Husky rat fades. House of the Blue Rat - about decorative (domestic) rats

The choice of a domestic rat as a pet is due to a number of factors: the absence of the need for walks, ease of care, and the opportunity for a child to gain the first experience of care and responsibility for another creature. Compared to other species of rodents, rats are distinguished by high contact and the ability to become attached to their owners.

Sometimes it makes future owners confused. Relatively recently, Swedish breeders developed a “standard” based on the species the new kind, which was named "Husky". This name appeared due to the similarity with the gray-white color of the famous dog breed.

A baby husky's fur coat changes colors as it grows older.

The main specificity of animals is the change of color throughout their lives. Primary colors in newborn rat pups:

• silver;

• ginger;

• blue;

• black.

There are spots on the body in the shape of a cloak or hood. Each little rat is a lottery for the owner: it is impossible to predict exactly how the skin will fade. Every time the owners are in for a surprise.

Over the years, the “children’s” coat changes to adult fur, in which white hairs appear. Rebloom lasts throughout life. According to the standards, the ideal color of a husky is “salt and pepper”, that is, an equal number of hairs of contrasting colors.

However, almost complete fading of the animal is often observed: the skin becomes almost white with a slight splash of black.

The husky rat has 2 types of ears: standard and dumbo.

Another feature of the breed is the possibility of giving birth to a baby rat with both standard ears and. Eye color varies from deep ruby ​​to scarlet. The tail, contrary to popular belief, is not bald, but covered with scales and small hairs. That is why when caring for this part of the body, it is necessary to clean it especially carefully.

Behavior and habits of the Husky rat

Husky is an active rodent that requires constant entertainment. If the owner cannot spend all the time with the pet, it is necessary that the cage be equipped with:

• wheel;
• hanging toys;
• multi-level staircases;
• hammocks.

Husky rats and the hands of a beloved owner. The animals are highly trained. You can train it so that on command the pet can easily climb onto your shoulder and hide in your pocket.

Husky rat loves to communicate with humans

The animal is easy to handle, so it is acceptable to let it out for a walk around the apartment. Basic safety rules when walking on your own:

• completely eliminate cables and wires - from a rodent’s point of view, these are excellent objects for sharpening incisors;
• hiding documents and necessary papers is great construction material for a mink the husky will not miss;
• exclude access to places where fabrics and bedding are folded - they are also suitable for building a home, and teeth are used in the process;
• control contacts with other pets.

Difference from other decorative species

According to experienced rat breeders, the difference between Husky and other domestic rats lies solely in the peculiarities of color change throughout life. It is inappropriate to talk about characterological characteristics, because within a species, each individual differs in its preferences, temperament and degree of activity.

Features of the breed

Once bought and stocked necessary equipment The cage only requires regular cleaning and the correct selection of sawdust. In addition to toys, the home should have a rest house, a feeding trough and a drinking bowl. If the cell has been acquired enough big size, you should put a small bath in it: some individuals are happy to spend time in it.

A husky rat's diet should include healthy treats.

The basis of the Husky's diet is those offered by pet stores. It is also important to purchase a teeth sharpening stone and healthy treats. Feeding with natural food is also allowed, but creating a menu requires taking into account many different factors.

If measures are followed and active activities with the pet, the charming husky will delight its owner for 3.5 years, which is quite a long life span for a rat.

Video: Husky rat

Despite their miniature size, rats are in no way inferior to other domestic animals by nature. They require less care, and in terms of intelligence, some equate rodents with dogs. Elderly people will be especially happy to have a pet, because the animal is unpretentious and does not need special care. Many people buy a rat as a worthy alternative to the usual dog or cat.

Domesticated pets in the form of rats appeared in humans relatively recently by historical standards - 100 years ago.

The history of pets began with a not very rosy fate: they were bred in order to set dogs on them for the purpose of training. Red and gray species were used for this purpose. Due to mutations in the breeding process, new species of animals began to appear. This is how the first domesticated pets began to appear. Moreover, they also gave birth to a large offspring of so-called albinos. Which today are used mostly for laboratory research. Laboratory specimens are the ancestors of those ornamental animals that many are accustomed to in the modern world.

