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

Yep I know One of the headspot girls had her litter 3 days ago (forgot she had already popped!). I checked out the babies last night and although it's still impossible to tell exactly what markings they have, two seem to have large headspots. Might have another look tonight and see if they are any more developed.


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

LOL Colin! They were supposed to be food but I fell in love with them. If I had to get rid of all the rats, those two are the ones I'd keep. They're nothing special, just standard mismarked rats, but I love them. I'm a worry, I know!


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## coz666 (Nov 7, 2008)

pet rats are breeders


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

What?


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## xenathepython (Nov 7, 2008)

you can have pets that don't breed


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

Just got home and she's had the bubs, 18 BABIES!! Far out. That's more than a handful for a first time mum. There's one runty looking one that no doubt won't make it, but they all have milk bands. I'd expect her to lose some considering there are so many, but they are all huge babies other than the runt. Freaky.


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## xenathepython (Nov 7, 2008)

That Poor mother!! Mine first timer is having trouble with 13 let alone 18!!


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## Hetty (Nov 7, 2008)

Damn! I gave you a good one! 

The best of her sisters had 14, with most of the other litters being 12. But 18! geez! Her sister who had 14 had five BEWs, so you should get a few  after I culled the litters down they grew so fast.


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

I know, it's so many! 

The other headspotted female has had her litter today too but I haven't checked on the number yet. 

The first girl to drop has seven and at three days old the pinkies are smaller than Bonita's newborns. I think providing the other Mums are doing a good enough job I'll foster out some of the pups to share the load a bit.


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## Hetty (Nov 7, 2008)

Sounds like she's doing a good job then 

All my girls have had their second litters now, just dropped in the last few days. Maybe yours had more because she's older.. but my girls haven't had litters that big the second time.


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

Yep, you are probably right. They are just great, no myco flareups, friendly (with minimal handling really) and large litters. 

Sebastian the male is freaking huge, I really should weight him. The only prob I've had with him is that once he had been in with Bonita for a week and then put back into the males cage he beat the daylights out of Dexter so I've had to separate him. I think the problem was that he was top rat before he left the cage, and Dex took his place and didn't want to relinquish it!

5 BEW's, that would be nice! What are your plans for the line? Are you going to outcross to healthy unrelated feeders and then cross back?


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## Hetty (Nov 7, 2008)

I'm going to out-cross with healthy related feeders because this line is so good. I'm getting a couple of feeder rats from another line that are healthy and I'm going to work them in as well.

I'm also giving a couple of other people who breed for food some BEWs so they can out-cross them as well, and if they produce anything I like I'll get some back because I don't have the cage space to work with that many. I don't want to cull the hets because they're perfectly good rats that produce BEWs.


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

Good idea, I'll see if I can do the same up here. I think I've asked this before, but what is the % chance of one of the non BEW litter mates being a het for BEW? 

What else did you get in the litters? Black hoodeds? Any buffs or PEW's?


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## Hetty (Nov 7, 2008)

Still don't know how the trait works, but you'll have some BEWs to work with anyway.

Buff and black, with three or four albinoes in one litter, the father wasn't from my lines but the mother must have been het for albino, so you may get some PEWs as well, but it is unlikely.


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

Hmmm, depending on how the BEW gene works, the PEW's may be BEW's masked by the C gene. I guess test mating a PEW to a non carrier would test that theory.

Forgot to ask, were all first generation black hoodeds? Was the mum black or agouti?


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## Hetty (Nov 7, 2008)

I'm not sure what you're saying, but albino is a masking gene in rats, albino rats can be selfs, berkshires, hoodeds, etc. they are a marking, genetically, but you can't see it (you just know what they are from breeding them with other marked rats).

You could get an albino that is a BEW where the gene has been masked by the albino gene (is that what you're saying?) but you wouldn't know, just like you wouldn't know if it was any other marking. The BEW gene is completely different to the albino/PEW gene.

Yours had a BEW father (genetically, the colour of BEWs is black or agouti) and the mother was black. Most of my BEW hets are agouti, from a cinnamon mother and the same BEW father.


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## Saz (Nov 7, 2008)

Yep, that's exactly what I mean! The PEWs could be BEWs masked by the C gene. Only way to find out would be a test mating of the PEW to a non-carrier.


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## xenathepython (Nov 9, 2008)

OMG I saw the pictures of your blazed bubs...AMAZING!!!


