is she changing color??

[melikerats]

i noticed today that both my girls seem to be turning brownish black. is this possible?? these were the best pictures i could get!

you can see the line where it is lighter on top






and just cuz they're cute:

[Storer_Rats]

Isn't that "rusting"?  My black berk boy, Lewis, got more and more rusty as he aged....I thought it was darling 

[RatAttack59]

Looks like rusting to me - those are adorable little faces!

[lilspaz68]

It looks like their adult coat to me.  Some of my black rats are a bit brown but are considered "bad blacks".  This is just in Show terms...hehe. Do I see some white hairs interspersed in the coat?  Is she silvering?

[nevadamoon]

I have a black berk and a black berk with a blaze, and the older of the two has some rusting, too.  It can happen from sun or diet, but I think there are other causes too.  (Well, there must be, because mine eat like kings and never sunbathe.    )

[lilspaz68]

This little girl is a young mom, she is considered a black self, but she's very brownish.


Rusting is when they get brownish patches due to age or diet...

[momerath42]

My black berk, Mischief, is rusting due to age I believe.  She eats well, (Sue Bee's, baby food, and occasional yoggies) and is never exposed to sunlight.  She has excessively dry skin and is always scratching (she doesn't have mites, we have confirmed this with the vet several times) so I wonder if that might have something to do with it.  Anyway, I think it makes her look distinguished 

[melikerats]

neither of my girls are very old (both about 3 months) and yeah, there is a bit of white hairs throughout, although that might just be the light reflecting, i can't really tell. they've only been outside once and they were in the shade.
they eat suebee's mix, senior dog food, and other various treats!! i think its a beautiful color and hopefully my "bad blacks" turn into chocolatey goodness!! 

[myscratchcat]

My Bindi is starting to "rust" also.. I tease her that it's the wild rat in her coming out!

[Cigar]

Do I see some white hairs interspersed in the coat?  Is she silvering?

My Remmy has white hairs throughout his coat. Is silvering bad? I always wondered what it was.

[Maddeebear]

Black rats sometimes turn a bit brown and "rust", or grow white hairs. They are still considered black though!

[scout]

Your girls are moulting their baby coats. It's pretty common to see that line between coats in young rats. I don't think they're rusting as that tends to be less dramatic, more gradual and doesn't show the distinct line between coats.

[lilspaz68]

Silvering is a fault in the show ring but I think its very beautiful on pet rats.   

[scout]

Actually, if you enter a rat as "silvered" it's not a fault. But the silvering needs to be about 50% of the hair. And very, very few rats have that much silvering.

[whtnyte]

Here is Midnight in his old age. He was a Silvered Black Berkshire. As you can see, he was quite brown in the winter of his life!

[lilspaz68]

Actually, if you enter a rat as "silvered" it's not a fault. But the silvering needs to be about 50% of the hair. And very, very few rats have that much silvering.

interesting, I bet a show quality silvered rat is absolutely gorgeous!   

[melikerats]

now i am so excited to see their adult coats!!!