not exactly feeders...

[MastersHaven]

hello guys, just a quick rat question for you...

yesterday I picked up a pair of special ordered hairless rats and once I got them home I noticed that the both have a slight discharge from their eyes. They dont act sick or anything -- no sneezing -- no nasal drainage etc... but I have heard that the red drainage from the eyes can be caused from stress -- a chill -- or being ill...

could this be happening due to the stress of shipping and being transported?
I really hope my new babies are not getting sick!

i am attaching a few *not so good* photos

ALSO, can anyone give me a clue to how old they may be?
(their body is about 6 inches long -- and the male is *developed* )

any ideas?

 

[Bobo's Mama]

The discharge is like rat tears. Its called porphyrin and it looks like blood, but its not. It shows up on hairless rats because they don't have fur to absorb it. It is sometimes caused by stress from a move or even from bedding they are allergic too. I've been the owner of a hairless rat since July so I do know a little bit about them. She is my baby. I have two other rats, but she has always been my favorite. My rat gets this discharge every once in awhile. But it usually goes away. I think its kind of like when you wake up in the morning and you get all phlemgy, even though you're not sick. If the male is developed and they are that size, then they are probably 6 to 8 weeks old. That sounds about right. Hope all that helps.

 

[CornCrazy]

LeeAnn...I wouldn't call those hairless rats (although they are quite cute). They have too much hair! And out of curiosity...where did you order them from?

 

[danvega]

LeeAnn...I wouldn't call those hairless rats (although they are quite cute). They have too much hair! And out of curiosity...where did you order them from?

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe that hairless rats are born hairless (like all rat pinkies), then grow fur, and then slowly lose the hair as they mature. I have a 'normal' (hair) rat colony (as well as 'normal' mice colonies), but when I was doing research awhile back on rats, I think I read this some place (though, it could have been about hairless mice) :shrugs: .

 

[medic2]

you are correct. they look just like a normal pinky to start with, then they do get some hair, not like regular rats, looks kinda sad for a while. as they get older it starts to fall out more and more until they are naked, except for their whiskers.

 

[CornCrazy]

My hairless rats were born hairless, then had very slight peach fuzz, but never actually grew any more hair than that. I've never seen any grow hair that long before...

 

[chausies]

they look like double rex rats to me. Not true hairless, but when you double up on the dominant rex gene in rats, it creates a semi-hairless rat. If that is the case, then when you breed them with a normal coated rat, all of the babies should be rex. I used to have hairless rats, and I raised a few litters. I have never seen true hairless rats that looked like that. They are cute though

 

[DeadIrishD]

smart breeders as mother hairless rats generally have a problem lactating from what I have heard.

 

[CornCrazy]

smart breeders as mother hairless rats generally have a problem lactating from what I have heard.

I have heard that, as well. Mine has not had a problem with lactation so far, however.

 

[rhinecat]

I would keep an eye on the porphyrin (the red tears) and if they recur or are joined by sneezing, hunching, or lethargy, seek some sort of treatment (not sure whether they're feeders or pets, so not sure whether you'd see a vet for them or not). Also, they look like double rexes to me, too. Very cute.

 

[MastersHaven]

LeeAnn...I wouldn't call those hairless rats (although they are quite cute). They have too much hair! And out of curiosity...where did you order them from?

Hi Terri...

I ordered them through a local petstore ( C & P Pets -- in Christiansburg Va) They didn't tell me anything about them ... It was fairly busy the day I picked them up, I did hang out for a bit trying to speak to someone who may be able to give me some info on them but got tired of waiting. They basically just taped them up in a box and shoved me out the door with them.

They do look to have a good bit of hair in those photos but to see them in person they really only have a bit of fuzz on their heads and peach fuzzies scattered down their backs... no real hair to speak of...

my friend had got one a while back and he is the sweetest thing *I fell in love* so I called the place where she got it and they ordered them for me... I dont know that much about "the hairless" rats but my friend has had rats for many years so I know a little about them but not enough to say whether these two are true hairless or double rex... either way, it is perfectly fine with me! I just adore them!

althought I would like to put a diaper on the little boy -- everytime I get that little booger out he "gives me a present" lol

I do intend on calling the petstore when I have a free moment and finding out some more detailed info on them... I would really like to know the breeders name where they came from and exactly how old they are...

THANKS to all who have replied... the eye discharge has seemed to go away so i am leaning towards shipping stress.. I have heard a sneeze here and there but when I look one of them is always at the water bottle so i am thinking it's just getting water up it's nose?!?!?! I am watching them closely... hopefully all is well...

THANKS again...
:wavey:

OHHHH yeah and P.s.: Are the aspen shavings I use for the snakes suitable for the rats inclosure ?

 

[danvega]

Yeah, aspen shavings are fine (probably the preferred bedding) for your rats' enclosure.