Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / February 2006

I couldn't agree more with that. If only.

As to the rest, I'm not experienced or qualified enough to comment,
other than maybe to express my own opinion that intentional breeding, of
what seems like a deficiency/disability, at the very least makes me
uneasy & echo all of your sentiments to some degree.

I'm sure you all love your hairless Rats regardless, that's obvious. And I
realise that they try to behave as normally
as they can and are equally affectionate with their owners and cagemates.
But when these mutations happen in the wild they don't survive. And for a
very good reason as Mr Charles Darwin brought to our attention many years
ago.
I'm well aware that every breed of pet Dog from the Great Dane to the
Pekingese is a result of selective breeding but I still find the Chinese
Crested and the Peruvian and Mexican hairless completely repugnant.
Incidently I find it a sad indicator of the type person who is enthusiastic
for these breeds, that a Google Image search for hairless Dog also comes up
with a Tattooed Pig!

Personally I echo what Vanessa said, In that I'd rather have plain Agouti
Rat that lived to be Five years old. That, in my opinion is what breeders
with a true love of animals should be striving to achieve. I say this in the
week I have found a tumour on Gretchen which seems to be groing on a daily
basis.
Hopefully it's benign, she's only just a year old.
Thanks for those who have given their views and anyone else please add your
thoughts

Chris N

Breeding "True Hairless" Females equals Dissapointment!
 I get many emails each week about hairless rats being terrible mothers.
They eat, squish or starve their babies. At Odd Fellows Rattery, in 2001, we
bred four different does from different backgrounds. The resulting babies
from all of the litters were either cannabalized, squished, abandoned or
starved due to poor parenting and/or inadequate or no lactation. Only one
hairless doe (born to furred parents) lactated. However, she cannabalized
more than half of her two litters, but lactated and protected the remaining
babies.
  With that said, this does not occur in every hairless female. Those that
have been outcrossed with furred rats may inherit positive qualities that
allow them to rear babies normally. But, how do you know if your rat is like
this? Avoid the dissapointment and breed a hairless carrier female to a
hairless male and the chance is high all offspring will survive. At Odd
Fellows Rattery, all of our hairless rats are outcrossed with furred rats. I
have chosen to discontinue breeding hairless does, and in fact, I discourage
their breeding.

Generally, hairless rats are fragile creatures in comparison to furred rats.
They may have more allergies and may be more susepticle to environmental
stress causing them to become ill.  This is especially true of strains of
hairless deriving from laboratories and passed onto the pet stores. Diseases
common to laboratory and pet store hairless rats are cancer and tumors,
excessive abcessing, wasting, kidney and bladder infections, heart disease,
eye disease, diabetes, excessive respiratory infections, headtilt, and skin
problems.
  Just in the last few years, since the first publication of this article,
fancy rat breeders have made great strides in breeding out health issues
that formally plagued hairless rats.  Now, some lines of hairless rats from
reputable breeders are just as disease resistant as furred rats and can be
expected to live as long, two to three-years-old. Reputable breeders
eliminate tendencies for these diseases through selective breeding.  They
moniter their lines over time and end lines where offspring continually have
health problems that crop up before two-years-old.  Good breeders choose
only the healthiest rats to breed. Hairless rats not selectively bred can be
expected to live 18-24 months.  Outcrossed hairless rats to furred lines
tend to be more robust and live longer than those born to hairless parents.

There is no other oddity in the animal world than an furless creature. An
animal lacking fur would never survive except in the homes of their
cherished owners. Keeping one of these bizarre and incredible creatures
welcomes both conversation and delight. However, to enjoy this special
animal you must provide special care.

http://www.ratbehavior.org/CoatTypes.htm