The Rat Lovers Club! ~MODS PLEASE LOCK!

[Nimrod97]

It's just unfair to keep him alone because you're apparently not ready. He's a baby, he needs a cagemate to play and interact with. Doesn't matter if you give him a lot of time, you're not a rat, you can't do the same things with him.

He isn't a baby he is about 6 months old, you don't know anything about my specific rat and like i have already said, I CANT GET ANOTHER. I am completely prepared for him, I would have never gotten himif i wasnt ready, I have never done an impulse buy before in my life. I researched rats for over half a year and yes i know it doesnt compare to owning one but I am not uneducated, and I am well aware of 2 rats at a time.

[Sadies]

He is a mix between the both though, his ears are rounded like a fancy rat but positioned like a dumbo rat pluss his mother was a dumbo and farther is a fancy. It is possible as when all animals have babies they take characteristics from both their parets and that works for everything including ears. He has his farthers ears but mothers positioning.

Fancy Rat Ears=

Notice they are very round.

Dumbo Rat Ears=

Notice how they are shaped more like elephant ears which is why they have their name.

Well my rat Pablo has his ears positioned where a dumbo rats ears are positioned but are shaed exactly like a fancy rats.#

EDIT:
I just found something on the internet explaining possibly how Dumbo's came to be. They are possibly bred to have a disorder known as pharyngeal arch disorders in humans. It causes a mutatition of the jaw. Thats horroble :(
http://pets.adflyer.co.uk/pet-informati ... /dumbo-rat

[rachaelandrats]

http://www.ratz.co.uk/dumboears.htm as you can see there, you can get different *shapes* of ears.
But dumbo ears are basically on the side of the head.
Top eared are on the top of their head (hence the name).
Some dumbos might have bigger ears than others, some top ears might have more round ears, some might not.
Even if his parents are one of each, that makes no different.
They are either top eared, or dumbo eared, and whatever variety they are. A mixture is not genetically possible - if you ask any breeder or experienced rattie owner, they'll tell you the same thing. No point talking back and forth about it - it simply doesn't happen.

[samy_laly]

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Username: Samy_laly
Have you ever had a rat?: No but i really love them and have one :3

[Sadies]

http://www.ratz.co.uk/dumboears.htm as you can see there, you can get different *shapes* of ears.
But dumbo ears are basically on the side of the head.
Top eared are on the top of their head (hence the name).
Some dumbos might have bigger ears than others, some top ears might have more round ears, some might not.
Even if his parents are one of each, that makes no different.
They are either top eared, or dumbo eared, and whatever variety they are. A mixture is not genetically possible - if you ask any breeder or experienced rattie owner, they'll tell you the same thing. No point talking back and forth about it - it simply doesn't happen.

A mix is possible. If they are the same gene type it is possible. Thats like saying different rat breeds can not breed. It is geneticaly possibly to breed a fancy and a dumbo rat and get ear shape mix. It is scientificaly possible, i am not saying it is common or rare but I know it is possible as that is how breeding animals works. For example dog breeding. If you cross a German Shepherd and a Labrador it is possible to get a mixed shape ear just as it is possible with rats.

[Sketchy]

A mix is possible. If they are the same gene type it is possible. Thats like saying different rat breeds can not breed. It is geneticaly possibly to breed a fancy and a dumbo rat and get ear shape mix. It is scientificaly possible, i am not saying it is common or rare but I know it is possible as that is how breeding animals works. For example dog breeding. If you cross a German Shepherd and a Labrador it is possible to get a mixed shape ear just as it is possible with rats.

I think what they are trying to say that it is the same type of genetics as Eye color. You either have blue eyes or brown, not a mix between the two.
I mean.. you don't see proper wild rats running around with fancy rat colorations.
You don't see Wolves that look like Pug dogs.
Unfortunately I do not have enough experience in genetic to give my full opinion.

HOWEVER, I have a theory. Is it not possible to have a separate ear mutation?
Two genes can mix in such a way that it causes a mutation to occur. Thus the possibility of an "in between" ear.
Much like "green" eyes being a mutation "Blue eyes with a brown spot, green eyes, and gray eyes are ... found to be associated with the brown and blue eye color, but this single DNA variation cannot explain all the brown eye color variation from dark brown over hazel to blue eyes with brown spots." (Eye color, Genetic determination of eye color)

Again, that's my theory, and I don't know much about genetics.

[MoonfallTheFox]

Again. Ear location is linked to only one gene. You either have homozygous (2 genes) for dumbo, or you have a standard eared rat. A heterozygous (one of each allele) rat will show the dominant trait, in this case, standard ears. You have only two options. Dumbo or standard. Your rat is homozygous for dumbo, meaning he is a/a. If he had standard ears he would be either A/a or A/A. If you cross two standard rats who are heterozygous (A/a), then you will get a litter that is 1/4 dumbo ears. If you cross a dumbo rat (a/a) with a heterozygous standard rat (A/a), you will get a litter that is half dumbo and half heterozygous standard.

A dumbo rat can have different ear shapes, but he is NOT a mix! He is still a/a, regardless of whether one parent was standard ear (heterozygous) or not. The ear shapes are, I assume, caused by modifiers or linked alleles, which I don't understand very well. However, modifiers or no, your rat has the genetic makeup that makes him a dumbo rat. To have "both" genetically, the rat will have standard ears, but be a dumbo carrier.

The two types can breed because all it is is ONE gene. For example (I do not know human genetics so bear with me), say a blonde is C/C, and a person with black hair is c/c. These people could have a baby, hair type does not affect that. The phenotype (physical appearance) of an animal does not mean it is a different type of animal altogether and can't breed. They CAN breed, but you are going to get whatever the genetics code for. If the blonde has a baby with the other person, they will both pass on ONE gene (gametes only carry half of a genotype, selected at random. Egg/sperm are gametes). In this case, the baby would be blonde, but a carrier for black hair. The baby does not have black hair, and is not a "mix". The baby shows blonde hair, just like your rat shows dumbo ears. (Dumbo is recessive, however, and in this example blonde hair is dominant).

[.Pardalis.]

A simple turn on or off gene then.
Like how you can have a blue or black rat.
Black is dominant to blue...but black is black and blue is blue. One gene.

[crazy cranky critter]

My rat is going in for surgery tomorrow to get an absess removed. I hope he is ok <3
I got him some treats to eat today and once he is safely home after surgery C:

The main concern I have is that he will eat the stitches... Any ideas on how you could stop that?

[MoonfallTheFox]

Make sure he has lots of things to do, and pain meds. If it is just an abscess there may not be any stitches. Glue is actually better to use with rats since they can't pick at it as easily.