# My (currently nameless) boys.



## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Hi. I'm new to the forum. *waves*

My brother bought these two boys for me on my 22nd birthday a few days ago. I snapped a few pictures tonight because I know they won't be this small for long. If anyone wants to guess what coat/markings variations they are closest to just for fun, that would be great. Oh, and name suggestions are also welcome. 

The first boy:





































The second boy (he is very quick!):




























These aren't my first rats. My brother used to own a hooded rat named Rhone who was a beloved family member for about 2-3 years. We put his cage in the center of our living room and he was just like a third dog! He begged for treats and licked our fingers. When he grew old and ill last summer, we took him to the veterinarian to be humanely euthanized. I also owned a pair of female hairless rats who passed away earlier this year. I've owned just about every other kind of pet under the sun too but rats are definitely at the top of my list! They're such good companions... I love walking around with one on my shoulder. 

I hope to update with pictures of their home (a *Prevue Hendryx ferret cage*) when I am done perfecting it and adding toys. I am planning on going to Lowe's within the next few days to get linoleum or a similar material to put on the bottom of the cage. And while I'm on that topic -- is that a safe and effective liner? If not, what would be? The PH cage is a pain in the butt to clean. *flails* I am hoping to purchase a Ferret Nation 142 (or a Rat/Critter Nation -- I heard they were going to start producing them?) when I have enough money set aside.

Well, that's it for now. Nice to be here.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*waves back*  

Aww they're so small and cute! You got any ideas on names? I'm useless at thinking of names for pets lol takes me ages


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## SweetLittleDelilah (May 13, 2008)

The first one looks like an agouti...variberk? I think that's what the berkshires with white up the sides are called.
The second..
mismarked hooded/blazed?
Someone more experienced will probably correct me, cause I've never identified colors/markings before. xD


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## SamAnthrax (Jan 5, 2008)

Hi, oh I love their markings! 

Welcome to the forum!


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## Caity (Apr 1, 2008)

The agouti looks like a variberk to me. As for the other one, there are so many possible markings in there I don't know where to start, but whatever he is, he's very pretty!


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## Skitza (May 18, 2008)

awww they are so cute! i love their markings!


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Thanks for all the compliments!  I don't have any solid name ideas yet, Stace, but I know that I prefer uncommon "people" names. For example, my hairless girls were Bellatrix and Narcissa, lol.


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## 2boysloose (Jun 27, 2008)

Hmmm, the agouti looks like a Spazz to me (name).
And the other looks like a Coca Cola to me (name).


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

First rat - Agouti Berkshire or variberk, second... Mismarked black blazed/high-white hooded.


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Oo... thanks, Kay.

I just realized that these pictures make boy #2's markings look dark gray. They're actually a really pretty bluish gray. *snugs him*


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

They're both adorable rats x3


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

Kay, high white is a genetic condition not the markings.

Are you aware that a rat with absolutely no markings at all can also be a high white rat?

Study on the ever so popular & sought after BEW... which also falls into that "high white" catagory. 

Though a rat has markings that are often associated with the high white genetics it does not mean the rat is prone to pass on or inclined to develop the lethal condition that so many of us have come to learn about & have great concern over. That dreaded megacolon.

I know you have been doing your research but it seems you have jumped on the high white bandwagon that propagates misinformation to the point that any rat with notable markings is a megacolon carrier & this is simply not accurate & before you fall into the category of the extremists that will scare the begeezus out of someone by coming right out with the scary statement of "your rat is gonna die" please do take some time to do a bit more research on the subject. 

Appearance does not directly associate the animal of being a high white carrier & high white is not used as a descriptor since it is a genetic condition. 

Take a look at this easy to follow write up on this subject.

http://www.curiosityrats.com/geneticsmarkings.html

_Megacolon-linked Genes, etc.

Most other marking genes in the United States are linked to mecacolon/megacecum. The UK has a few marking genes similar to US in looks but not associated with this disease. I won't list those here, because I am not familiar with UK lines or why those types of markings don't have megacolon links.

It is important to note that megacolon is a very complicated disease. It is not a simple genotype = phenotype issue. Megacolon varies in penetrance (penetrace = whether the individual has the phenotype and the extent of the phenotype). These genes might only result in megacolon 10% of the time or even less. (Some breeders find this acceptable. I do not. Propogating megacolon genotypes should not be done at all, in my opinion.) Animals with a mild form of megacolon (only a small portion of gut affected) might not show symptoms until later in life (severe cases kill pups just after weaning). Some fairly recent studies found that double mutants and even carried genes in combination can cause an increase in both the occurence and severity of this condition (Cantrell et al. 2004, McCallion et al. 2003). This explains how two lines that appear healthy, when crossed, produce pups with megacolon. Megacolon also shows a sex bias and other trends that show it is related to many factors in development. In human beings the disease is not always genetic or hereditary, but in rats, it is, which means rat breeders can breed lines completely free from megacolon -- as long as they practice selectivity and never breed animals known to produce MC or from litters that contained it._


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

Yeah, okay... definitely didn't mean to make that mistake. I just didn't know what to call the white on the chin.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

then just say so hun

no harm in that


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

The white on the chin is probably just a side effect of the mismarking... many berks/hoodeds have chin stripes, or at least my boys do...


