# Shiney coat = Healthy?



## drownsoda (Mar 8, 2013)

I've finally decided to upload(download? Arg, computer lingo >< lol) the remainder of the pictures on my camera this evening and my first thought was that I need to share Molly's adorableness with everyone whose willing to listen <3 lol 

The first 3 photos are of Molly, they were taken probably about 30 minutes after getting her and her sister home from the breeder's place. I didn't realize how awful her coat looked! I thought at first that it was an effect of her coloring- like that her undercoat was a grey/whitish but her topcoat was black. Looking at this pictures now, I see that she looked pretty darn unhealthy. She had some respiratory problems that seemed to linger for a long while, but she's doing well today.























It's hard to get good pictures of her because she's usually zooming around but I did my best to snap a couple so you could compare her appearance in those older photos with how great she looks now  I'm really pleased with her progress! I've never had a runt rat before so I wasn't too sure how long it would take for things to turn around, nor IF they'd even turn around. 

Anyways, thanks for looking everyone!


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## bbrats (Jan 21, 2013)

I just wanted to comment to say how cute that photo is with her curled up in your hand! Absolutely adorable! She looks like such a happy rattie!


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

A rat's coat is an excellent indicator of its health! A shiny coat with the correct thickness and texture for that rat's coat type generally indicates that the rat is very healthy.

It looks like you have a wonderful, healthy girl! Congratulations!


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## Sugapot (Mar 3, 2013)

She looks so great now. What a gorgeous girl. How long did it take you to turn things around?


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## drownsoda (Mar 8, 2013)

Out of the "good" 6 pictures the first 2 were taken after about 3 weeks of good nutrition, lots of playtime and snuggles <3 She had some health problems otherwise I think it would've been sooner. The last 4 pictures were taken over the past 3 - 4 days, I think both sets look pretty similar in terms of her shineyness  

I just LOVE the picture of her snuggled into my hand too, it's my favourite by far! She seems to have a ton of energy, she's always getting into something, but when she gets tired she gets SUPER tuckered out, comes to find me and then just drops. BAM instant sleep. Reminds me of my cats xD


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## WinonaGun42 (Feb 2, 2013)

You take very good care of her and it shows! Such a cutie.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

She does look massively better, though how old was she in the first photo, just babies go through a phase around when there getting there adult coat in at 5 eeeks when there baby coat looks awful. In rexes they often go bald and smooth coats can stiill be patchy too. I dont think that accounts for it all but its coild be part of the difference.

Rat coat condition is an excellent indicator of inward health, so is body tone and their tail profile too. The trick is to get the balance right as you can have wonderful coat condition etc by feeding more protien than they need, however this causes them to grow far gaster and can have implications on long term health. This doesnt make it easy lol. Its my constant aim to get it right and definitly a real art.


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## drownsoda (Mar 8, 2013)

Thank you for the kind words...  

Isa, She was 5 or 6 weeks old in those first 3 photos. I can relate a lot of what you've shared with what I know about horses(which I'm far more familiar with than rats!). I admit that I don't know much about ideal rat nutrition. Actually, I'm in the middle of re-doing their menu. My local pet food store(there's only 1) gave me some really bizarre nutritional advice... Thank gosh I've been doing lots of reading lately; I'm learning lots on these forums & similar websites but I'm sure it'll be one of those aspects of pet ownership that you learn more and more about everyday... Neverending new knowledge, always trying to produce an ideal result. The art of balance, as you say. 

I realize that Molly had no muscle tone to begin with either; actually if you look in some of my previous posts I've mentioned quite a few times that she's been filling out and bulking up lots too. 

At her breeders, she was kept in this teeny little rubbermaid container with a ton of other rats- she couldn't climb or run around and play and I'm sure they stole her food. Comparing how those rats were kept to some of the pictures of cages and whatnot I've seen on here makes me sad for them. It was literally about the size of my cats litterbox but with a lid on it. The rats wouldn't have even been able to stand on their hind legs without hitting their heads on the lids. They were pretty much living ontop of eachother. I'm sure that she looks so much better because she has so much more space to play and climb and run. 

Molly was given to me as a freebee, I'd originally had my eye on 2 other rats but Molly was, I'd say, only about 1/3 the size of her littermates(and same aged rats she was living with) and the breeder made some comment about being afraid she'd get eaten so I could have her for free if I'd take her. I still don't know if she was joking or what, lol, I assume so, but regardless I agreed to take her. At the time, honestly I was kind of thinking somewhere along the lines of "If I don't have to spend money on a second rat, I can buy them more toys and treats", but by the time I got out into the car I was absolutely in love with Molly. I literally felt my heart just melt when she looked at me with her big puppy-dog eyes. My boyfriend was driving us home, I had the rats in my lap, I remember him making a comment that he hadn't seen me smile so much in years and I think it's probably true, lol. I told him he'd better watch out... lol


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## drownsoda (Mar 8, 2013)

I forgot to mention that if it's possible, I think Molly still has much of her baby coat. Her sister, same age that I also have, has her adult coat and seeing them side by side... Molly's coat is very short and thick in comparison, softer too. 