Rats are pets with unique intelligence and soul. Many people think in vain that animals can do without attention - they vitally need it. The activity and sociability of rats sometimes makes them change their attitude towards rodents in general, even if a person previously had a disgusted attitude towards these cute creatures. Experienced people recommend breeding animals from trusted breeders, and not from hands.

The variety of types of pets sometimes confuses owners even with experience, not to mention inexperienced beginners. Today, the appearance of husky rats is becoming popular. The breed received its name due to the similarity of the coat color with the famous dog breed. A special feature of the breed is the ability to change coat color throughout life: this rat is almost like a chameleon. The intrigue is that when purchasing a rat of this breed, no one can predict in advance its coat color, as well as a number of behavioral characteristics.

General information about the breed

Sweden is considered the homeland of husky rats, where they were first bred in 1994. The white spot on the face, called “blaze,” became the main difference from other species and brought the animals closer to husky dogs. Due to the artificial breeding of the breed, it is not adapted to a free life; the rat needs constant contact with humans. To maintain the breed you need special conditions, the room is bright and sunny, the cage should be placed at a height of 1.5 m from the floor level. The animal should not be disturbed by drafts or other extraneous noise.

Possible color options for the Husky rat

Rats of this species are usually distinguished by two types of markings:

• Banded Husky. The code indicates that only the pet's head, chest and shoulders are colored, excluding the blaze. Because of this unusual color, a strip of colored fur stretches along the back. In this embodiment, the strip can be quite wide.
• Berkshire Husky. The difference from the previous version is that the belly is completely white, but the back is colored. The head is also painted.

The color is not regulated and is considered normal within the range of combinations of silver, peach, black and other options.

At the age of 1 month, white hairs begin to be visible on the colored areas of the fur, which is considered the norm for this breed. If the animal is healthy, then the presence of white and colored stripes of fur may be visible in equal numbers. But it also happens that over time there are more white stripes. Sometimes white covers 90% of the fur, and it is by this indicator that breeders can determine the age of the animal.

Behavioral characteristics of the Husky rat

This breed is distinguished by its general activity. The pet constantly requires attention and entertainment. If the owner is unable to spend a sufficient amount of time with the pet, the cage must be equipped with at least a couple of the following elements:

1. wheel;
2. hammock;
3. hanging toys;
4. stairs with different levels.

The difference between the breed is its ability to get used not only to its name, but also to the owner’s voice. Some animals are so smart that they recognize their owner by his own name. The animals are so smart that some, at the owner’s command, can jump onto the shoulder and hide in a certain pocket.

Eyes, ears, tail and their features in the breed

The size of the ears of a rat of this breed can vary, ranging from small sizes to large rounded ones.

Eye color is directly related to the color of your pet's coat. Rats of this breed do not have perfect vision. Therefore, you should not worry about this - this is a normal deviation, the main thing is that it is not critical.

Many people believe that a pet's tail is completely naked, but this is not true. It is covered with bristles and hairs, which can cause an impressive amount of dirt to accumulate on the tail. Despite their cleanliness, animals cannot keep themselves acceptable clean without human help. In order to wash your pet's tail, you can use a brush with medium or soft teeth. As a cleaning method, you can find a special solution or simple soap foam.

Nutrition and general health

Rats are rodents that need to sharpen their front teeth in a timely manner.. To ensure a comfortable process, many owners purchase stones for rodents. As an alternative, you can replace the stones with natural wood deciduous type.

Before planning a diet, it is important to decide on the method of feeding the rodent. You can either create a diet yourself or purchase suitable food in specialized stores. In most cases, production options act as the basis of the feed. Feeding natural food is suitable for experienced animal owners due to the need for accounting important nuances, which a beginner may not pay much attention to.

You should not feed an animal from a human table. When creating your own diet, you can pay attention to vegetables, grains, fruits, and small quantities of a certain type of nuts. Sometimes you can include dairy products with a small percentage of fat in your pet’s diet, as well as boiled eggs. In some cases, owners even include certain dog foods in their rodents' diet. But most human food for pets will be harmful.

