Hi everyone. OC Dumbos, here. One of problem we’ve had raising and breeding Roof rats is that they look so similar, it’s been hard to tell them apart. Solid Agouti coats with white bellies, with some subtle facial markings on the more tame ones.
Well, that’s about to change. Take a look at this little beauty…
We call her “Abuelita.” Notice anything unusual about her coat color? Or…should I say colors?
“Hmm…what’s this?” you say. It’s like a hooded marking on a Norway, but different.
Because Hooded Norway Rats have white bodies and colored markings. While Hooded Roof Rats have Light Agouti bodies (with white bellies) and Dark Markings. The markings are in the same places, but the colors are different.
Somehow, we have two Hooded Roof Rat females, Abuelita and Ibarra, both from the same litter.
And they do seem to be a bit more tame than their solid colored littermates. And, their markings are obvious and individually unique. This seems to be a genetic trait, so we expect to be able to breed more like them (either their children or grandchildren, depending if it is dominant or recessive!) So…soon we will be able to easily tell our Roof rats apart!
But wait: There’s more…
Meet Peter Cottontail.
He’s Walter’s cousin, and he also has white facial markings. But that’s not all…
Peter Cottontail has a white tipped tail! After he was born, I realized that his father has a white tipped tail, too. And now, he’s got 2 little half brothers with white tipped tails.
So…we’ve bred Roof rats with white facial markings, dark hooded markings and white tail tips. All descendant from Roofy…
The Roof rat who was born to wild parents, but never knew she was wild.
Her spirit will live on forever in all of us.
Would you like to have some of the first domesticated roof rats? You can!
- NY Times: Nice Rats, Nasty Rats: Maybe It’s All in the Genes
- [Mutations hooded and nonagouti in the gray rat (Rattus norvegicus): effect of selection on behavior and photoperiod].
- The pleiotropic effect of selection for behavior on coat color in grey rats (Rattus norvegicus)
NEW: you can now reserve tame, domesticated Roof Rat babies!
NEW: want a rat sooner, or don’t want to pay a deposit? Sign up for adult or rescue rats!
And, while you are waiting, why not order a Handmade Hideaway or Hammock?
