Ratty Bubbas

[Like A Tea Spoon]

I'm all squee'd out! <3 <3 <3

My first ratty was a brown hooded rat I called Elvis! He was a feeder rat pup I couldn't bare to feed the ( now ) ex's ball python. I was surprised because I had hamsters ( always the cranky bitey ones, then learned they are nocturnal lol ) and they were never as affectionate or as chill as Elvis was.

[HavACrumpet452]

Awww. I miss ratties so much. I had gerbils growing up probably until I was 12 years old we had at least a pair of them at any given time. They aren't very domesticated to they have a tendency to bite so they were more of a looking at pet as opposed to having a rat on your shoulder all day. Rats and mice are so much nicer since they've been used for so long for science so they've become more domesticated. Love rodents either way though, especially cute babies.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Sooooo cute!  Are they as soft as they look? 

[Ariadna]

They are very soft, all their baby fur has come through, it's like extremely soft and silky
I'll have some more photos up of the litter of 14 soon as in a few days they'll be opening their eyes and seeing the world around them for the first time, that and when they do it will solve the mystery of what the lighter two are. I can't wait!

[Mirage]

Adorable <3 Very lovely blues and I'm a sucker for Agouti. Some Variegated Berkshires in there too, looks like. I had an agouti and a variberk recently pass away.

I currently have 2 hairless boys that will turn 1yr. in November, and one old lady (out of four sisters left) who is 3 years, 5 months old. I have always had a rat or a few, for the past 12 years.
I love the websites Ratforum, Goosemoose, and a rescue called Mainely Rat Rescue - which is where I got four lovely litter-mate girls 3 years ago! <3 

Are you breeding for a particular purpose? Show, etc?

The recently weaned rittens look to be High-White, that's kinda scary.

[Ariadna]

Mirage: in Australia we don't have 'high white', our facially marked rats do not get megacolon. Well semi true, a recently discovered new mutation being worked on by two breeder friends of mine, throw high whites, actual high whites. Australia has been lucky to not have it for many years. These two breeders are trying to retain the odd colour modifying trait and breed out the high white entirely, so far they have been successful. The off modifying trait has for now, been informally called 'trilute'. In Australia, it's known as blaze or facial marking gene and does not cause megacolon
True hairless rats have not existed in Australia for some time, they first appeared in a colony in Western Australia in the 90's but breeders decided to stop breeding them as what caused them to be hairless also decreased their lifespan to about 9 months. Only recently a new hairless mutation has appeared and it seems to be much better than the older Australian Sphynx. Fingers crossed it does!
Yes I do show, however my breeding focuses on health, temperament, size and longevity. Many of my litters I don't get show quality rats in, but that doesn't bother me because they're all sweeties irregardless Many of my rats have gone on to pet homes and other breeders who I work alongside with on some projects.
Thee years five months is a very old age for a rat! How wonderful she has lived so long! My oldest rat was a black wedge blazed hooded buck who reached 4 years of age. We miss him so much! I can't see myself without rats, I love them and their antics. I also have a soft spot for agoutis, the blues above are not just blue, some are actually lilac (blue chocolate), chocolate is a relatively new colour in Australia and is different to the chocolate you have in America, it's recessive over in the U.S. and the Australian version acts dominantly. Lilacs are hard to tell apart from blues as it only lightens blue slightly, I was surprised I had blues in my litter! The father was thought to be heterozygous for blue, but from a previous mating we dismissed it. Turns out he was, my very first blue litter! I hope these guys end up big and smooshy like their parents <3

[gemini_pony]

Believe it or not my rat Thomas I got in 5th grade as a baby he was gift as he was proven time and time again to rat aggressive. Well he passed away my junior year in high school.

[Ariadna]

gemini_pony: I'm not familiar with the American school system, how old was he when he passed away?

[Cassie85]

Awww, this makes me miss having pet rats:(
I lost my last old lady rat almost a year ago. I was a rat owner for many years, and it's still weird to me that I don't have them anymore.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

gemini_pony: I'm not familiar with the American school system, how old was he when he passed away?

I think that would be seven years? 

[celticowgirl88]

Cute   Will that blonde one stay that color or darken up?

[Mirage]

very cool stuff there. my hairless boys are indeed Double-Rex, and not true hairless either. Their momma was sold as a pet "hairless" rat, to an acquaintance of mine from a specialty shop. Well, turned out she was preggers. I would have adopted from Mainely again but these surprises came along. She kept the black skin hooded boy and had homes for all the girls, but couldn't find anyone for my 2 boys. Yea, I'm a sucker lol.

[Dawn]

 Awww, they're adorable
I never realised before that there are places where keeping/importing rats was illegal, it's definitely interesting to know. I used to have mice when I was little, they were awesome but I was always interested in getting a rat because I heard they were more intelligent (not sure if this is true x) ).

[Ariadna]

celticowgirl: They will darken only slightly, I believe they are chocolate based dilutes, like their mother who is a ruby eyed chocolate. I'm anticipating them opening their eyes so I can tell if they will have ruby or pink eyes, and I'm impatient! lol!

Mirage: I believe what you call double-rex we call patchwork, and what you call rex we call double rex! The naming differences between overseas and Australia can be rather confusing! Patchworks have the funkiest hair styles! I've seen some really hilarious ones where the rats only fur on it's body was it's wedge blaze! lol

Dawn: some of my rats are complete ning nongs! I love it! Watching them go about their business, doing rat stuff, some are so silly! I have a few who love hording food, and whilst their hording it another is taking food from their secret stash to make their own secret stash with. Silly rats! It all just gets gobbled up by the others, those working hard to make a stash turn around and it's gone as another has eaten it! So they just wander to the food and eat it instead of stashing as though they give up. 

[Saja]

Beautiful pics, thanks for sharing!