Hairless Rats

[OdessaStud]

Heres a picture of my latest bunch of hairless ratties. These guys range in age from 4 weeks to 6 weeks of age and are still losing their hair.No fur balls here people.
Odie

 

[Saz]

Very cute! How long do they stay hairless for? I have a patchwork hairless girl. She gets some pretty crazy hairdos as she continually moults!

 

[j.kcustoms]

They are some pretty wierd looking rats.. I like them shaved lol

 

[kupper]

Saz are you selling any of these

 

[gman78]

does anyone have these in Victoria?

 

[Saz]

I only breed ratties as pets, so although I plan to breed her they will only be available to pet homes.

It isn't entirely understood how the patchwork gene works yet either, so although I will breed her with a rex male (patchwork ratties have only been bred so far by breeding two rex or double rex together) it isn't necessarily the case that any of the babies will be patchwork.

Double rex moult completely between 6 and 8 weeks to be entirely naked, then grow their coat back into frizzy curls. Patchworks continue to moult their entire lives in patches, she looked completely different two weeks ago!

If you are looking for one as a pet, I can point you to a breeder in Melbourne if you like?

 

[Jay84]

OMG i love them!!

 

[j.kcustoms]

can anyone tell me how much hairless rats are worth? they would have to be able to handle the summer alot better and wouldn't have to worry about lice,mites,louse ect..

 

[OdessaStud]

I breed them and actually introduced them to qld over 5 years ago.Gman my partner is coming to vic if you are interested he could bring some down with him.

 

[Saz]

Unfortunately you can't get totally hairless rats here. There was a strain that was apparently leaked out of a lab many years back, but as they were bred for a certain type of medical research they were made to have no immunity and did not survive. The downunders are from the same strain, and have problems with their eyes (no eyes, small eyes one eye etc) although this has largely been bred out (or rather covered up by outcrossing).

I don't think they would be any better with the heat than furred rats, and they do not tolerate cold well either.

 

[Saz]

Here's some info, mainly on the dowununder marking, but also a little on the hairless that it originated from down the left hand side of the page

FEATURE PAGE

 

[OdessaStud]

The double rex genetically stands alone from the other breeds of rats. They have curly whiskers and a very soft fine down instead of the usual ratty coat. I have to disagree with you Saz the downunders I have bred do not have any problems with eyes or anything else. I have varigated downunders, silks, rex's and downunders and silky's also a few velvets. There are no truely hairless rats in australia, they are not aloud to be imported so the closest we can get to hairless is these line bred double rex's wich if bred correctly will stay 50% hairless for most of their lives.
Odie

 

[kupper]

That would be greatly appreciated saz

 

[Saz]

Great to hear that you haven't had any problems with yours Odessa, a friend of mine rescued three DU females, one had no eyes, one had one eye smaller than the other and one had normal eyes.

The girl with one eye smaller than the other managed to get out and breed with one of her males. She actually got a manx in that litter!

 

[OdessaStud]

Ive managed to bred about 6 manx over the years but unfortunatly they only live about 12months.My foundation double rex came from Cindy.

 

[Hsut77]

Here is my first double rex. Will be working on these from now on.

 

[Saz]

She's eight month at the moment, I'll cross fingers she lasts longer than 12 months!

I've got two rex lines going at the moment, a silk line, a blazed line and a blue line. I gave Yvette (Carawatha rodents) my BEW's and DU's to work with as I just don't have enough time and space to breed too many litters.

 

[Saz]

Basically the rex gene is co-dominant. One copy of the rex gene and you get a slightly wavy fur and slighty wavy whiskers (the curlier the better, I've come across a few single rex that have been fantastically curly), two copies of the rex gene and you get tightly curled and brittle whiskers, densely curled fur. Double rex are often not as robust.

 

[OdessaStud]

I agree with you saying that the double rex arnt as robust.If anyone is going to get sick it will be one of them but in saying that they have monsterous size litters, my girls produce a minimum of 14 pups per litter, needless to say they only breed 5 times a year.Blazed and head spots are one color I have had little if no luck breeding, and although I had a great run with my blues they too have become a rareity now but coat is more my passion than color.

 

[Hetty]

Can you post some pics of your blues Odessa? Blues are around, but healthy ones are a rarity. If they're not dropping dead then you've done very well with them. Lots of pet breeders would be keen on getting some from you.

I've had no eye problems with my DUs either. I know it happens, but I think that problem has been for the most part, bred out.