Alette's Introduction: "Hi, my name is Alette and I am an albine norway rat. I have a pink eyes, a white tail, and a speckling of pink fur, like a hood, on the back of my neck. I am six months old, so I'd be about 18 in people years (every ten days = one rat-year). I was born in April of '99.

I share a room, but not a cage, with two other rats: two brothers names Lee and Smithers. We have played together, but only under careful supervison to make sure we don't fight or breed. A rat can produce lots of pups in it's lifetime. I was pregnant when I was bought, but it wasn't for several days till I began to show it. Rats have a gestation period of 20 days. On the 20th of October I gave birth to 12 pups.

I like sitting in people's laps and watching TV, reading, or studying. I also like exploring, but I don't like being handled roughly. While I had my pups, I did not like anyone reaching their hand in my cage, regardless of who they were."

(Notes: this page was added to over the course of several months, when I started, it was in October 99, and was updated through March 00. Someday I'll have those internal links working, but till then, they're just a list of contents.)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT When I got Alette, I chose her because she was a female, and because she was albino. She also had a very sweet personality, and just snuggled into the crook of my arm. I had planned a genetic expirement in which I would breed a hooded rat (assumed recessive to solid coloring) with an albino (known to be recessive to every coloring). Though I let her play with my other rats, I did not want to breed her until I knew I could find good homes for the pups. I am opposed to irresponsible breeding of any creature. Unfortunately, Alette had made other plans. I didn't realize it at the time, but I bought a pregnant rat.

When I realized she was pregnant, I made sure that her dietary needs were being met. I feed all my rats a combination of foods to ensure a balanced diet. I also give them cheese, on occasion because it is fattening, and fresh fruits and vegetables. They are less finicky than gerbils. Because rats can develope tumors if they're fed to much fattening food, I don't give mine anything above a (minimum) crude fat of 5%. I give them a mixed blend of food, alternated with pellets. I also give them doggie biscuts (one per rat, per day, or less).

Rats' Food Chart	Pellets	Mixed Blend	Doggie Biscuts
Crude Protien (min)	25.10%	12.0%	15.0%
Crude Fat (min)	4.00%	3.5%	5.0%
Crude Fibre (max)	6.00%	7.0%	3.5%
Moisture (max)	12.00%	10.0%	10.0%

I also give them carrots, cheese, apples, and the occasional bit of "junk food" as a treat. Rats love sweets. Lee and Smithers have a particular fondness for popsicles. I don't buy "gourmet rat food" becuase usually the main difference is the amount of sweetener in it. It's not actually better for the rat, it's more expensive, and it's often more fattening.

Alette gave birth to twelve pups. It was her first litter, and it was a lot. That's about the maximum number of pups born in a litter. With a number that large, it was assumable that not all would survive. Mortality rate is high with young rats; that is why the litters are so large. She showed good instinct though, taking care of them and letting them nurse. She also got extremely protective, as is typical. She has bit my fingers to the bone more than once, going so far as to leap out of the cage to bite me. I had not anticipated that she would be so vicious. I still have several punctures in my flesh as a testimate to her maternal instinct.

THE PUPS: The pups, when born, were between 1.5 and 1.7 inches long, not counting tail. A week after birth they had doubled in size, and were covered with fur, but had not yet opened their eyes.

I'd hoped to breed Alette with Smithers at some point. However, I most likely will not now for her health and happiness, and partially because right now, I do not have adequate supplies or facilities to take care of any additional rats. For the sake of their health and well being, I will not be breeding Alette any time soon.

When I had planned to breed her though, I want to produce mixed rats with rex fur, but since Alette has smooth fur, I would most likely get mixed, smooth-furred rats.

As for the pups, I am not sure what to do with them. I plan to sell most of them, preferably to people I've met, who would like a pet rat; as opposed to pet stores who could use them to feed snakes and other such carvivorous pets. I would far prefer to see them go to loving and responsible owners.

To find names, I went though my atlas and looked at names of towns and cities in France. That is how I came up with names that are distinct and unique. Alette II's primary name is Besace, which is actually an abriviation. I call her Bes, to distinguish her from her mother.

To help me ID the pups, I drew colored bands on their tails. Females had either blue or purple, the males had orage. Each rat had one, two, or three bands. I used a non-toxic ink that would not hurt them if they licked it off.

Morez's Notes: "After about 6 weeks of living with with our mom and sisters, Toulon, Aix and I were scooped up, and placed in our own cage. It was done so that we would not breed, to prevent inbreeding, but also any more pups. We were kept in the second cage until we were large enough that we could not squeeze through the bars of The Boys' cage. Then we were moved in with Smithers and Lee.

Some sources say that male rats get along fine, and others say they will fight to the death. Actually, it depends on the dispositions of the rats, and the ages at which they were intrtoduced. In our case, we got along quite well. My attempts to seize command of t he cage resulted in me being sat upon by Lee-suh. I was uninjured, but I got the idea. Since then we've established a sort of pecking order.

