# Calico rats?



## CeilingofStars (Apr 21, 2008)

Are there any rats out there that have more than two distinct colors, like calico cats? I think I would fall in love!!

On another note, since rats don't have different breeds per se, would it be accurate to describe the different varieties as similar to human races? That's kind of how I think of them.


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

Merle rats can come in Berkshire etc.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

There was a famous calico (or tricolour) rat named Solaris years ago, but he never recreated his colouring ever again and boy did they breed that boy!

I think its a fluke of nature rather than an inheritable thing.


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## CaptainFlow (May 16, 2007)

A calico rat would be the most adorable thing ever! 

It seems like it shouldn't be that hard, though, doesn't it? They already come in two colors, why not three? Sigh.


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

I've found a lady through my church that I think is giving me her trio of girls (going into a nursing home shortly), and her black hooded has chocolate fur on an inch of her stripe instead of black!!! It's so weird... Sweetie, but weirdo.... Meh...


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## Mana (Apr 22, 2007)

I would love a blue and black rat  I'd name him Bruiser XD


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## mommyofmany (May 8, 2008)

This conversation got me curious so I did some googling. I found a person with 3 tri-colored ratties. They're white, black, and then has an almost cinnamon colored splotches on their backs. Looks just like a calico cat, lol.

They bought the rats to feed to their snake(  ).

Not sure if they kept them or not. Here's the thread: http://www.repticzone.com/forums/BallPython/messages/1200479.html

And here are the pics: http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q149/dream_dancer_87/Rats/


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## illmithra (Apr 15, 2008)

i'm not too sure but the ones in those pics look alot like ratties showing rusting.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

illmithra said:


> i'm not too sure but the ones in those pics look alot like ratties showing rusting.


Hahaha, it is only rusting. 

Saffi my old black variberk rusted where she looked like a wannabe hoodie


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## illmithra (Apr 15, 2008)

i think it adds character. lol.


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## mommyofmany (May 8, 2008)

That's neat!


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

calico coloring requires several genes and think that rats simply don't have the genes necessary. there is a gene that controls each hair to either have pigment or not, and then another gene that controls whether each pigmented hair is black or brown. so if hairs are pigmented in patches, you get calicos, or if they are pigmented individually (no two next to each other are similar) you get tortoiseshells. there is another gene that controls how bright the colors expressed are, etc etc etc.
it's all rather complicated, and in cats, each of these genes are located on X chromosomes, so only females or males with two X and one Y can be calico. i think that unless we started creating chimeras or whatnot with cat and rat genes, we probably won't have calico rats any time soon, although i admit that they sound adorable!

click mine please!:

my scroll!


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## gypsy.rat (Apr 29, 2008)

I saw a calico rat at the petshop where i got my five ratties. i went back to get her only to find she was gone. "/

Gypsy


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

To be considered a tri-color rat (or calico) there must be 3 different and distinct colors NOT including white.


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## CaptainFlow (May 16, 2007)

So then are there two colored rats? Not including white? And not rusting? Cause I thought that rats came in only one color and white (not including Agouti, which is sort of multi colored and sort of not).


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

There was one at the pet shop by me once. He was tiny though, and I'm sure ended up as snake food. I remember seeing him in their very crowded feeder tank. He was tanish orange, agouti, white, and had a pure black head with a stripe between his eyes. I would have loved to take him home, but at the time didn't have the money for a likely unhealthy rat nor the time to socialize a pet store rat.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

nope... just rusting

every rat I have ever seen discussed with this light & dark mixed shading on head & back (typically lower back around the backside) always loose the curious coloring by the time they are fully mature, like 1 yr)

no tri color rats or calicos

just bad hair days that look cool


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## ledzepgirl16 (Oct 29, 2007)

CaptainFlow said:


> So then are there two colored rats? Not including white? And not rusting? Cause I thought that rats came in only one color and white (not including Agouti, which is sort of multi colored and sort of not).


Yeah, I'm confused...in cats, calico can include white. So that's only 2 colors if you don't include the white...


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