Hi everyone. OC Dumbos, here. One of problem we’ve had raising and breeding Roof rats is that they look so similar, it’s been hard to tell them apart. Solid Agouti coats with white bellies, with some subtle facial markings on the more tame ones.
Well, that’s about to change. Take a look at this little beauty…
Hooded Roof Rat (Rattus Rattus)
We call her “Abuelita.” Notice anything unusual about her coat color? Or…should I say colors?
Hooded Roof Rat (Rattus Rattus)
“Hmm…what’s this?” you say. It’s like a hooded marking on a Norway, but different.
Because Hooded Norway Rats have white bodies and colored markings. While Hooded Roof Rats have Light Agouti bodies (with white bellies) and Dark Markings. The markings are in the same places, but the colors are different.
Hooded Roof Rat (Rattus Rattus)
Somehow, we have two Hooded Roof Rat females, Abuelita and Ibarra, both from the same litter.
Hooded Roof Rat (Rattus Rattus)
And they do seem to be a bit more tame than their solid colored littermates. And, their markings are obvious and individually unique. This seems to be a genetic trait, so we expect to be able to breed more like them (either their children or grandchildren, depending if it is dominant or recessive!) So…soon we will be able to easily tell our Roof rats apart!
But wait: There’s more…
Roof Rat (Rattus Rattus)
Meet Peter Cottontail.
Roof Rat (Rattus rattus) with facial markings
He’s Walter’s cousin, and he also has white facial markings. But that’s not all…
Roof Rat (Rattus Rattus) with a white tipped tail
Peter Cottontail has a white tipped tail! After he was born, I realized that his father has a white tipped tail, too. And now, he’s got 2 little half brothers with white tipped tails.
Roof Rat (Rattus Rattus) with a white tipped tail
So…we’ve bred Roof rats with white facial markings, dark hooded markings and white tail tips. All descendant from Roofy…
The Roof rat who was born to wild parents, but never knew she was wild.
Her spirit will live on forever in all of us.
Would you like to have some of the first domesticated roof rats? You can!
- NY Times: Nice Rats, Nasty Rats: Maybe It’s All in the Genes
- [Mutations hooded and nonagouti in the gray rat (Rattus norvegicus): effect of selection on behavior and photoperiod].
- The pleiotropic effect of selection for behavior on coat color in grey rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Our rats are always adopted out free to good, vetted homes. Get in touch if you would like to adopt or meet them.
God I love this thing!
Filed under The Line & Domestication