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## Reptile_Boy (Nov 9, 2008)

hmmmm snake food. lol. the only rats i could keep as pets are rex rats lol


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## xenathepython (Nov 9, 2008)

All my rats are pets only and there offspring. the mice are the food.


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## Saz (Nov 10, 2008)

For those that are interested in pet ratties, thought I'd show you these bubs. I had VERY good luck in that litter.


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## daniel1234 (Nov 12, 2008)

Breeding for feed is so hard when it involves small furry animals. Nice rats everyone


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## Southside Morelia (Nov 12, 2008)

I love my rats.. I have a few that I will never feed to the snakes, I have a relationship with them and they are special...The others I try not to get close to for obvious reasons!

I had an episode the other day I was going to share. I had an escapee who made it's way to my snake racks and enclosures and demolished the leads for the thermostats and 2 x heat chords and a pen I write all my info with and my yoga mat and crapped all over the joint!
Funny thing was when I found out there was an escapee from the temps gone down in my rack and a small hole chewed out of the rat enclosure, it was sitting right near the main colony cage....as though nothing had happened! I grabbed it without a fight they are very tame, cursed at it a bit and put it back in with the rest.
Had to change 2 x heat chords and a 240v lead, but it was quite funny, seemed it was taking revenge on the snakes...lol :lol:


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## Dave (Nov 13, 2008)

My lord. I just went other to another aps members house (he was in hospital so I got his brother/friend) I thought he was selling me frozen rats but they were live. So I got 6 little fuzzy rats living in this pen  there cute as hell. I can't believe how they eat, picking up there food with there hands :lol: I don't think I can cull 'em.


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## hydropython (Nov 13, 2008)

you dont have to cull them, you just have to kill them


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## Hetty (Dec 6, 2008)

Another line I'm working on-


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## mis_gmh (Dec 6, 2008)

hetty, Your rats are beautiful. Im not having much luck with my colours. I only have one pair at the moment. Female ruby eyed albino and male silver hooded and they keep throwing greys and berkshires. If you decide to freight i will definalely take a few!!!

Is there any one off here from vic breeding nice colours as im looking for 3 females and 1 male?


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## xenathepython (Dec 6, 2008)

I love those babies as well!!!


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## Hetty (Dec 6, 2008)

Ruby eyed albino doesn't exist, it's called ruby eyed white. And they're quite rare if you have one! Are you sure it isn't pink eyed?

Here's a ruby eyed white I bred-


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## mis_gmh (Dec 6, 2008)

oh ok. She's got light red eyes. My boy has eyes like that though. they look nearly black from a distance but they have a rich red colour to them.


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## Lonewolf (Dec 6, 2008)

Hey Hetty it's CR from the forums 

Just wondering if you'd consider studding out one of your males?


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## the-lizard-king (Jun 8, 2009)

Hetty said:


> Another line I'm working on-





what happend to these babies 

they look awsome how much for a female?


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## Kimbully (Jun 9, 2009)

Those last two are gorgeous! If you ever travelled to Victoria I think you would have a few interested buyers Hetty! I would be one of them....
With the boys fighting (a few pages back), they are social but after being with girls they are not quite as social with other boys. If the male which was mated was separated from the girls for a bit longer, he may be more willing to go back with the other boys, maybe in a neutral cage?
Anyways, Keep the pics coming! My favorite pet rat was a black berkshire. He was the most docile friendly rat I ever met. And when I took him to be euthanised (damn CRD), he chewed out of his box and crawled over to my lap :-(

Kim


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## Hetty (Jun 9, 2009)

Wow, old thread!

The guy with the blaze grew up but unfortunately died at around 5-6 months-





I've got his kids, here's one-





And his grandkids now-


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## Stranger (Jun 9, 2009)

WHack em .. and throw them in a carpet tank.. youll be right.


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## Kimbully (Jun 9, 2009)

Still gorgeous Hetty! I didn't look at the dates when I posted


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## warren63 (Jun 9, 2009)

Heres one of our pet rats


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## anntay (Jun 9, 2009)

yes rats are cool and the one of the best pets.just watch that the two males don't fight.
watch how you handle them as they will turn and bite (that hurts)blood everywere.
My last rat dies last year so no more now. he was the best


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## Lonewolf (Jun 22, 2009)

Um.. Rats aren't like mice.. Males can be kept together.


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## Sparkletron (Oct 6, 2009)

Hey Hetty, IM a NOOB, but owell, just wondering if you sell live rats at all? I am looking for wedge blazes in any other colour that black 
Cheers,
Sparklie


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## Saz (Oct 6, 2009)

Gees, this is an old thread. Until you find one, here's a pic of my wedgie boy Hector!


