# what colors?



## Ratmomma (Feb 23, 2011)

So i just adopted two ratties from someone off craigslist, i was told they were kept in separate cages and they were supposed to be given to me in two different cages but when i met with the guy both ratties were in the same cage. I was disappointed but since they were just being given to me i couldn't complain. I could have said no but there was no point in letting the guy keep rats he didn't want and he prolly would have thrown the rats and babies outside...

I moved the boy to a 10gallon (temp home!) but i saw him mating with the female on the way home but there was nothing i could do since i didn't want to have a wreck holding one. 

I've had rat babies before so i'm not worried (4 years ago i bought a prego rat, i gave away all the babies and the daughter i kept just recently passed away) about taking care of them or momma. I was wondering if anyone knew the colors i would get from these two sweeties. Both are cream color hooded with black eyes. I would think they are bother and sister but i was told they weren't and that the male is about a year older. Anyway, if you have any ideas just let me know. Thanks!


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## Snippet (Dec 30, 2010)

All hoodies, probably in the colour of the parents, black and agouti. Posting photos so we can guess at the variety of the parents may help.


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## Ratmomma (Feb 23, 2011)

I went and got some pics! Leo was good but Georgie didn't want to stay still lol. Uploading them to the comp now i'll post in just a min


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## Ratmomma (Feb 23, 2011)

I know this picture is horrible but it's the only one that didn't wash out her colors and that she was still enough not to look like a blur!! Georgie!









Here's Leo! He poses for pictures lol. I forgot to mention i moved him into a simple wire cage. He's got a hammock which he's only gotten out of twice since i put it in. And a house which he doesn't seem to care for, but it's a step stool to the hammock lol.


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## Snippet (Dec 30, 2010)

Possibly Buff? Have a look at some of the varietys on the Hawthorn website. The one that your rats most look like is Buff. That is on my screen, which is appalling. They could also be Topaz with very dark eyes.

I'm guessing that the babies will be Black and Buff, and other colours will depend on any recessives that they are carrying. If they're Topaz then the babies will probably be Agouti and Topaz, again with any other colours depending on the recessives that they are carrying.


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## Ratmomma (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks for the link! I had no idea there were so many colors! Well it will be interesting to see what we get. I plan on keeping a boy and at least one girl to hang out with mom and dad. 

Will they be okay alone until mom has babies and then for dad until they are 5 weeks old? I'm giving her a month to have them, I had planned on getting another male and female but since i may end up with babies i think it's better to wait and see what happens before i go searching for more ratties.


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## Snippet (Dec 30, 2010)

They'll be fine. Of course it's preferable for them both to have company, but mummy rat would need to be seperated shortly before she gives birth so there's no point in getting another girl now as she'd be alone for 4-5 weeks after mummy rat gives birth. As long as you cuddle them quite a bit then they'll be fine for a couple of weeks. 

If you keep babies from this litter then it would probably be a good idea to keep 2 or 3 of both genders to go with dad and mum. Babies really need the company of other babies as they will play. They can irritate adult rats by trying to play with them if they have no one else to play with. If you have 2 babies in with one adult then they can play while the adult rat sleeps.


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

Looks like both those rats are beige. All babies will be beige hooded.


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## Twila (Nov 9, 2009)

They are Fawn hooded (the dilute of Agouti). You will have Fawn Hooded and Berkshire, and maybe PEW.


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## mccauleywent (Nov 21, 2010)

Twila said:


> They are Fawn hooded (the dilute of Agouti). You will have Fawn Hooded and Berkshire, and maybe PEW.


Fawn is orange, they are def beige. +1 sorraia


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