What is the difference from other decorative pets?

The main difference, according to experienced breeders, is precisely the ability to change color throughout life. If the conditions are met, the pet will please the owner for 4 years. What is considered pretty for a long time life for this species of animal.

Many people consider rats to be worthy companions, capable of being friends with humans just as well as others. And from people they only demand responsibility and mutual love, which is quite a bit and everyone can do. Many pensioners, due to the behavioral characteristics of rats, often keep them so that they have someone to live with in their old age. Many people give rats to introverts precisely because of the personal qualities of this unique pet.

Little husky rat.

Husky– this is not only a breed of sled dogs that is now at the peak of its popularity. Husky- This a type of decorative rat. But not simple, but with very amazing properties. Over time, these rats change color.

Rats are born with normal coloring. Their marking (the arrangement of colored spots on the rat’s body) can be either “vanded” (very similar to the “hood”, but wider) or “adger” (“cloak”, the rat’s body is as if covered with a cloak on top, and the tummy remains white).

Husky rat pups are born black or some other color.

Little ones have color baby huskies can be any of the standard ones - black, blue, agouti, red and the like. But when a baby rat’s baby fluff is replaced by an adult fur coat, its color begins to be “diluted” by white hairs. And this recolor lasts a lifetime. Ideal color husky– uniform “salt and pepper”, equal proportions of white and colored hairs, even marking boundaries. But very often, rats fade to white or only have a few colored hairs left.

Likewise, the husky blooms.

Husky They come with both standard ears and . Their eyes match their color. For blacks husky, of which the majority, eyes should be black. But many people call their eye color ruby. After all, they look black, but shine red. This is clearly visible in photographs or under light.

Good husky recolor

Haskami they are named because of their resemblance to dogs of this breed. On the face rats there is the same white mask. This mask has an inverted V shape and is called a "blaze". In addition, the color of rats resembles the gray-white color of dogs.

Withdrawn husky were in Sweden. Since 1994, when they first appeared, huskies have gained fame and recognition among a large number of dogs. And no wonder. Every baby rat husky- it's a mystery. It's hard to predict what color it will be when it grows up. From husok, which I had, only one had the “correct color”, one faded to a snow-white color. The rest had “islands” of black hairs on their backs and heads.

In the article I will do short review varieties of breeds of decorative rats. I will give a description of each of them and tell you about the features of care. I'll tell you at what price you can buy a little rat.

Overview of varieties of decorative rats

Domestic rats differ from each other in body type and coat type. There are no breeds as such among these rodents. Among them there are varieties, each of which has a certain appearance.

A parental pair cannot be guaranteed to pass on characteristics characteristic of a variety to its offspring. For example, two rats with standard ears can give birth to a baby Dumbo rat.

Thoroughbred rats are divided according to certain characteristics:

• Body type (standard and dumbo);
• Coat type (standard, wavy, sphinx, rex, downy, half sphinx, velor, satin);
• Color (divided into sections: uniform, silver, ticked, marked, combined, husky, non-standard colors);
• Markings (presence and location of white on the main color);

You can buy a baby rat at a pet store or through an advertisement for a price starting from 100 rubles. A rodent from a nursery may cost more (300 – 1500 rubles), but the health guarantee is higher. In the nursery you can purchase a pet for participation in exhibitions and breeding work.

The decorative rat originated from the wild gray rat - pasyuk.

During the process of domestication, the animals changed their head shape, ear size, coat color and type, temperament and attitude towards humans. A domestic rat is the same pasyuk, only in a domesticated form.

Today there is a Standard for varieties of ornamental rats, which Russian and foreign breeders are working on.

Body type

Standard

The animal has a proportional, flexible, plastic physique without signs of fragility. Females are somewhat lighter and look more graceful. The length of the animal is up to 26 cm (to the tip of the tail). The length of the tail is proportional to the length of the body (including the head).

