# Super rats ??????



## solar 17 (Jul 28, 2008)

I have this particular line of rats that l have been accused of not having or existing, the females weigh 800-850 grams, the males 850-900 grams the females regularly have 17-23 babies, the female in the pic had 21 babies a few mins. after the photo was taken [beside her is a normal mobile phone]they really are huge rats in my opinion....they are kept on a low salt fresh food diet....cheers solar 17 [baden]


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## Helikaon (Jul 28, 2008)

do you sell??


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## The Devil (Jul 28, 2008)

Hey Solar, 
mate ya gotta stop crossbreeding your rats with possums...........

For anyone interested I saw these rats this afternoon. I saw the tail as he pulled it out of the hide and knew it was going to be big and it sure was......


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## gozz (Jul 28, 2008)

lol i want big rats to lol


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## Col J (Jul 28, 2008)

Can you kill them humanely with Kryptonite?? HaHahaha!

Sorry, . . . . . . it had to be asked.


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## The Devil (Jul 28, 2008)

Col J said:


> Can you kill them humanely with Kryptonite?? HaHahaha!
> 
> Sorry, . . . . . . it had to be asked.



Baden was using the 410 to shoot them but the neighbors complained about the noise. Now he uses a battle ax.....................


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## Lukey47 (Jul 28, 2008)

mate axe wont do the job
ok they may be tad bigger than usual but I thought that was nearly normal size for rats


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## The Devil (Jul 29, 2008)

Lukey47 said:


> mate axe wont do the job
> ok they may be tad bigger than usual but I thought that was nearly normal size for rats




They are more than a tad bigger than my rats. 
The ones I saw yesterday were about 12 to 15 months old and weighed around the 750 to 800 gram mark.
My rats at the same age are around the 400 to 450 mark.

Also of interest is, yesterday I got 4 rats from Baden, they were 8 weeks old and as I had some of mine almost the same age set aside I decided to weigh them.

At 8 weeks Baden's weighed an average of 173 grams, mine at 9 weeks old weighed an average of 137 grams.
As he says it's all in the food.


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## CodeRed (Jul 29, 2008)

Ive heard of a huge strain of rats called R1's or something like that. They weigh around 900-1000 grams. I think the Uni of Western Sydney have some or at least are trying to get some. It would certainly make feeding scrubbies a whole lot easier


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## Col J (Jul 29, 2008)

Hi Solar17,

What do you call a "low salt fresh food diet"? I just feed mine Barastoc (Tamworth made) Rat pellets 'cos it's easy, with daily treats of fruit or whatever & mine don't grow anything like that.

Col J.


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## pythons73 (Jul 29, 2008)

just like 2 say that i breed rats,and some mice and my rats arent that big exept my original male,mine usually dont get 2 grow that much,as i sell them 2 ppl,please tell me thats its not ok 2 refreeze rats after u have thawed them if ur reptile doesnt want it,cheers


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## Saz (Jul 29, 2008)

There is apparently a strain of lab rats that were bred to be hugely oversized to be used in diabeties research. Can't remember off the top of my head what the strain was called, but will find out.


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## TWENTY B (Jul 29, 2008)

i'd love a pair of them.


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## nuthn2do (Jul 29, 2008)

These "super rats" used to quite common, males at 800 grams were fairly normal and 1kg was not unusual.


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## Hetty (Jul 29, 2008)

Saz said:


> There is apparently a strain of lab rats that were bred to be hugely oversized to be used in diabeties research. Can't remember off the top of my head what the strain was called, but will find out.



The Zucker strain of lab rats are prone to type two diabetes. I wouldn't be surprised if there were other strains as well though.


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## caustichumor (Jul 29, 2008)

Unfortunately, if one gives you a nip then you qualify to compete in the paralympics...


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## bitey (Jul 29, 2008)

Hetty said:


> The Zucker strain of lab rats are prone to type two diabetes. I wouldn't be surprised if there were other strains as well though.


 Do they require insulin tabs ?


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## Hetty (Jul 29, 2008)

bitey said:


> Do they require insulin tabs ?



Erm.. not sure. I don't know much about diabetes, but I think you only need insulin if you have type one diabetes. I think with type two it's a diet dependent thing? I really don't know :lol:

They're used for research of course, they're probably given all sorts of things.


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## Sdaji (Jul 29, 2008)

The Zucker rats require all the sorts of treatment human diabetes sufferers require. That's the reason they're used; you can trial diabetes treatments with them.

There are lots of strains of rats around, countless. Some grow larger than others, some fairly routinely get up to around a kilogram or larger. The heaviest rats I've seen have been about 1.2-1.3kg. I used to be able to buy ex lab rats which were always at least 800 grams and usually over 900.

I'm not really sure why feeder breeders usually use smaller varieties, I've sometimes wondered. I think Wistars are among the largest, but they'd also be pretty fatty and I don't think they're particularly hardy. The smaller ones probably grow quickly or are hardier or something. Some strains are brilliant in lab conditions but quickly die or stop breeding when things get too hot or cold, or when they're exposed to worms or other less than favourable or 'non laboratory' conditions exist.

Sounds like your rats are pretty good. Cool stuff.


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## solar 17 (Jul 29, 2008)

*low salt diet*

the low salt diet l use is because years ago l decided to give the rats a break from a pellet type diet as a friend had a fruit shop l switched to [2nds] in fruit and veg and within two months my litter sizes jumped in numbers dramatically so l added chicken frames into the diet and low salt bread and bingo within 3-6 months l was getting 17-20 per litter and since then l have refined it further with slightly better results and l know of several other people who have similar results on pretty much the same diet .....its not for everybody as its a time consumer but l am fine with that....cheers solar 17


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## Col J (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks Solar17.

I would like to be able to do that type of feed regime, but when you do 70 odd hrs a week at work, it has to be a time efficient system for me. I do try to give 'em treats as much as possible though, which they relish.
I was wondering how you get the protein content into the diet, but then you mentioned the chicken frames, which must be providing enough protein for them.

Thanks,

Col J.


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## jay76 (Jul 29, 2008)

I have seen your rats and your setup mate. It is like the Hilton of the rat world.They are big rats. Diet has to be seen to believe how intricate it is but it get results.


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## solar 17 (Jul 29, 2008)

*Rats / food / protein*

The fresh fruit veg and low salt bread l give to my rats is all food evaluated [by charts] for amino acids which make up proteins , there are 23 amino acids in a protein ,[meat,milk, fish and eggs contain all 23 aminoes in varying profiles, these are roughly calculated and fed ,these plus some chicken frame form approx. 23.4 % protien which is sufficient for an excellent growth rate in rodents, plus the enzymes in the fresh fruit and veg makes for an excellent diet, as a back-up l have done numerous blood tests to support this theory and the low salt aspect has also been checked through blood electrolytes, it is l must say rather fortunate from a cost point of view [the blood reports]that a fair percentage of my profession comes from within this sphere other-wise the costs would be prohibitive that alone the time...cheers solar 17.


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## fraser888 (Jul 29, 2008)

Mazzive rats. have a looks in the photo, it basically has no neck!


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