Why a Hairless Rat Is the Right Pet for You and Your Family

A hairless rat is certainly one of the more unique pets available today. They make excellent conversation starters, and they absolutely thrive in captivity. Hairless Seltene Meerschweinchenrassen have a very simple diet, and they make wonderful companions for both children and adults.

Facts about Hairless Rats

A hairless rat is not as scary as it might look. While they do look odd, they are some of the most docile rats in the world. A true hairless rat has no hair anywhere on its body, including whiskers. They are bred from Rex Rats, which is just one of many rat species. When a rat is born with only one Rex gene, it is born with course and curly fur. When a rat is bred to have two Rex genes, however, the rat is born with absolutely no hair. The cold affects these rats much easier, and they are very prone to dry skin.

Caring for a Hairless Rat

Because of their innate lack of fur and whiskers, these rats require different levels of care than normal rats. They are unable to maintain body temperature as well as a regular rat, so they must be kept in a warm environment. Place the cage in a draft-free location, and keep it away from windows.

Although wood chips make suitable bedding for many rat species, this is not true for the hairless rat. They do not have a coating of fur to protect their skin from irritation. Shredded newspaper or newspaper pellets make the best bedding for them. Remove soiled bedding on a daily bases, and cleanse the entire cage once a week. They cannot thrive in a dirty cage because their skin is very sensitive and it is prone to sores and infections.

A hairless rat will burn calories much faster than a regular rat. For this reason, a higher fat diet is necessary. Although rat food is a great part of a healthy diet for them, they will need supplementation in order to reach their ideal daily fat and calorie count. Great foods to use as dietary supplements include cream cheese, yogurt, and avocado.

Hairless rats are prone to dry skin. If this is a problem, experts recommend soaking a piece of whole grain bread in olive oil. The skin will be exposed to the oil as the rat nibbles and chews. If this does not resolve the skin dryness, unscented baby oil can be massaged into the rat’s skin daily until the problem resolves. Prevent dry skin by monitoring the humidity level in the home.

They are also prone to sebaceous cysts that require veterinary care. The vet may need to lance the cyst open, but this is for extreme cases. Usually, a course of antibiotics and a bandage are all that is necessary to heal the cyst. Although these cysts can be treated in the vet’s office, there is substantial cost involved. Giving a hairless rat a bath in antibacterial soap twice weekly can help reduce the incidence of sebaceous cysts.

Hairless rats make fantastic pets for all ages, but close adult supervision is required for the rat’s entire lifetime. These rats are unique, friendly, and fun, but they demand lots of attention and should be adopted by someone who has the time to provide it.