The eyes are large, round and shiny. The eye color is in harmony with the coat color according to the standard. Small ears are located at the top of the head and are larger in size than the Pasyuk's ears. The head is proportional to the body, of sufficient width.

Coat type and color are determined by the general Standard.

The coat fits well and is shiny. The paws and tail are covered with short hair. Light-colored rats have short, velvety fur on their ears.

The antennae are oblong and proportionally located on the cheeks; above the eyes they are shorter and in smaller numbers. In rodents with other types of hair (rexes, sphinxes, etc.), the whiskers may be short, curled and sparse.

Dumbo

Dumbo differs from the standard in the shape of his ear and skull. Dumbo's ears are lowered and are approximately at eye level. The ear is wider and more rounded than the standard one.

The name "dambo" translates as "baby elephant". That is, the ears resemble the ear of a baby elephant.

The ear should be as open as possible. Folds are not allowed. The dumbo ear has two shapes: open and “tulip”, when the upper edge is slightly directed downwards.

The coat type and coat color correspond to the descriptions in the general Standard.

The Dumbo's skull is slightly wider than that of the standard. Due to the position of the ears, the head of this variety looks wide and flat. The back of the dumbo's head has a barely noticeable convexity.

Coat type

Standard

The coat is smooth, shiny, tight-fitting; the mustache is long and dense. The paws and tail are covered with fine fur. The ears have short velvet fur. The undercoat is well formed.

Curly (rex)

The hair is dense, thick and forms curls. On the belly the hair is straighter. The amount of hair is less than the standard coat type, or it is absent. The hair is inferior in shine to the standard type.

Tactilely, the hair is slightly coarser than standard, without signs of brittleness or stiffness. The mustache is short and curled.

Wavy (teddy, corduroy)

Thick, soft, even coat, more wavy than curly. Visually, the coat is slightly disheveled, but looks well-groomed. There is a thick undercoat, but the awns are practically absent. The mustache is of good length, with a slight wave.

Sphinx

The skin is almost completely bald; she is healthy, bright and soft. In some areas of the body (on the muzzle, limbs and groin area) pubescence is allowed. There may be folds. The mustache is short and curly.

Downy

The body of the animal is covered with short, thin, soft fluff. On the face and lower body the hair is thicker and longer. There is no guard hair. The skin is pleasant to the touch, velvety. The antennae are slightly curled downwards. Bare areas of the body are not allowed.

Half Phinx (double rex) outside the standard

The coat is short and harsh. The mustache is short and curls tightly. Double Rex has two types:

• The rat has hairless and hairy areas of the body. They may change over time, i.e. bare skin becomes overgrown, and pubescent skin becomes bald.
• The rodent has short hair only on the face, tail, legs and belly.

Satin (satin, longhair)

The coat is thin, silky, longer than usual. The white color has a yellowish tint. The impression of “shining” wool.

Velor

There is very little or no guard hair. The coat is shorter than that of the Rex, curled or crimped. The mustache curls tightly.

Description of colors by section

Homogeneous

The hair is colored uniformly in one tone. The exception is the ash-blue color. The body has a uniform color without spots or ticking.

• Black;
• Blue (Russian blue, smoky);
• White;
• Champagne;
• Blue;
• Platinum;
• Russian silver and other solid colors.

Ticked

The body has a single color. Part of the hair is colored unevenly, in two or more colors (with belts). Among these zone-colored hairs are hairs with a uniform color.

• Agouti (platinum, Russian blue, blue);
• Faun;
• Cinnamon;
• Amber;
• Pearl (cinnamon, blue);
• Topaz.

Silver

This section is characterized by alternating silver hairs with hairs of a different color (uniform or ticked). The color is bright and uniform.

• Silver-mink;
• Silver - blue;
• Silver-black;

Combined

The color consists of several colors (except white), which are arranged in accordance with the norms prescribed by the Standard.

• Siamese (blue, Russian blue, mink, black-eyed Siamese);
• Himalayan (blue or with black eyes);
• Burmese (Russian, wheat, sable, blue).