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## chellntrev (Oct 6, 2009)

What a thread! Loving the pics! some of your ratties are simply stunning!! I live in WA so I have only just got hold of my first blazed rat, she is single rex & very pretty black & white hooded - more capped she has broken white under her chin & a few small spots on her back & her belly. I Bred her to a healthy black & white hooded male & she has just had a litter of about 12 bubs & from the looks of it ive got about 3-4 bubs in there with stripes on there head. There is a few plain whites not sure of eye colour yet. Then a few more b+w hoodeds & a couple of berkshire/selfs... they are only a few days old so im going to get pics in a few days when there abit older. Im so excited. I love my pet rats.
I couldnt grow feeders but we only have a baby stimmy atm so his upkeep isnt that expensive......

will post pics soon............... anyone from perth here that has rats??


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## Saz (Oct 6, 2009)

Awwww! Baby blazes. I love it when their marking start to come in, very exciting time


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## chellntrev (Oct 6, 2009)

This is mum on top & dad bottom........... very cute


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## Saz (Oct 6, 2009)

Bless their hearts, very cute pic! 

As they are both hooded, all babies will also be hoodeds. The only exceptions to that are albino (they appear self but the albino is really masking whatever pattern/colour is underneath) and black eyed white, which is an overmarking of white so although it looks self, technically it isn't!

Maybe you have some cute little BEWs!


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## Chris1 (Oct 7, 2009)

rats are sooo cute!
i got to play with some on sunday and i almost took them home as pets!


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## Sparkletron (Oct 7, 2009)

Saz said:


> Gees, this is an old thread. Until you find one, here's a pic of my wedgie boy Hector!


 
AHHH SO CUTE ^-^

Still no one knows where i can get some?????


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## diamondgal79 (Oct 7, 2009)

we have 8 pet rats, 6 females and 2 males.
These are just for pets. But we also have 30 babies with 2 more litters due soon which are for the snakes.
We have black and white berkshires,dove hooded,dove selfs,ginger selfs,champagne hooded,black and white hooded and agoutis.
Its gong to be hard feeding them out


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## Saz (Oct 8, 2009)

It's hard to breed wedge blazed rats unfortunately. Even if you breed two perfect wedges together you still may only get headspots. It's a real bugger! I bred Hector myself, there is someone on petlink that has been advertising wedge blazed rats. No idea if they are anywhere near you though?


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## Sparkletron (Oct 9, 2009)

Saz said:


> It's hard to breed wedge blazed rats unfortunately. Even if you breed two perfect wedges together you still may only get headspots. It's a real bugger! I bred Hector myself, there is someone on petlink that has been advertising wedge blazed rats. No idea if they are anywhere near you though?


 Ah yes unfortunetley i know that rule, it is a shame as they are so incredibly pretty to me.
What about that ad on petlink? I havent seen one. Do you have a link? It would be much appreciated. I live in VIC BTW, but i will pay for freight if anyone has one out of state. I'll even take lightning blazes in AOC apart from black and agouti.


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## Saz (Oct 10, 2009)

I had a look for you, but the ad has been removed unfortunately. A friend of mine is breeding a wedge blazed agouti hooded to a headpspotted champagne hooded rex downunder. Hopefully she will have some blazes. Not sure if she is freighting interstate but I can ask if you like.


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## melgalea (Oct 11, 2009)

do many people get albino rats. 
i have stacks of rats as i breed them for the snakes. and one litter, the mum is black and white, and the dad is sorta a grey colour, in the last litter they had about 16 babies, and 3 were pure white with bright red eyes. and now 4 weeks later they are still pure white with beautiful red eyes. is that normal for colour rats the have albinos. cheers 
mel


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## wranga (Oct 11, 2009)

i have around 150 rats at the momment. their all pets lol till they become snake food


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## Saz (Oct 11, 2009)

Albino is recessive, so both parents carry it. Yep, its a common gene. If you breed the albinos together, the whole litter will be albino.


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## wranga (Oct 11, 2009)

melgalea said:


> do many people get albino rats.
> i have stacks of rats as i breed them for the snakes. and one litter, the mum is black and white, and the dad is sorta a grey colour, in the last litter they had about 16 babies, and 3 were pure white with bright red eyes. and now 4 weeks later they are still pure white with beautiful red eyes. is that normal for colour rats the have albinos. cheers
> mel


 dosent matter what colour your breeders are, they must both carry the albino gene to produce albino babies


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