Though my brothers and I can all stick are heads through the cage, none of us has any desire to escape. Smithers and Lee will not leave their cage, even if the door is left open. rats can't see depth very well, but they can tell when, if they fall, they won't ba able to get back to the original sopt (the cage is atop a desser). Since we have food, water and a nice place to sleep, there is really no desire to venture very far afield."

INTEGRATING THE MALE PUPS WITH THE ADULT MALES I wanted to make sure that Smithers and Lee-suh would not bother the male-pups. I'd socialized them on neutral ground, outside my cage, so that they could become familiar with each others' scents, but none would have to feel like he was defending his territory. When they were in the cage, I gave each rat a treat, starting with Lee-suh, because he is dominant, then Smithers, then the pups. By feeding them in that order, I can hope to prevent challenges of authority.

I've been training the males and the females, though beause there are fewer males, they seem to be learning the commands more quickly. Thus far, they are begining to learn their names, respond to their names, and the simple trick of begging.

"The Boys" have learned how to express and communicate their needs. They learned that when they sneezed, I came over to make sure they were okay. They then came to associate sneezing as a way to attract my attention. Since then, if they want something, food, fresh water, or even just a scratch behind the ears, they sneeze.

I also have begun to play more games with them. Their favorite they're learning from my "big boys": to chase feathers. A pice of paper with the end cut and frayed works well too. Some rats can be trained to fetch. They are very smart, and the more mental stimulation they get, the more aware of their environment they become, and the closer they bond to their handlers.

After several months, the pups were about as big as the adults. The differences between the males and females had also become more noticable. The fun on the females was smoother than the males, and they were also smaller overall. The pink face colorings were more pronounced on the males than the females.

Corrine's Notes: Although we have been fully mature for quite some time, when I and my sisters are all in the same cage as my mother, she still stands guard. She is no longer as fiercly protective as she was when we were still small, but she does maintain a lose watch.

My sisters and I have been fairing quite well. At nearly six months in age, that would be about 18 in rat years. Factor that 10 days = apx 1 year for a rat. The lifespan for a rat is 24 to 60 months, although usually 2 years is average.

At this point in time (Febuary '00) we are nearly as large as our mother, on average (size does vary between individuals). Rats, like certain other mammles, never stop growing. Our size is mainly dependendant upon the availabilty and type of food we consume. The average lenght for a female is about 16 - 18" and slightly more for males. Females also weigh less, with males weighting up to 1lbs or sometimes more. One of the most natable differences between myself and my siblings is the width of our tails at the base. Bes is the smallest amoung us, and has the narrowest tail. Toulon, at the largest, has the widest. He is as big, if not bigger, than The Boys; definately weighing more than Smithers, and being as long as Lee-suh.

My family is the domestic decendant of the Norway rat. Although we are a fair size larger than the domestic mouse, arger varieties of rats do exist. The Gambian Giant Pouched-Rat (African Giant Pouched-Rat) is an example.

EACH RAT IS UNIQUE: No two rats are exactly alike. even if they look similar, their personalities will always be different. I knew this when I first got the Boys, from my previous expirences with white mice, champaigne mice, and a spotted mouse (who I named Bandit because she had a black mask across her eyes). I'd also had gerbils as well. Each rodent species has it's distinct characteristic, white mice are sweet but not always rodent Einstines, gerbils are fun, but very energetic.

Rats are not "shallow." They are intellegent, and have very distinct personalities, traits, likes and dislikes. Some like to be outside ther cage, others do not. I have a few rats who love sitting on my shoulders, and some who would rather sit in the crook of my elbow. A few like swimming, and some don't. Roanne loves to sit in my hand and have her head and neck massaged (she also loves to be scratched behind the ears and under the chin). Lee-suh wants nothing of that sort. He enjoys going outside on his leash. Smithers likes to run around on the couch, but like his brother, he hates to be set on the floor. Some of the pups are "jumpers", meaning that they do not want to be held or carried in any way, and would prefer to run on the ground. Corinne (who was with me while I wrote this) has no desire to stray very far from me, but is very active, and curious about the world around her. She frequently stands up on her hind legs to sniff the air, chew on my clothing, or sniff my keyboard.

Toulon simply seems to enjoy being with me, and wants nothing else. I carry him in my arms, but he also enjoys the view from my shoulders.

A SQUEAKY CLEAN PET: Rats are naturally clean animals, bathing multiple times each day, even each hour. When a rat can't think of anything better to do, she grooms. It's not just a cleaning activity, it's a calming thing, and it helps establish a bond between pack members. Rats, like dogs and many other intelegent animals are social by nature. They enjoy the companionship of others, and are special amoung the rodent world in their readiness to interact and form bonds with humans. Despite their fastidious nature, it sometimes becomes necessary to give your rat a bath. I don't use shampoo because it breaks down the natural oils in the rat's fur. I do use a light soap on the tail, since sometimes the tails, especially those of albinos, get dirty.

ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO YOUR PET? Rats are just like any other fur-bearing mammle, sometimes people have an adverse reaction to their fur and dander. I know a person who breaks out in a rash if they scratch her, the same way some people break out from a cat scratch. Other times, respiratory reactions such as conjestion, coughing or sneezing, or even athsma attacks can be the result of exposer to rats. If you have a bad reaction in the presence of your little ratties, you may very well be allergic to them. This is a nuesance to be sure. What do you do if you have a pet you love, but can't get near? I have found that a solution to adverse respiratory reactions to rat dander: bathe the rat when you change its litter. If litter changing is a problem, buy a small mask to cover your nose and mouth, and change the bedding more frequently so the dander doesn't have a chance to build up. If you keep your pet in a wire cage, you might want to consider moving it to a large aquarium so that loose bedding and dust kicked out of the cage are reduced. if you suffer from an adverse reaction to physical contact with your rat, again bathing will help, and so will trimming your rat's nails. This makes them more blunt, and less apt to scratch, which is what causes the reaction.

TRIMMING YOUR RAT"S NAILS: This is often a harrowing expirence for a first time rodent owner. Rats can struggle, and are hard to restrain. Fortunately they seldom bite. It may be necessary to restrain your rat by its scruff, gathering the loose skin on the back of its neck gently but firmly. A very trusting rat will let you do this without even struggling. It is possible to trim a rats nails without a second person involved, but this does make it easier, as one can hold the rat, and the other can hold the foot and trim the nails. Don't trim too close to the base of the nail, sensitave nerves, bloodvessels and tissues are found in the nail (this is called the quick). When the quick is cut, it will bleed, often profusely which can lead to infection. Also, it will hurt the rat. If you've never trimmed your rat's toenails before, they might be quite long, with the quick extending a long ways down the nail. Trim off as much of the nail as you can, without trimming the quick. Gradually, the quick will recede, and you will be able to trim the nail further back. Special clippers for rodents work the best, because their claws are cylindrical, and nail clippers for humans can crush the delecate tissues on the nail. Rodent nail clippers look like a pair of small scissors, with in hole where the nail goes. These clippers are teh same for rodents, birds, and reptiles, so you don't have to worry about buying one for your specific animal. If, while you are trimming your pet's nails, it becomes too excited or agitated, return him to his cage, and let him calm down before attempting to finish the job. It is important that you do not make this a tramatic expirence, or your rat will learn to resist it. When the job is done, praise your pet, and give it a reward. In my expirence, The best reward for a rat is the type it can eat :-)

GIANT RATS: Rats are a fairly well known animal, if not a common pet. There are three catagories for animals that are pets. A mouse is a pet. So is a goldfish or a dog. The second catagory is "alternative pet", something that is not uncommon, but isn't found everyday. A rat is an alternative pet. The third catagory is "exotic." The term exotic generally means any pet that requires special permits to own, or that is not carried as part of a petstore's typical animal stock. The Gambian Giant Pouched-Rat is an exotic pet. These African beauties are hard to come by. (ONLY BY FROM A REGISTERED BREEDER! STOP THE WILD ANIMAL TRADE!!!) Although captive bred, they tend to retain the characteristics of their wild brethren. although some can be quite charming, others have a serious mean streak. Before ever considering one of these rats as a pet, there are some special needs.

First, the term "giant" isn't just a quaint nickname. These fellows are Huge: they are 40+ inches long, can weigh up to 7 lbs, and live for half a decade easily. A standard wire cage will not be big enough to house them. And forget about having one in an aquarium cage. You will want a large ferret cage, sans wire mesh on the bottom, because it could irritate their feet.

Second: it is hard to find information on Gambians, as it can be with any exotic. You will have to know in advance where you could take it if it got sick, would there be a vet nearby who has expirence in dealing with such an animal? The internet has some info, but not as much as one might hope. Many typical pet dealerships have neer heard of Gambian Giant Pouched-Rats. I asked one place if they could special order one from a breeder. The clerk, a pleasant young man wasn't sure, so he went back to find out.

He returned a few minutes later and politely appologised: "I'm sorry, we don't do kangaroos." I explained that they were just big rats, that had chipmunk-like pouches, but it turns out they don't carry those either. However each time I returned to the petstore (it was the smae place as I had bought Alette), if that clerk were there he would ask "so, have you gotten your 'kangaroo' yet?"

Third: Gambians are not just bigger versions of the domestic rat. It would be a common and perfectly forgivable thing to think that Gambians and their more common cousins had very similar personalities and behaviors. Not neccessarily (sp?). The Gambian has been described as "more intellegent and more sensitive" than the common rat. They are also much stronger. they can chew through metal bars, and push open most cage doors that aren't securely fastened. They need a more permenant nesting material than tissue paper or store-bought nesting; consider donating that tee-shirt you never wore much anyway. They also, I have heard, have a prepensity for kicking the bedding out of their cage and all over the floor.

GAMBIAN LINKS: Here is some furhter information about Gambian and African Giant Pouched-Rats from the Web; sorry, these are not direct links to breeders, just info:

http://www.altpet.net/rodents/cricetomys/ a site specifically for the Gambian

http://www.pet-net.net/exotic.htm an excelent exotics directory with a huge section devoted to Rodents

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