Marked

A marking is a drawing, i.e. combination of white color with colored areas.

• Irish;
• Anglo – Irish;
• Raincoat (European, with blaze);
• Hood (or shortened hood);
• Cap (or cap with a train);
• Spotted - raincoat (or spotted);
• Train (or train with blaze);
• Masked;

Blaze is a white wedge-shaped spot on the face.

Husky (blooming)

This type combines a blaze (in a cloak or train) with a perennial base color. Symmetry and contrast are important components for this marking. Cubs up to 3 weeks of age have a uniform color with a blaze, but later the husky's coat begins to turn silver.

• Raincoat;
• Daisy chain;

Non-standard colors

These colors are not recognized by the Rat Club.

• Dove;
• Devil;
• Black devil

An animal with these colors receives marks at the exhibition, but does not receive titles.

Odd-eyed

Coat color – any. One eye is pink or red, the other is black or ruby.

Other varieties

Pasyuk

This is a fairly large rodent, weighing 250-600 grams. Unlike the domesticated form, the pasyuk has a convex forehead and well-defined brow ridges. The pasyuk's tail is thick and its length is shorter than the body. The ears are relatively small. - homogeneous standard agouti.

Pasyukov can be kept at home, including together with a domesticated rat. Some nurseries infuse the blood of wild gray rats into domestic animals or breed only pasyuki.

Pasyuk saved most natural instincts. He easily accepts new experiences, thinks quickly and survives in the wild.

Tailless rat (manx)

Manx is the result of a complex mutation. Many unions of rat lovers are against the breeding of this species. Accordingly, it is unrecognized. Tailless Manx are disabled by definition, as they have lost their balance beam. In addition, the tail cools the animal at high temperatures.

As a result of this mutation, the musculoskeletal system and organs of the excretory system are affected. Cubs often die in early age or a little later.

All varieties are kept under the same conditions. The features of caring for each rat are also the same. Animals are kept in spacious cages and terrariums, in a warm and dry place, without drafts. The rats are provided with quality food and water, a running wheel and toys.

Based on the description of the species, rodents are given a specific name. For example, Albino Self Standard Velveteen means that the rat is a standard albino with a solid color and corduroy coat type. BE Siamese Self Dumbo Rex – Dumbo with black eyes, Siamese color with curly coat type.

Hi all!

Yes, I have a mini 80th anniversary review! Which I dedicate with pleasure and the most tender feelings to my favorites.

First, about acquisition and maintenance.

❤ Acquisition. In general, the best option for where to purchase a baby rat is a nursery. Specialists select parents, raise healthy rat pups, and everything is of the highest standard. When purchasing from a pet store or from hand, be prepared for the fact that the rat may be sick.

❤ Rats are social animals. They are kept in same-sex couples (or maybe a trio, etc.), then they will have more fun - well, can you sleep with them in a hammock, fight, bite each other? No! And breeding offspring is a very responsible matter, this should be done by specialists. Even if there are several rats and they don’t seem to be bored, you need to walk them, exercise them, and let them run and climb somewhere other than the cage, so that they feel happy and can burn off their energy.

❤ Housing. The cage should be spacious. There are special ones for calculations. calculators - you enter the parameters of the cage and find out how many individuals can be kept in it. The cage must have a drinking bowl with clean water; mineral stone (for grinding teeth); hammocks, beds or houses (it’s better if they are at the top of the cage, because the natural instinct of rats is to climb higher from enemies and dangers, and most of the tailed animals respect and adore hammocks!). You can also hang and place other accessories in the cage to make the rats interested and able to climb. The main thing is that they are non-hazardous and from the right materials gizmos.

❤ Filler. For us after searching the best option turned out to be woody. What other types are there, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, you can read.

❤ Feeding. Contrary to popular belief, rats cannot be fed everything from your table. I associate their nutrition with ordinary human nutrition (proper nutrition), i.e. Fried, fatty, sweet, smoked, baked goods are not allowed. The basis of nutrition is food, good and balanced. I mix 2 foods (this one and this one), I don’t dose it, it’s always in the cage, because... my students eat when they want and in moderation. I also feed them extra 2 times a day, it can be porridge, fruits, vegetables, various purees, boiled meat or fish, sometimes I give them bread, dry bread and very rarely cookies (sometimes I want to pamper them).

