Rats are opportunistic foragers who get into trouble a lot. They like to chew, which tends not to end well for them. In our homes, we pamper them with four-course meals, toys, comfortable blankets, and all the hiding places they could ever want. Some rats are cuter than others, just like people, but some rats are downright captivating with their charming mannerisms and looks. Take the rex rat; these rats look like stuffed animals that have been washed and put in the dryer for too long on too high heat.
Meet the Rex Rat
Some people love their hair curly, while others meticulously straighten it. The same goes for rats, except they don’t know how to do their hair. The creature that some are horrified by can look like a cute little Pokémon with curly, frizzy hair like a failed perm. How can you not find such an animal endearing? Your dog might even buddy up to the cute little rodent.
All fancy rats are Norwegian brown rat descendants. All rex rats are also fancy rats. New York has enormous rats in some places, but the rest are, you guessed it, Norwegian brown rats. The other rats in NY are wharf rats, which only live near the water and are harmless but industrial-sized. To clarify, all rats, pets or wild, are descendants of the Norwegian brown rat.
The genotype of a rex rat is slightly different from that of other fancy rats. If you would like rex rats, the best way is to adopt them. Check out your local breeders and their reviews to help guide you to the best place. Rats are sometimes available for adoption through the animal shelter. However, they will likely be adults, and if they were to surrender because of aggressive behavior, you might not know until you have them home and settled in. If you are unfamiliar with rehabbing aggressive rats, go to a breeder and adopt some Rex siblings to move in with you. Those rats will have been handled plenty and should not bite or be challenging to pick up. But there’s always that one rat!
If you are ready to breed rats, hoping to generate a single rex gene rat (Rere) for breeding, you must keep a few things in mind. Let’s start from the beginning; if you have a rat with a rex gene that breeds with a rat without the rex gene, some babies in the litter will be curly-haired rex babies, and some will be regular rats. Now, if you breed two single-rex-gene rats, you will have created a homozygous (hairless) rex (ReRe) rat. This is a bit different than the single rex copy rat.
The homozygous (hairless) rex rat doesn’t have curly, silky fur; instead, it has patchy or no fur. If it has patches or fur designs on its body, the patches will eventually fall out and then regrow, adding a bit of peculiarity to the rat. Rex rats (curly) and double rex rats (naked) or with patches that fall out and regrow throughout their life) can show up during feeder rat breeding, fancy rat breeding, or in nature. It is understood that the rex gene is first created when the fetus inherits the chromosomes from its parents, and the genes and cells move into their places.
Living with Rex Rats
Since rex rats are always in high demand, they can be expensive, depending on the coloring and quality of the curls. A strange thing occurs when the baby rex rat sheds or molts for the first time; its adorable lamb-like curls disappear and give in to a more wavy look. This is not precisely what you might think of when you picture a rex rat in your mind. Another odd fact about the rex rats is that they have few or no guard hairs. Male rex rats tend to be curlier-looking and feel like wool. The females have super fine fur that is softer than silk. You will never want to stop petting your rat, and that will make it super happy.
Their adult fur typically resembles that of a child’s hair, which was previously braided and then brushed to create a frizzy cloud that envelops their bodies. This might not be what you had in mind, but many rex rats will not regain the curls they had as a baby. This also happens with humans; young children might have white blonde hair with insanely tight curls all over their heads. As they age, the hair gets darker, and the curls slowly fade away for many people. Those with light brown hair may have black or very dark brown hair.
Loving a Rex Rat
You now have a good understanding of everything that makes the rex rat tick. Rats are all amazing little creatures with hearts of gold. Once they have bonded with you, they will go above and beyond to let you know! These silly creatures love goodnight kisses along with their midnight snack. Their intelligence is absolutely amazing, and teaching them tricks is a breeze!
Commonly Asked Questions About Rex Rats
Q: Are rare are rex rats?
A: Surprisingly, rex rats are frequently seen in pet shops when the feeder rat breeders bring them in. You will have to hope you spot one before someone else does. If you’re looking for a Rex rat with a calm and friendly demeanor, consider adopting from a reputable breeder.
Q: How big do rex rats get?
A: Rex rats, like all rats discussed in this article, are typically the same size, give or take. Rats can grow to be enormous depending on how pampered they are. Rats can become obese extremely easily, and sadly, humans think this health disorder is “cute,” so they keep the sweet treats coming. Male rats are significantly larger than females.
The only “big” rats are the Bosavi woolly rats and the Gambian pouched rats, which can grow 32″ long from nose to tail and weigh up to 3.5 pounds! Fancy, Norwegian, or rex rats do not get that big, but some males can reach 2 pounds. The tail of a rat is usually roughly 9 inches long; fancy rats weigh between 10 ounces and 1.1 pounds.
Q: How long do rex rats live?
A: Whether it’s a Norwegian brown rat scurrying through the streets of Philadelphia, a hooded fancy rat sitting on its soft blanket eating a strawberry, or a rex rat jumping and playing with its brothers and sisters at a breeder’s home, they are all capable of living the same amount of time, but sometimes fate intervenes, and a hawk swoops down to catch the rat and feed its family. Wild rats have a significantly shorter lifespan than their well-loved and snuggled pet counterparts, which is evident in the wear and tear on their bodies from living in the wild. If a rat gets sick in the wild, it doesn’t stand much chance of survival.
