All about white rats

Not all people treat rats with love, many feel disgust and disgust towards them. But such impressions are often caused by animals that live in the natural environment or household extensions of people. However, there are white rats, which are pretty cute creatures, they get up as pets.

The white rat is a domesticated creature that has white fur. She is one of the most common and favorite pets today. The Chinese were first tamed this animal, a little later a white rat was brought to America and European countries, where it was crossed with an albino rat. The painstaking work of breeders led to the appearance of a domestic white rat with red eyes.

This animal has no special differences from the traditional gray rat, except for the special color of the fur coat and eyes. These features of appearance were the consequence of an insufficient amount of melanin in the blood. In fact, the eye protein of the animal is transparent, and in red the streaks of blood vessels that permeate the eye are painted.

Sometimes it is possible to meet and defectively representative of the albino, which is characterized by a gray shade of fur and dark eye color. Such an animal is able to better adapt to living at home. They are not afraid of daylight, and also have strong immunity and protective reactions of the body. Especially albinos do not work, because their genes with a set of chromosomes are unique and spontaneous.

The color that rat offspring will have cannot be known in advance. Thus, one offspring may include representatives with white and gray colors. The white rat with red eyes is of medium size and weighs about 0.3– 0.4 kg, but there are some individuals that have a mass of half a kilogram. The male is always larger than the female.

The pet muzzle has an elongated and even pointed shape. In the front there are 4 teeth, which are quite long and sharp. Another feature of this animal can be called an unusual tail.

It may seem at once that he is bald, but in fact the body is covered with white fibers, which are almost imperceptible. The white rat is a very funny rodent that has its own habits and habits. That is why many people have chosen this animal as a pet.

On average, ornamental rats live at home for no more than two and a half years. If the conditions of detention and care are perfect and meet all requirements, then tame pet can live 3–3.5 years. An animal that is raised in a laboratory may last longer, up to about four years.

According to reviews of people who have already got white rats, it can be understood that this is a kind, positive animal, with little trouble. However, when keeping furry unpretentious animals, it is worth following these rules:

• not contain in the same cage individuals of different sexes, since the female will constantly give birth to pups, and, as you know, there are quite a lot of them in one litter; accordingly, the rat will not live long, and the owner will be puzzled by the question of where to attach the babies;
• the minimum dimensions of a rat house are 40x50x60 cm; such dimensions for the cage are minimal, if it is more spacious, then the pet in it will be even more comfortable;
• the acquisition of a plastic home for a rodent should be abandoned, the best option for an animal would be a cage that has a metal roof and a plastic pallet; the rods should be close to each other, otherwise the pet will run away;
• white rats prefer to use the feed from the filler; it is worth buying a earthenware or mounted metal trough;
• the owner should buy a plastic drinker that has an inner ball and is easily fixed on the cage;
• when choosing a filler, it is necessary to give preference to corn, as it is able to absorb all odors, and is also considered not allergenic;
• cleaning a rat house should be done every 4 days, that is, change the filler; general cleaning of the cage should be carried out 1 time for 7 days; washing the house should be done using powder or soap, after which the structure is treated with boiling water and dried;
• the cage should be equipped with a wooden house for a rodent, it will serve as a sleeping place for him;
• it would be nice if there is a hammock in a rat's dwelling, animals like these adaptations very much.

Caring for an albino rat at home should be the same as for other members of this species, namely:

• the cage is always kept clean, otherwise the animal may get sick; the reaction to unsanitary conditions in a rodent is manifested by hair loss, the appearance of red spots on the skin, and watery eyes;
• White fluffy pet is worth walking, as it is quite active and agile; when walking around the apartment behind a rat, it is worth observing, to eliminate access to the wires, and also to clean other pets for a while;
• the white rat requires constant communication with the person, so the animal should not be left unattended, as the pet may get sick and die;
• albino white wool needs to be combed and bathed; the owner must ensure that yellowness does not appear on the coat, which may be a sign of illness.

Keeping a white rat means providing the rodent with proper and complete nutrition. Feeding a rodent does not mean that he needs to give everything that is in the fridge. Since this pet is characterized by developed intelligence, it is recommended to offer him several different products, from which the rat will choose the right one.

Setting a clear diet and dividing food into portions will help keep your pet healthy. The white rat mainly feeds on cereals, which are an integral part of store feeds. And also it can be fed with pasta, boiled corn, bread crust, porridge. While cooking cereal for rodents, you should not add oil of plant and animal origin to the dish.