❤ Correct content - a guarantee of health. Animals should not be placed in a draft or in the sun, it is necessary balanced diet, good filler.

A very good site where you can learn EVERYTHING about Ratmania rats (it is he who helps me with everything). I have already provided links to some sections (and will provide more).

About how I took my rats.

I am the happy owner of two little rat girls - Busya (9 months old) and Knopa (5 months old). I decided not to be clever with the names, I called them simply.

The idea of ​​getting a rat was random. Before the New Year 2015 we were thinking about what to give our younger brother. Nothing can surprise children now, but we didn’t have a pet (our guinea pig Ksyusha died a year ago). We didn’t consider a dog, my dad doesn’t like cats (and I really do), and so, among the many rodents, I chose a decorative rat (from childhood I have memories of the rat Oles, who we had for literally a couple of months in foster care. How smart and affectionate she was !). Then I realized that I would not trust the animal to my not very responsible brother, and I would become the owner.

I dug through a ton of information on the Internet and only strengthened my desire by reading about proper maintenance and care. Then I visited the nearest pet store, where the rats were already adults, shabby, unkempt and seemingly sick... When I left, the seller begged: “Well, at least take it this way, without money!” I was shocked.

There are no rat nurseries in our region. On Avito I found an advertisement for the sale of baby rats, made an agreement and took my child. It was a husky girl with dumbo ears. She called it Busya.

Decorative rats are not divided into breeds; they differ in type, color and pattern of fur. There are also standard ears and dumbo ears - in honor of the baby elephant Dumbo from the cartoon of the same name, these are such charming ears.

BUSYA.

The buska was taken in winter, it was -12 degrees outside, I carried it in a shoe box, and inside was a woolen beret and a mini blanket. We got to the transport, put the rat’s hand in the box, and everything was cold there! We quickly got into the car, my mother turned on the stove, and I began to warm it with my hands and breathe on the child. And Busya licked my hands in gratitude until she finally warmed up.

At home, it turned out that the bars of the pre-prepared cage were spaced too widely, and the small one could easily climb out. While I was solving this problem and preparing housing, my parents and brother began to give Busya everything edible. She was gobbling it so hard that it was cracking behind her ears. Then such a cute little belly swelled up)

For the first three days, the little rat lived in an aquarium, and then dad “lined” my cage with mesh, and Busya moved to more comfortable housing.

Every day I walked with my pet, my brother made her a “playground” on the sofa and she climbed on it with pleasure.

The rat settled in pretty quickly and loved spending time with his human family.

In the evenings, while sitting at the computer, I took a blanket and a rat, and it happily either walked or slept.

At the end of 2 months of life, Buska’s fur turned from a child’s soft fur to an adult’s hard one, and besides, it lightened quite a lot, which came as a surprise to me. It turns out that the fur of a Husky rat always lightens with age, but this ranges from a minimal difference to the fur becoming completely white! There were some dad jokes, like How did they scare the rat so much that it turned grey??

The rat was growing, and there were problems that needed to be solved: 1. We need a larger cage; 2. The rat needs a friend.

First I bought a large cage (Four Paws store). Busya was shocked when I put her there.

And then I bought another rat...

BUTTON.

I bought it at a pet store. There was a whole cage of little rats there, so tiny! Looks like 4 weeks, no more. When I approached, they were all hanging on the bars of the cage like monkeys. I wanted them all! But I chose the girl with the darkest color. It also turned out to be the calmest little rat. It was already warm outside, we arrived without any problems in a regular cardboard carrier.

At home it turned out that she was not so calm, but very nimble and businesslike) She ate like Busya once, in two throats!

I housed the new girl according to the rules (well, almost), so at first Knopa lived in an old small cage.

