The pictures of my new rats as promised! DUW lotsa pics

[anendeloflorien]

Hey so I told everyone that was interested that I would post some pics of my new little rats that I got from Kara at NERD yesterday. She definitely gave me the hook up! Thanks so much Kara! I can't say enough for that girl especially after she forgave me when I squeezed her retic bite hand (WITH A TOOTH STUCK IN IT! )

It's weird cuz I've gotten so used to slither I forgot how much fun fur can be

So here in no particular order are my new aquisitions.

Meg my little girl with her cute black and white face (showing off obviously)

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...2/9/meg_01.jpg

And here is TAAAAANK my little guy, named after Tank from Mad TV (check him out freakin hilarious) he's a little aggressive right now but I think he'll calm down soon once he gets used to being handled. He's gonna be a beast of a breeder! (and no I'm not afraid of him, I just had him wrapped up in the pants cuz that's the only way I could get him to hold still for his picture!)

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...2/9/taaank.jpg

And here are my girlfriends rats, first up is STEWART I love love love love this guy and if all my rats were as sweet as him I would never buy another snake again (no I did not just say that that was my girlfriend I swear) He's named after Stewart from Mad TV (Hey it's a good show ) cuz I can so see him going "look what I can do!" in a wicked falsetto He is afraid of NOTHING!

first his big butt

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...warts_butt.jpg

lol and now I guess you can see his face He was the easiest to take pictures of but still not easy

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...warts_face.jpg

And this is our only unnamed rat because my girl sucks and can't come up with a name. Anyone know what her color/pattern is called? She's really more blue than the pics show.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...le_blue_01.jpg

and another

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...ed_blue_02.jpg

Hope you guys enjoy and I'm sorry about the wait had to steal my girlies camera from her!

[littleindiangirl]

It looks like a russian blue variberk/dalmation At least from this angle it does,or it may be a variberk/husky.

I know Becky (satanicintention) will be better able to label her.

[Beardedragon]

aww such pretty rats! They all need some growing up to do before they breed but they are all going to make some awesome breeders!

[anendeloflorien]

aww such pretty rats! They all need some growing up to do before they breed but they are all going to make some awesome breeders!

Yeah we're waiting at least until we get into our new apartment in July-mid-July to start even trying to breed. Do you guys usually go by weight to determine breeding time or just age?

[SatanicIntention]

I honestly wouldn't breed the first two. They are too high white for my liking. Bred to the wrong rat, they could produce babies with incurable problems(megacolon being one of them). The beige hoodie is fine to use. The last one looks american or russian blue(bad picture) variegated. Huskies generally have a solid line down their sides without any speckling.

They need to be 5-6 months before breeding and 250g+. Males can be younger but they may not be fertile enough yet.

[anendeloflorien]

I honestly wouldn't breed the first two. They are too high white for my liking. Bred to the wrong rat, they could produce babies with incurable problems(megacolon being one of them). The beige hoodie is fine to use. The last one looks american or russian blue(bad picture) variegated. Huskies generally have a solid line down their sides without any speckling.

They need to be 5-6 months before breeding and 250g+. Males can be younger but they may not be fertile enough yet.

Awesome thanks Becky! I'll be sure to give them at least 5 months before we introduce the males to the females. Are certain colors (high white) really carriers for more genetic problems? I could always just have their babies be for the snakes instead of keepers as much. Or just put them as non-breeder/pets. Would you recommend getting a female or two more about the same age?

edit: also the first female, the only white she really has is that bit on her face and a little on her belly, the rest is mostly black. sorry about the bad pics! I took em in a bit of a hurry.

[SatanicIntention]

www.ratguide.com look up megacolon

I'd find one or two more females to raise up and just use the high whites as buddies for the grow-out babies. Breeding them could result in babies that aren't able to grow and thrive, which isn't good for the snakes either.

High white markings are patterns, not colors. Rats with blazes(marks on their faces), have a greater chance of carrying bad genes because alot of inbreeding has occured to create the "pretty" markings.

It's best to use rats that are hooded, self(one color), berkshire(white feet and tummy), irish(white on chest).

[anendeloflorien]

www.ratguide.com look up megacolon

I'd find one or two more females to raise up and just use the high whites as buddies for the grow-out babies. Breeding them could result in babies that aren't able to grow and thrive, which isn't good for the snakes either.

High white markings are patterns, not colors. Rats with blazes(marks on their faces), have a greater chance of carrying bad genes because alot of inbreeding has occured to create the "pretty" markings.

It's best to use rats that are hooded, self(one color), berkshire(white feet and tummy), irish(white on chest).

Excellent thank you so much for your help! I'll be sure to keep those things in mind and those two (aww my two ) will be our pets. I'll try and find some non-high white or genetic disease prone ones from Kara most likely based on that link which I do appreciate!

[SatanicIntention]

Sorry

Just so you know though, my first rat ever was an agouti hooded from Petco. I got her at 4 weeks old and she was so tiny. Had tapeworms and coccidia too. She was the best rat, loved to go to sleep on me and give kisses. She ended up getting malignant cancer though and had to be euthanized. Loved that girl!

Even the hoodies can be pretty I should know.. most of my girls now are black hoodeds or other color of hoodie. They just find you.

[anendeloflorien]

It's ok. I was just ponderin maybe seeing if Kara would take them back but I've already gotten so danged attached to them. I think it might be better to just get one or both of them spayed or neutered and keep them together in their own tub/tank as "pets only" cuz they are sweethearts. Any idea how much it might cost for spaying/neutering on a rat? And also does anybody know of a good small animal vet in NH or a resource to find one?