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

I mean on the sides of the face and all that... don't see that a lot.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

as for the marked rat that no one really knows what to call... thats about as good as it gets with most of us & our rats since these terms used to describe rats are set up to define the rats that adhere to extremely specific breed standards in the show world.

I'd take a guess here but I believe it is safe to say that less than 1% of the rats fall within these stringent guidelines. Heck a Hooded isn't even a Hooded unless it is a clean unbroken line with straight edges of color that travel the length of the all the way down the tail. White tip is acceptable.

I have a heavily marked up rat. 

In all reality he is a blue dumbo barback with a split cap, a diamond head spot & a lightening bolt blaze.

Your guy looks very similar with the only difference being that he has markings of color on his back. So this makes him a blazed mismarked hooded (that sounds about right but even going with mismarked bareback would work since he looks like he has white throat & front legs) I can't really guess at color because he looks like a charcoal color on my monitor which is a result of the black dilute


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Well, I just wanted to ask about their markings for fun. It doesn't matter to me. I think they're both cute as all get-out and they have personalities to match. 

But thanks for all the feedback. It's interesting to consider all the mixes and matches that rat color variations come in.


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## Einstein (Jun 10, 2008)

What about something like Haden or Brenden for names. I am trying to think outside the box but not too crazy.


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## SweetLittleDelilah (May 13, 2008)

KayRatz said:


> First rat - Agouti Berkshire or variberk, second... Mismarked black blazed/high-white hooded.


-dances-
Then I was right when I tried to identify them?
YAYYY


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

yus


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions, Einstein (I feel like that sound sarcastic... LOL).  I have a ton of other suggestions from friends too. I still dunno! *thinkthinkthink*


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## Einstein (Jun 10, 2008)

let me know what you come up with. I love the names of your girls so I think you will come up with something great!


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

I _still_ haven't settled on names. 

I was collecting books today to resell to a local bookstore and I found a baby names one. I kept that* and sold a bunch more (mostly old school books; I just graduated). I then took the cash to the Petsmart next door and picked up some bedding, treats and a litter pan.  The boys are taking to the latter wonderfully so far!

* I'm probably going to peruse it while in the car tomorrow. My family and I are traveling to Ohio to celebrate my graduation as well as my brother's on Saturday with our extended family up there.


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## AlienMando (Jan 19, 2008)

Cute rats, but is something wrong with the first ones tail?


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## SweetLittleDelilah (May 13, 2008)

KayRatz said:


> yus


  

Alien:
What makes you think something is wrong with his tail? o.o


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Nope, Alien, nothing's wrong with it. It has a white tip though.


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## AlienMando (Jan 19, 2008)

Kathleen said:


> Nope, Alien, nothing's wrong with it. It has a white tip though.


Oh thats cool, thats the first time I've seen that.

Delilah: When I first saw the tail I thought it was peeling from the tip or something. I'd never seen a two-tone tail.


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Yeah, lol, it's the first time I've ever seen one too. My little boy's a weirdie, what can I say? *spoon feeds him some love*


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## SweetLittleDelilah (May 13, 2008)

AlienMando said:


> Kathleen said:
> 
> 
> > Nope, Alien, nothing's wrong with it. It has a white tip though.
> ...


Ohhh, ok haha.
My baby, Lambchop, has a bit of pink at the end of her tail too. It's cute. ^-^


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

I wanted to add a picture I just took.


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## beanieboo-rattles (Jan 3, 2008)

wow they already look bigger !!!

names...they are boys right ?? How about Jekyle and Hyde ?? 

It what i was gonna name my two new berks maybe but it seems to suit yours !!

((hunts down names for her babies)


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Yup, they're boys and they do look bigger. They're already growing like weeds. 

I like that name suggestion (such a good story) but that implies that one's a mean evil beastie, lol.

I _should_ name them after some sort of literary figure considering my background (I just graduated with a bachelor's degree in English)... hm.


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

I finally have names and thought I ought to share!

I took my own advice:



> I _should_ name them after some sort of literary figure considering my background (I just graduated with a bachelor's degree in English)... hm.


The variberk is *Ahab* and the mismarked is *Starbuck* and, in due course, I am hereby naming their *cage* the *Pequod*. Kudos to anyone who gets the references!


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

so are going to continue the theme to include Ishmael, Stubb, Pip & of course ("MD" hehehe) if you end up with a PEW


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

> so are going to continue the theme to include Ishmael, Stubb, Pip & of course ("MD" hehehe) if you end up with a PEW


Yep, if/when I adopt more, I will continue with the same theme. \o/


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