And Isa, could you recommend some reading about tail profile? I'm not sure I've seen anything about this.


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## 3 ratties (Apr 6, 2013)

She looks so happy and healthy 
My newest girls coat is dull and not as soft as my other girls, so i'm expecting hers to change for the better too, now that she's living somewhere where she is taken care of properly. Great inspiration


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

I think by tail profile she means rather or not you can see their bones in their tail (you Shouldn't see their bones/vertebrae on their tail). Also their tail should have hair and not be smooth (it should feel like there are some "scales" but not smooth skin. smooth skin on a tail usually means mites).

They look beautiful. you wouldn't mind getting some better pictures (of their whiskers/face and from their sides)? They look like satins a bit, but that could just be because of the flash and how they are sitting. But by your description sounds like one of them could be a satin. (satins have longer guard hairs, typically are softer, and whiskers either curve down or a wavy/crazy looking, they also have a bit of a glossy look).


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

By tail profile she means whether it's square-edged like a matchstick or round-edged. Their tails should be more rounded of course.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

Yep tail profile is the cross section of the tail as such. It’s not as simple as it not having square edges at all (known as square tail or matchstick tail), not with youngsters. Its far easier to physically show someone than describe it but I’ll have a go. I’ll cover tail surface and fur condition as well as it all ties together, it’s the big picture as such. Amusingly I was judging this at a show on Saturday as part of the pet class lol, so it’s pretty fresh in my mind.

A rats tail profile gives you an indication of the muscle tone on it, but also the general hydration levels too. Obviously there an extension of the spine covered by muscle and skin. They are one of the first things (along with fur) to respond to a change in diet and are really useful to read. It’s a real scale of where there at nutritionally, but roughly speaking you can see the following;

•	V bad tail – the whole tail is very slender, it points at the tip but otherwise is very similar in diameter all the way along. It often looks like it’s stuck on the rat rather than naturally joining. The tail cross section is very square, so you can see clear edges all the way along and bone definition in places. At the base it almost curves inwards. This is a sign of very little muscle coverage at all and a sign they have not had much protein at all. Sometimes rats with a bad background may not get much better even once in a good home that feeds them up, but most can be improved significantly.
•	Poor tail – similar to the above, but more even, slightly broader at the base. This is more normal for rats from a petshop etc, they’ve had some protein, normally bog standard adult rat blocks or pellets. Not enough to produce good muscle on there tail and their bodies will also be slender with long fur.
•	Fair tail – this is where the tail has a more normal profile, it’s still more slender than in a fully grown fit adult but noticeable widens at the base to a narrow tip. There may be slight square edges, the tail won’t be fully round but these edges should have a nice radius on them. This is a good way for young rats tails to be, it shows there not getting too much protein (so growth is controlled) but are getting enough to develop well. Occasionally the edges may become more pronounced (normally at the same time as their fur gets a bit scraggily), they then need extra protein for a few days to get past the growth spurt. I’d expect a growing rat to not have a perfect tail until it’s a good 9-12 months old if its being fed right. Its what I aim for in growing rats
•	Good tail – lovely and round and thick at the base, nice graduation to the tip. What I aim for in adult rats

In terms of what this says tail filling out has a lot to do with protein, this is the main driver as it is vital in building muscle. This is the first point of call when the tail isn’t right. Next there’s good oils, particularly omega 3 and 6, I would try topping these up next. Then comes vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin D, K and calcium, again deficiencys in these can be seen in the tail, but the other issues are more common.

Next there’s the tail surface, the scales on a rats tail grow and are replaced much like fur. A young rats tail scales are very neat, lay flat and have tiny fur over them (note this fur reflects fur type, so a rex rat has rougher fur, a hairless would have very little). As the scales age new form underneath and push up the old scales which then flake off. You normally don’t notice this unless the cycle takes too long. At this stage the scales are a lot older, they often are partially raised, look a lot more yellowey than normal and feel dry. I call this a scaly tail. It’s a sign that the rat is having trouble shedding all it’s scales, this can be because of a lack of protein, or sometimes a lack of hydration and or fat. It can also be a dry atmosphere, I’ve personally found rexes quite prone to this in particular as they seem to have dryer tails, but they do feel rougher with the fur on the tail being slightly rexed too. Old rats also are prone to this, especially if they have HLD or a similar condition which means the tail is dragged rather than held, it gets it much muckier and encrusted with ick, more prone to infection and drying out. Cleaning a rats tail in this state about once every 2-4 weeks can help look after its health (they can get sore without care), a soft toothbrush and some warm gentle soapy water then finishing off with some fragrance free moisturiser, emollient or good quality oil helps.

Then there’s coat, the easiest sign to pick up on for most people. However it’s a harder one as it naturally varies with variety, sex and age, knowing what’s good at different stages helps.

