1. Rats

2. Characteristics Broad head
Very social animals, usually can be put with a group if cage is big enough
Hairless tail
More scales on tail then mice
Weigh 8oz – 16oz (1pound)

3. Differences between Mice & Rats

4. Varieties Rat Varieties: Self – Entire body is one color
Hooded – Head and shoulders have color with a line down the back of the body
Bareback – Head and shoulders have color. There is NO line down the body.
Capped – Color on the head only.
Hairless – No hair

5. Housing Cages and equipment used for other types of small animals
Large glass tanks
Wood Shavings
Nesting material

6. Feeding Commercial feed from pet store Eat almost anything in the wild
Treats:
Fruits
vegetables

7. Handling Pick up by base of tail
Tame rats can be picked up by “cupping” in the hands if they are handled from when they are young.
Restraint – hand over back
Pointer and middle finger
Around neck

8. Health Respiratory Parasites: Mites, lice
Malocclusion: overgrown incisors
Tumors
Degloved tail from not picking up correctly

9. Characteristics Become sexually mature at 6weeks
Wean babies at 4 weeks
Gestation – 21-24days
Litter size – 9-11
Lifespan 3-4 years
Sex by Anogenital distance

10. Rat Sexing and Restraint

11. Varieities http://www.furryfriendsrus.com/Mice.htm