# hmmm... hairless?



## ratyluver (Aug 27, 2007)

I was thinking about getting a hairless rat.... Do they need any special care?


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## Hippy (Jul 23, 2007)

Hairless rats give me the shivers. ><"


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Not really. They may get scratches easier, but that's about it, I think. Well, that and they get sunburnt more easily and should therefore be more protected from the sun (though most rats don't like hot weather or bright sunlight anyway).

ETA: And, as with all rats, hairless rats should be kept in pairs, minimum, for companionship. They get along with furred rats as well as other hairless.


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

Hairless rock!...lol. They feel awesome too.

To add on to Forensic...Since they will get scratched easier, just keep some neosporin on hand.


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

... I have a hairless, they're just like every other rat, except for the cuts as mentioned, I haven't had any issues with O.P. yet though. They feel pretty weird though, and they are great if you have allergies like my boyfriend does, he doesn't seem to be bothered by my O.P.


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

its not necessarily that they get cut easier (they do have really loose skin too) so much as you notice it more on hairless then you do haired. i have one hairless with 8-9 (depending if bribery is visiting the girls while stewie is out with me at the time) other furred rats. when we have bath time and everyone's fur is wet the hairless doesn't have any more scratches then any of the others (in fact she often has less then violet as violet is our scrapper). 

as for other considerations for them, they're no different to maintain then furred. information wise, they have higher metobilisms so they may seem to eat a lot but not get quite as fat as a furred that would eat the same. typically hairless rats make poor mothers, often times they have difficulty lactating and in some cases are just nutsy with their babies... you can make them look like different old men or women if you push on their loose skin the right way. they do feel a little weird when you're used to petting furred babies but mine is very soft and smooth, and oh so warm, so its nice too. i like mine anyway


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

I heard that you have to keep them cleaner around the eyes since the don't have eyelashes. A friend of mine had to swab out her rats eyes every so often becuase there was nothing to catch the dirt and dust. I don't know how true that is I could never own a hairless they all look like they have lukemia to me. or as my husband say manbits with eyes (only not so nicely put)


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Stephanie said:


> I heard that you have to keep them cleaner around the eyes since the don't have eyelashes. A friend of mine had to swab out her rats eyes every so often becuase there was nothing to catch the dirt and dust. I don't know how true that is I could never own a hairless they all look like they have lukemia to me. or as my husband say manbits with eyes (only not so nicely put)


I think this depends on the type of 'hairless'. A true hairless, yes, but I believe that the double rex 'hairless' would still have eyelashes, since they still have whiskers.


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## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

Hmm....maybe i should look up the eye washin! i never knew that!
I have one hairless and 3 furred. Shes just like the others...They are really warm and i dont like pettin them...but that varies. 

Like twitch said, breedin is hard because they are not good mothers.


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

For Breeding you would have to take a chance and get a male hairless.
Breed a hairless to a female furred and you will get SOME hairless.
But they will have different quailtys from normal hairless to hairless.


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## ratyluver (Aug 27, 2007)

Are "actual" hairless really expensive?


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## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

Not at all. My store sells them for $9.99. THEN agan i recomend going to a rat rescue or breeder because many store dotn carry them or dont care for them properly/


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## ratyluver (Aug 27, 2007)

Well I checked my pet stores and they where all double rex but not "ACTUAL" hairless..... I don't know if that is how much actual hairless go for too but i dont know.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Matt said:


> For Breeding you would have to take a chance and get a male hairless.
> Breed a hairless to a female furred and you will get SOME hairless.
> But they will have different quailtys from normal hairless to hairless.


When did breeding come into this? :?:


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

chrisstrikeagain said:


> Like twitch said, breedin is hard because they are not good mothers.





Matt said:


> For Breeding you would have to take a chance and get a male hairless.Breed a hairless to a female furred and you will get SOME hairless.But they will have different quailtys from normal hairless to hairless.


I was just saying that it was one of the solutions to getting hairless without the problems of bad mothering.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Most hairless rats are actually double rex. There are true hairless out there.


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