An obligatory element of the menu of the white rat are vegetables and fruits. These products are sources of vitamins and nutrients.

Contraindicated for albino is considered a large number of proteins. It will be enough for a pet to give 1 time in 7 days a piece of boiled meat or hard cheese.

This fluffy animal is a gentle creature with a special digestive system, therefore it is worth feeding it only with clean and fresh products. Food from the refrigerator before serving to the animal must be heated.

For healthy offspring, albino mating should be done with a brown, black or gray rat. The mating process is short and runs without difficulty. Having reached the age of 3-4 months, the female can start breeding, the male becomes sexually mature a little later.. An adult white rat carries babies for 20–26 days, with 4 to 10 babies born in one litter. There are situations when the number of cubs can increase to 20.

A newborn rodent is a defenseless little creature that weighs no more than 6 grams. The cub that was just born is deaf and blind. At the age of 14 days, babies begin to try to eat solid foods on their own. Already at the age of one month a small decorative rat is ready for independent living.

The decorative white rat is a clever and clean creature that spends a lot of time cleaning its fur. But sometimes these pets still need additional help from the owners in the implementation of swimming. Many rodents do not like water treatments. Albinos are afraid of water and may experience stress when in contact with it, which is why it is worth teaching the animal to swim from a very early age. If the cleaning in the cage will be carried out constantly, then it is often not necessary to bathe the animal.

There are people who claim that bathing rats at home is prohibited. But there is another opinion, which indicates the admissibility of infrequent water procedures, if the process complies with all safety conditions.

It is necessary to bathe white rats in the following situations:

• if the animal is soiled in a harmful substance;
• when staying in a dirty cage for a long period;
• if the rat does not clean its own fur, that is, it is sick or untidy;
• when removing parasites;
• before the exhibition for a few days.

When a domestic rodent does not like water, then you don’t need to bathe it if there is no urgent need for it. If the animal is not too dirty, then you can wash it without using shampoo. During the procedure, it is worth talking to a rat to get rid of fear. Refusing to swim is necessary if the animal has a cold, as washing can aggravate the disease.

The rat prefers to live clean she does not shit where she eats and sleeps, therefore, installing a toilet in a rodent cage will not be superfluous. Accordingly, if there are no excess smells and debris in the house, the animal can be bathed less often.

When bathing a white rat you should not forget about such moments as:

• decorative rodents are prone to diseases of the upper respiratory tract, so finding an animal in a draft after bathing will lead to illness;
• the cold of the room, cool water, and undried rat fur can worsen the animal's state of health;
• if water gets into the ears of a decorative pet, otitis and deafness may occur;
• the use of detergents can cause changes in the natural smell of the animal, impaired barrier function of its skin, and cause dryness and scabies.

It is better to buy a special tool for bathing rodents, but if one is not available, you should use shampoo for cats. According to experts, you can use baby detergent to bathe the rat, but it should not contain dyes and fragrances. For the procedure of washing a rodent, it is worth preparing several dishes with warm water, shampoo, a towel and a piece of soft cloth that will replace the washcloth. It is impossible to wash the rats under running water; before bathing you should cover their auditory passages.

Immersion of the animal in a container with liquid should be carried out quickly and carefully, while stroking it and distracting the conversation. Fur should be gently moistened with water, after which the massaging movements apply shampoo. Detergent should be washed off in two containers with water, and after drying the coat with a towel or cloth.

The tail of the rat is also worth washing, as dirt and dead skin particles accumulate on it. The body should be moistened with a cotton pad, which is presoaked in a soap solution. After that, the tail is cleaned with a toothbrush, but gently and without pressing. Next, the body is washed off with warm water, rubbed and smeared with odorless baby cream.

The white rat with red eyes has an excellent character, it is quite clever, and even surpasses the dog. The pet is quite sociable, it is easily tamed, and also responds with affection and responsiveness to a good good attitude.

It is recommended to start rats, as they are easier to tame. This rodent loves to sit on the shoulder of a man and kiss. And also they are able to sleep on the lap of the owner in a rolled up form like cats. This decorative pet can be taught various tricks. He is able to respond to his name, bring toys on demand and leave the house, if the owner calls.

On the features of care for domestic rats described in the next video.