Hairless domestic rats (sphinxes) appeared at the beginning of the last century as a result of a mutation. Because of their non-standard appearance, they were preserved and the sign of hairlessness was fixed in generations by artificial breeding. However, keeping such a pet at home is not easy. Bald rats are difficult to breed, have poor health and do not live long. Genetically, these rodents have three types of hairless genes in the genotype. Also, the lack of hair may be due to the duplication of genes βrexβ.
Appearance
The whiskers of such domestic rodents are curly. The pet either should not have hair on the body at all, or it may be present in small quantities on the limbs, head, stomach, cheeks. Both individuals are allowed to participate in exhibitions. There may be wrinkles on the skin.
Care Features
Bald rats are sensitive to the physical characteristics of the environment. They require a relatively high humidity in the room and a temperature range of 20 to 28 Β° C. The cage should be equipped with houses, hammocks, warm litter. It is better if the naked rat will not be kept alone, but in the company of another (woolly). However, the latter should be non-aggressive in order to exclude fights and damage to the delicate skin of a sphinx rat. For the same purpose, the cage for such an animal must be selected very carefully, there should not be any sharp corners or bent rods. To put a room with a small animal, as well as with woolly pets, it is necessary, avoiding drafts, places near air conditioners and batteries.
A healthy bald rat takes a shower no more than a fellow rich in wool. Use shampoos for rodents or for newborns and young children. The water temperature should be about 30 Β° C. After bathing, you need to dry the rat well and let it cool in a towel. Lightly grease the skin with linseed or olive oil.
Feeding
Metabolism in these pets is accelerated. They need high-calorie foods that are high in protein and fat. The bald rat feeds on the same feeds (seeds, grains) as the βwoolenβ pet, but they give more to the representatives of this breed. The petβs water should always be in large quantities, he drinks a lot.
Disease and Life Expectancy
Unfortunately, these charming creatures do not live long. Bald rats suffer from diseases of the urinary system, heart, eyes, are prone to tumor diseases, allergies, and diabetes.
They are very sensitive to stressful situations.
In rats having the rnu hairless gene,
there is no thymus
- the thymus gland, which makes them susceptible to infectious diseases. Bald rats have many difficulties with reproduction. Females
are bad mothers, often refuse litter or eat it. In addition, they often suffer from underdevelopment of the mammary glands, their lactation process is disrupted. Nevertheless, these hairless small animals are very prolific, and the cubs are born of normal size. Animals with hairless genes can live from 9 to 20 months. The most common cause of death is severe renal impairment or
infectious diseases.