Hairless Ratties In West Virginia

[Smith Rodents]

                      :heart:Smith Family rodents  
                          [phone # deleted]
:BlueDumboSmileTongue:Hello everyone.I am a breeder in Summersville,West virginia.I usually breed regular fancy rats and mice. The other day ago I aquired a very sweet fuzz hairless.An absolute dollbaby.Well, I am going to start breeding him with some of my regular females.If I am lucky the gene will be carried on.I had been looking for ages for one.I just love him.He's so sweet tempered.I can travel to deliver or meet halfway for certain orders.Hopefully soon I can get air delivery started.It is expensive though.$90 upto 12 lbs I think.So if I could get a couple buyers in the same area to split the cost that would be great.Any body who wants to be on my mailing list just leave your info.I prefer you to mail me though.Regular rats are $3.00 Hairless $10.00--$15.00 same sex pair.Mice $2.00

[Tizzrah]

Taken from the 'Things to Ask Before Adopting' post:

Where do these rats come from?

Can a pedigree be provided for the rats?

Are there any health problems in this line?

What kind of bedding do you use?

What kind of food do you feed your rats?  

How many litters do you have a year?

[Smith Rodents]

Where do these rats come from?My first rats came from pet stores.

Can a pedigree be provided for the rats? If it is needed.My rats are not show quality but they are adorable.At the moment I am trying to perfect my lines.And that takes time.

Are there any health problems in this line?In all my 28 rats I have raised only one had a toumer.

What kind of bedding do you use?Shreaded paper.Pine and cedar causes health problems.

How many litters do you have a year?I mostly go on an order to breed basis.
What kind of food do you feed your rats?  Sunflower seeds.Rat food.Veggies and sometimes cat food.

[Tizzrah]

Where do these rats come from?My first rats came from pet stores.

The other day ago I aquired a very sweet fuzz hairless.An absolute dollbaby.Well, I am going to start breeding him with some of my regular females.If I am lucky the gene will be carried on.

Does this mean the hairless was acquired from a pet store as well?  Just so you know, even if both parents are hairless, it doesn't mean the babies will be hairless.  As far as I know, genetics-wise, the hairless gene is difficult to pass on.

I know you mentioned you had pedigrees.. are these pedigrees from the pet store rats?  Even if the lines haven't shown any signs of illness, it doesn't mean that somewhere a disorder can't pop up, especially if the original rats came from unknown store stock (and usually unhealthy milling stock).  

Most good, reputable breeders don't breed just to "see" if a particular gene "pops up".. they have extensive genetic knowledge, and know what will produce what when bred.  deleted - see "State of the Community" thread in Reference Desk.- Scout I know that Lone Star Rats on this board knows much about genetics, as well as Spiralgirl.  [deleted]

[scout]

If I am lucky the gene will be carried on.

The good news is, gene will be passed on to all his offspring! The bad news is, you may not see it for another generation. There are two different genes that can produce hairless: rex, which is dominant and hairless, which is recessive. In both cases, rats have to have two genes, one from each parent, to produce hairless babies.

So the hairless boy's first litter will either all be Rex (curly haired) or hairless carriers (straight hair), depending on what kind of hairless rat daddy is. The offspring have to be mated again with either a Rex (curly haired) or another hairless carrier (straight hair) to produce hairless. And then only half the litters will be hairless.

For more information on genetics:

http://www.boardmanweb.com/rattery/geneticbasics.htm
http://members.tripod.com/curiosityrats/id38.htm
http://riverratsrattery.tripod.com/genetics.html
http://www.hawthornrats.co.uk/varieties/varieties.html
http://www.rodentfancy.com/pets/rats/ratgen.shtml
http://ratmap.gen.gu.se/
http://www.nih.gov/science/models/rat/resources/index.html

[Smith Rodents]

 :balloon:That is the best news I have heard so far about my rattie.Even if they are not hairless rattiesI love rex ratties.I have never owned any but I have seen them and they are cute. :bdaysmile:I pretty much know coat colors and what makes what but this is my first hairless rattie .He is a sweetheart though an absolute cutie.Thank You so much for your input.