The first acquaintance was a shock for Busya. It seems that then she realized that this was a turning point in her life) The photo conveys the shock of the rat. Ahaha, just look at that tail.

But Knopa, who had not yet gotten used to her relatives, immediately fell in love with her older friend and began to run after her with her tail, bite, climb in every possible way and mark her tail. It was impossible to watch this without laughing. It got to the point that the little one would crawl under Busya, and when she tried to run away, squeaking along the way, she would run after her UNDER HER! An annoying little thing that you can't get rid of. When patience ran out, Busya kicked the little one, pushed him and threw him onto his back. But this had no effect on the clingy child in love.

The button simply charmed us - its round muzzle, its currant-like eyes... That's why the nickname Pups latched on to it, and now it's on equal terms with its name.

After a short period of time, I placed the cells like this.

The girls “went” to visit each other, under my supervision, of course. Knop was pleased with these events. But Busyu is not very good)

I told Busya: “It’s me who took you as a girlfriend! So that you don’t get bored, there’s no point in being dissatisfied!”, and stubbornly brought them together.

BUSYA AND BUTTON TOGETHER!

If earlier there were some doubts and thoughts like “maybe I shouldn’t have taken a second one,” now I’m very glad that I have a double portion of happiness! Twice as fun, twice as funnier, cuter and all the other pleasant adjectives)

Mom calls me “rat mom”, and I’m her granny. And indeed, they are just my babies - I take care of them, I try.

At first, dad couldn’t remember what I called the second rat, and called them Buski. And I also call them both Puppies, and Piggies, and little rats, and just my girls, and in every way)

Now the girls live in perfect harmony. Busya has almost resigned herself, but Knopa still adores her. But it doesn’t happen without fights. Do not panic! This is a normal phenomenon - a struggle for dominance in the flock. They simply turn each other over on their backs and force them to lie there, the time of “lying” is directly proportional to the level of “how much more important you are,” ahah. Fortunately, Knopa the girl is a fighter and from an early age she made it clear to Busya that she could fight back. Actually, Pups is most often the instigator of fights. Don’t think from the photos that Busya is a loser. Nope. She will always fail in response. But everything with them is somehow kind, in moderation.

By the way, Knopa’s fur has hardly darkened over time, unlike the gray-haired Busina.

And two more adult rats are so different in physique. Busya is larger than Pups, and she is also somehow thin and fragile (although her fur coat hides this), but Knopa is so “knocked down” - she has a strong neck and strong paws. Once you hold them in your hands, you will immediately understand.

About walking. At first there was a sofa walk - they laid out a special rat sheet, built some little towns and let the rats run around under supervision.

Then Piggy the Elder realized that the world is not limited to the sofa and soon learned to get down to the floor. You put him back down and he runs around like crazy, his eyes are burning, making new attempts to get off. In general, everything is useless - she now knows and can do everything. Knopa also learned after her. -What to do? -Heat the sofas, let's walk on the floor!

They walk around the same room, so we close the door, put especially important things higher and further away, and take a good look. In general, my girls are non-chewing (almost), but there are misfires. The biggest loss is the soft surface of the wallpaper behind the sofa. The piglets have gotten used to it, they climb from the floor onto the sofas (from which they used to run away), from the sofas onto the tables and chairs. They rush around and stomp like mini-horses.

One day I got distracted and lost sight of Buska. I found a matting napkin peacefully chewing in my purse and almost fell over from its touching appearance!

There was also a case when I closed the door to the cage, but not with the “bolt” (I trained them so that they could open it with their nose), and then I forgot. I'm sitting at the table, the room is dark, the only light is on desk lamp and then...someone touches my leg. I almost threw my hooves away! It was Busya. Of course, they opened their “gate” and went out for a walk)

Party rats are very respected. This is how they ask to go for a walk.

Rats. They are like people.

The most amazing thing is that such a small creature has character. Yes Yes! Knopa has one, and Busya has a completely different one.