•	Young kittens (pre 5 weeks) – they have soft fluffy coats that feel very thick. They tend to go through a stage at about 3-4 weeks and then again at about 5-6 weeks where they have a big growth spurt and there fur becomes a lot thinner and stragglier. In some varieties/lines they can become bald or semi bald. They should have a nice sheen to there coats even in a kitten coat and it should have some substance to it
•	Kittens 5-13 weeks – their adult coat is starting to come through, when it starts out it is incredibly thick and dense, but also very short. It shines much more than the kitten coat and feels much smoother. As they grow it resumes a more normal length. As it reaches the end of it’s lifespan (typically fur lasts between 4 and 8 weeks, with the head fur being the shortest lived and first to moult and the bum being the longest lived and last to moult) it is pushed out as a new hair takes its place. You will often see this as a moult mark travelling from the face slowly until it reaches the bum. The older hair often is a different shade (generally darker, however on varieties like Siamese, roan and essex its often lighter), shinier. They can get stages of longer fur, most obviously on the bum (as it’s the oldest fur) meaning they are stuck in moult a bit and need some extra protein to help.
•	Young adult 13weeks to 12 months+ - During this stage they have periods of ‘plateaux’ where they don’t grow much, followed by growth spurts, usually every 3-4 weeks, though how frequently doesn’t really matter as long as they are healthy and looking good. At this age there fur is normally smooth and shiny, with periods of moult where it can look scruffy and long. When their coat starts looking a bit rough and long (so you can see longer fur sticking out a bit) you often also see there tail squaring off a little. This means they need extra protein (mine actually don’t get anything extra in this period unless they show they need it, in fact from about 7 weeks they get barely any extras apart from a few high protein treats). Watch for the coat getting brownish tinged, particularly in black or grey rats. This is rusting and at this age shows that they may need more copper in their diet, feeding some liver should get that back on track.
•	Growing Boys – Worth noting here as at about 12-13 weeks a boys coat starts to change, as there testosterone starts to be produced it begins to get more substance to it. Some people describe this as coarser but that’s not necessarily true. Effectively the fur becomes more substantial and each hair is a little thicker. In optimum condition it should still feel very soft and smooth when stroked the right way (though as each hair is thicker it has a more noticeable texture than girls fur), however when stroking backwards it is much stiffer and can make them look a bit punky. Note it’s a lot harder to keep a bucks coat like this, more often they begin to get a bit scruffy and coarse looking, and are also longer. This is especially true of very dominant or hormonal bucks, these are extremely difficult to keep the nice coat condition on and often look greasy too.
•	Adult does – there fur should be soft, shiny and smooth, it should be relatively short so you can’t see many guard hairs sticking out from the main coat, and it should have a good even covering with minimal to no rusting (dependant on genetics, always assume its copper issue first, try feeding them up on copper for 1-2 weeks and if it improves with the next moult its that).
•	Adult bucks – fur should be shiny, especially on the head, it should have good substance to it and not be too long (note can be longer than does fur, especially in dominant bucks, shouldn’t look messy or scruffy though). As they get a little older, especially for the least dominant bucks in a group you may notice that there fur on the sides changes texture. This is especially apparent on agouti’s as it gives them an darker head and dorsal stripe (like a hood) and sometimes a darker bum too. This is caused by them loosing guard hairs along their sides. There’s a lot of suggestions for why this happens, from my experience it seems very much linked to testosterone, when this is lower than usual the dip causes the coat to change a little and some of the guard hairs to be lost. It can give the fur a wavey texture, almost like a rubbish rex, especially when wet, and its very soft. As they age pretty much all bucks get this at some point, often at a similar time to them loosing muscle tone over the rump. Diet doesn’t seem to help much, though sometimes a little extra vits can help (especially senior supplements), however its an inevitable part of ageing. You can see this at quite a young age in none dominant bucks, and it can acutally noticeably improve if an Alpha is lost and the other rat becomes the new alpha.
•	Old rats – as rats become truelly old (and the age this happens varies wildly), there fur can change too. Often it begins to loose it’s substance, become fluffy and thinner. This is normally a sign that there not using there vitamins, minerals and oils as effectively as a young rat. Try giving them an older animal supplement (stuff sold for old dogs are often good), in particular b vits, vitamin c, and high omega 3 content oils are very good. Easy kidney kind protein from egg, soya or fish as an occasional treat (mixed with carbs to water it down) also help. It’s worth noting though that this is a sign the body isn’t functioning as well as it should and it’s well worth popping them along to the vets for a check-up, as often it’s an early sign of kidney weakness, which can be dramatically improved with diet and the right medication.

Ok I have written far too much, its one of my fave topics lol. I could write a similar essay on body tone and weight management too lol. Condition is such an important thing to our rats it causes me a lot of heart ache with my own, though right now I’m pretty pleased (I have one young man that needs a booster as he has a bit too square a tail right now and it a little moulty). I’ll have to dig up some pictures one day and write a proper guide. Though nothing beats hands on experience, im not sure if there are many rat shows in the states but its where I learnt much of my stuff, the rest is from my own rats.


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