# Do rats molt?



## Ratfinx (Feb 19, 2013)

Mumble has started to look his fur, it looks like a dog has been laid on my bed but its actually mumble loosing his fur, he has got quite long fur unlike blue but is this normal? 


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## Kaliloca (Jan 24, 2013)

Not sure if they molt, but they do shed......a LOT. LOL I was using a black light to check for urine in the cages. I was surprised to see that white rat hair fluoresce under a black light. There was quite a bit of it too.


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## Ratfinx (Feb 19, 2013)

Ah right yeah mumbles started, I keep thinking the dogs got on the bed but its actually mumble, he'll rub against something and its covers haha, it doesn't bother me just wondered if their fur was meant to come out or not haha 


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

They do molt, and each rat molts to a different degree at different stages of their lives. My gals barely shed, and while I'd seen the fur on my babies change significantly I sure didn't notice while it was happening. Both my baby boys, before my roommate adopted them, shed like crazy and molted regularly over two week periods. So it's normal, from what I know.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Rats molt, typically at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and I think at 6 months? most do it at 6 weeks though. this is why lighter colors (mainly mink rats) have molt patches that are ligther (or darker) then the rest of their body, often on their heads, but it goes away after a while.

Though rats Do shed a lot. I think some shed more then others, Storm who was a satin shed quite a bit, though he lost almost all of his hair due to his thyroid issue, so that could explain all the shedding.


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## XoMONSTERoX (Oct 24, 2012)

When I first got my two babies my bigger girl had thin patches behind her ears. And then weird thin hair spots on her back. She grew her fur in thicker and a little curly. Now my mousey has two thin stripes on her back and im curious as to how her fur will be since shes very soft now. I was considering asking about this as well due to the fur changes so im glad it was asked. And lightningwolf, you answered my thoughts exactly with the weeks.. astrid was about 4-6 weeks at the time and now mousey is probably about 10 weeks.


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## Ratfinx (Feb 19, 2013)

Ah that's cool then, only realised it properly tonight,  


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## Ratfinx (Feb 19, 2013)

Well mumbles a PEW and he's six months this month  blues three months and hasn't molted since I've had him I don't think, but fair enough, does it change their fur at all? 


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

They only change their fur color if it's their first molt at 6 weeks. Or if they are a patchwork rex, but then they just change their fur patches and it's normally at random times.

My dad did laundry, and we can say that at 3 months they do molt. There was just a giant bigger then a baseball pile of hair All from the babies (Bentley, Liam, and Niko, none from Soda) off of their fleece blankets we use in their cage.


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## Ratfinx (Feb 19, 2013)

Hahah aw bless! I wouldn't have thought they would loose so much! Haha, and ah right that's cool then, just checking incase he changed atall and I panic haha 


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