TWO NEW RATS TODAY! Photos.

[Die Fledermaus]

Extremely tame and friendly; very soft and kissable. Obviously a young brother and sister.

I believe their color is slate, but I will check the color sites, which can be found at the top of this forum.

They were immediately separated and given new friends. Introductions were very easy: the female went into Margie's tall cage (see other new post today) and hid for a while, she then got excited and started climbing around including over Margie, exploring the various levels. Right now she and Margie are sleeping together. Very sweet. I could not stand to see old Margie alone in her final days. I know that when Margie passes I have an issue with the new girl.

The male got intro'd to Max and Telly in neutral territory, and after much butt sniffing they are hunkered down together. I wish gerbil intro's went this easily! ')

Obviously, I am still working on names. And will get back on that soon. Suggestions are welcome. . . until I decide.

The female in the wheel in Margie's cage:



The male:



Getting to know you - with Max!



With Telly!

[Hamsters82]

Very nice. That wheel looks like it needs a changing though, I mean it looks wood to me and that may cause splinters.

[Die Fledermaus]

It's not wood.

Oddly, it has been used only very rarely. Rats don't seem to like running in wheels, although they climb on and sit in them. Go figure.

[ladyjosephine]

sweet boy&Girl, but they look "just" black to me...black berkshire/mitted
Telly looks very small next to the new kid, are they older? Or is telly just a small boy?
(laviv wasn't big either, he was only 385 gr as an adult, very small compaired to Asher and the other boys who where all at least 580/600 gr)

[Die Fledermaus]

They did not look black to me when I held them, or even very dark brown. I was struck by that fact; the fellow with my concurred. They looked a very dark gray. Photos do not do justice to the shade and color.

I suppose 'slate' is not an official color.

spoiledratten.com

I just noticed the joke inside that link name!

These two are not "black, chocolate, or cocoa". I don't think "Russian blue".

Those are VERY cute rats on that site! Check out the photos! I love the "fawn" one.

Mine so far look closest to "mink", but I doubt if they are as there is no brown in them at all. But mine don't look "black". Or are there significant variations in "black"??

>> Non-agouti (aa). Black rats carrying other colours (such as red eye dilute, blue, mink, etc) can often be slightly off coloured <<
www.hawthorn.org.uk/varieties.asp

But their "black" rat photo looks black, but mine do not. *shrugs*

Telly may be genetically small. (?) I do not know their exact ages. We shall see as they grow.

But jeeez, Max looks like he will soon be a giant! I hope he is normal. I guess. I will get the bigger cage today. Yikes.


See the photo of Margie I added to the "Brothers" thread. Right now the young new sister is under her being used as a pillow by the old girl; I am glad she is not alone now.

BTW, when I was checking them out two females about 15-17 saw them walking on me and went "eeew". I assume that was meant for the rats, not for me! haha But they seemed less repulsed as I handled the very tame critters.

[ladyjosephine]

They sure aren't mink or Russian blue...knight&Ace are mink, one blue-based and the other chocolate-based. Namari is russian blue.
Slate = Slate blue, and that's the colors Max is.

they can be a "mismarked" black, or they could be Silvered, usually those are lighter than a "normal" black and often are revered to as "cordovan chocolat"

[Die Fledermaus]

I will check those out.

Whatever; they are lovely.

BTW, poor Oculus passed away yesterday. I have reached the point where I am afraid to look in the cage.

[Die Fledermaus]

I should add, the new girl, and I still need to work on names (busy, busy) right now behind me is again using the wheel!! I knew I heard a sound I did not recognize! Excellent. Hope she enjoys herself. (Margije is in a toilet paper nest on the next level looking OK).

[Die Fledermaus]

I named her Annie, by the way, and she is currently in very bad shape likely dying. So it goes with rats.