# Is she an Albino, a PEW, or a REW?



## Naku (Feb 27, 2014)

I bought an albino? rat from Petco a couple weeks ago and am wondering whether she is a PEW or Albino?

I heard there was a way to tell your PEW from your albino since albinism occurs due to the lack of melanin or the pigment in all skin and fur and a PEW can be white or appear white without this general cause. ((Dilutes, ... I'm not entirely sure... .))

And that you could tell by their eyes, whether they appeared "Clear," or pigmented... . I can't really tell because they are just red when you look at her and without the flash but with flash her eyes are nearly peachy-pink.

The reason I even bring this up is because her tail isn't straight up pink and she has this dark spot? on her lower back which I am not sure what it is or whether it is pigment or a sudden, random indent or lack of fur in the one less than a millimeter spot. Her tail has beige or yellowish markings on it. Do rats have pigmentation in their tails? I think they do... my black variberk, Persey, has a dark tail with a light tip and I'm pretty sure it should look like that. My Ava has a brown and pink patched tail but she is a black and white mismarked hooded so I figured, that was just the black-ish pigmentation spotting on her tail. But my new girl, Piper, is all white except for the things I mentioned and her yellow-y beige tail spots. The other rats in the same tank/cage as hers in the store were either B&W mismarks, Himalayan, PEW or Siamese if that means anything... .

Is their pigmentation on the tail? If there is and this is what it is ((It doesn't come off,)) than do I just have a PEW? I'm just asking because I don't have a lot to ponder but the exact colors and markings of my rats :3

My phone camera HATES her white fur XD ((Sorry about that last one, was taken with my front camera which is not very good compared to the normal one :3))
































I obviously have no idea what I am talking about  Just curious.


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## isabelleharris (Jul 15, 2014)

Im new to rats but im almost certain there is pigmentation. I have a boy who has an all brown tail with a pink tip. But im not really sure about the Pew or Rew. I would think because there are darker spots she is a Pew.


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

PEW and albino are the same thing lol. And tbh rats usually don't clean their tail as thoroughly as their fur, so the darker spots on her tail are probably just dirt, grime, and maybe a bit of poop. If it gets really dirty just clean it with a toothbrush. 


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

She's very pretty! 

You cannot really tell whether she is albino or PEW without knowin her genotype. PEW and albino have essentially the same phenotype , and usually the distinction is made for breeding purposes .  but whatever she is, what a cute girl! people say PEW I have noticed just because it perfectly describes them, and usually no one knows the lineage or genotype (unless you've somehow inherited a lab rat lol)

And my snow ( a PEW as well) has the same tail... Take a wet cloth or soft toothbrush and try gently cleaning the tail from rump to tip - be sure to go With the scales only because you can hurt them if you go the other way  


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## RATBOI (12 mo ago)

RadiantRatties said:


> PEW and albino are the same thing lol. And tbh rats usually don't clean their tail as thoroughly as their fur, so the darker spots on her tail are probably just dirt, grime, and maybe a bit of poop. If it gets really dirty just clean it with a toothbrush.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


nah lol the on way to tell if it is a pew or albino is a dna test, and they aren't the same thing lol


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