This was partly influenced by different upbringing conditions from childhood. Just as Buska is accustomed to people, she seeks human society. He doesn’t mind playing with his hands, sitting on his shoulder, and even responds a little to his name. She feels good and calm with people. He will play, run and go to bed in some cozy place - for example, in a sleeve)

The opposite of the calm character of the older one is the explosive character of Pups. This one seems to recognize people, but if she is not in a cage, then she is always on edge, rushing around, climbing everywhere. Sometimes he hides and doesn’t want to come out. Doesn't respond to his name at all. But like a cat running after all sorts of objects, like a candy wrapper on a string.

She likes to test her nails, but she has never chewed them for me.

When Knopa is bored and wants to go for a walk, she frantically gnaws at the bars, while Busya sleeps or just lies there.

And when you stick your fingers into their cage, Busya scrapes them with his teeth (it’s like combing them out. It doesn’t hurt) and squirms, trying to mark them. And Knopa licks her fingers.

Sometimes I sprout oats for the girls and they eat them with pleasure. In addition, it is a useful replacement for synthetic vitamins for rodents.

And now, a scary photo. Not to look nervous. The rat killed the cat!

Of course this is a joke)

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Rats love to taste mascara-painted eyelashes. The feeling, I'll tell you, is creepy - as if you will be left without eyelashes.

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When I changed the cage to a larger one, a problem arose - Busya pees from the third floor, everything around him suffers. Then I adapted a food container under the tray. And hurray! The rat goes to the toilet there and there is no problem. The funniest thing is when sleepy Buska gets out of the hammock and sits down, tail raised, to do her business in this tray. The tail lowers as it gets rid of fluid.

We show off our ponytail)

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Rats are very clean animals. They wash themselves constantly. But they still scatter the pig litter, chew and tear at the hammocks, and take food all over the cage. So it’s the hostess’s job to clean up all their piggy stuff)

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But I don’t like these rat habits.

1. They mark. They run and leave droplets (they have no smell). In this way, they make the territory and things theirs, leaving their scent. But these are flowers. They also mark their hands, thereby expressing their unbridled love for their owner. Marking is a natural instinct from which a rat cannot be weaned.

2. They chew! And if I had relaxed during their walk, there would no longer be wallpaper in the corners(

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Unfortunately, these cute animals live very short lives. On average 2 years. If you have marked your rat's 3rd birthday, then that's wonderful! And 4 years is just incredibly long to live. It's sad to part with your favorites.

Another evil rock rats are very painful. They have a weak nasopharynx, so respiratory infections are the most common ailment. And often these babies develop tumors. Scary. I hope this doesn't affect us.

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Have you heard that rats have nasty tails? And that they themselves are unpleasant and ugly. Quite a large number of people think so. Even my mother was not happy when I said that I would take the little rat. But now he really likes to spend time with the rats, play with them, pamper them with something tasty. He says they charge with positive energy. And it’s impossible to disagree with her.

And one day our parents’ friends came to visit us. The woman from that family really doesn’t like rodents, and especially rats because of their tails. She looked, watched them run funny, wiggle their mustaches cutely and all that... In general, for the first time in her life, she picked up and stroked what she had been afraid of for 45 years! And it turned out that the fear was unfounded, that rats are charming animals. I was happy, victory! My rats convinced an adult with an established look! That's it :-)

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I read reviews about pugs here. People write that they are nondevotees and are ready to sell their owner for food

And then I thought about my rat girls. They are wary of strangers. They stop running around carefree, they are tense, and they definitely won’t take food from someone else’s hands. But not everything is so categorical. Under my supervision, strangers are sniffed and their hands examined. So making friends with a friend’s rats is a reality) But they still know the owner and recognize him.

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And now I want to summarize.

Rats are infinitely cute, charming, funny animals! It’s impossible to watch without smiling, and sometimes even to hold back from laughing when you see how they sleep, wash themselves, and eat. Your heart skips a beat when they grab your fingers with their little paws, when they quickly, quickly climb over you and sit on your shoulder, when they close their eyes with pleasure, when you scratch them behind the ears and stroke them, when they look at you devotedly with their eyes. -beads when they trustingly go to sleep next to you...