Among lovers of decorative rodents, husky rats are incredibly popular. These funny animals are ideal for keeping at home, but you need to understand that they have their own characteristics.
In order to raise not only a smart, but also an obedient pet, we will get acquainted with the rules for keeping animals, their habits and differences from other types of decorative rats.
Origin and characteristics of the breed
Husky rats first appeared in Sweden 26 years ago. Unusual animals immediately attracted the attention of not only zoologists, but also numerous breeders. Their attention was drawn to the fact that a species of decorative animals with dynamically changing colors was obtained. Since the original morph of the animals turned out to be similar to a known breed of dog, they were called husky rats.
It is not surprising that a new type of domestic rat is at the peak of popularity, because every husky cub is a mystery. It is impossible to determine in advance what he will become when he grows up. The color of an individual changes all the time, becoming lighter with age.
In terms of intelligence, huskies are not inferior to their namesakes from the canine community. Individuals of decorative rats obtained in the laboratory initially belong to domesticated animals. They do not require complex care, but have a hard time with the lack of human communication.
The peculiarity of these pets is not only in the unusual play of colors, the presence of a white spot (“blaze”) on the face, but also in their peculiar behavioral tendencies. Constant attention from the owner and entertainment are mandatory for such animals.
Taking care of your health
Huskies, like other decorative rats, do not have such a strong immune system as their wild relatives.
Being in a draft can cause your pets to get colds, and the bright sun can cause heat stroke. To avoid unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to monitor the living conditions of the animals.
When walking at home, it is worth removing all objects that are dangerous for rats, especially live wires.
Veterinarians believe that many diseases develop in rats due to poor nutrition. To protect your pet from diseases, you need to monitor its diet: the quality and quantity of food consumed.
Infectious diseases in decorative rats are also common. Infection can occur through contaminated care items, food or water. The best prevention of the disease in this case will be timely cleaning of the cage and compliance with hygiene rules.
You can tell that a husky is unhealthy by the animal’s apathetic behavior and difficulty breathing. Sometimes purulent discharge may be observed from the animal's eyes and nose. Wounds, abrasions, and small bald spots may form on the rodent's body.
IMPORTANT! If such symptoms occur, you should contact your veterinarian. Self-medicating means exposing the animal to even greater suffering.
Color options
The husky rat does not have a regulated color. The main color shades of animals are silver, peach and black.
Zoologists distinguish 2 main types of markings for such animals:
- Banded Husky ("Hood"). Only the areas of the head (with the exception of the "blaze"), shoulders and chest are colored, and there is also a dark stripe on the back.
- Berkshire Husky (raincoat markings). The head and back of the animal are painted, but the belly area remains white.
In one-month-old rats, the colored areas of the fur begin to gradually become overgrown with white fibers. This is considered normal for Husky animals.
In healthy animals, white and colored stripes of fur may be visible. At the same time, the number of lines of a light shade gradually increases. The rat often becomes almost completely white after a year and a half. This sign is usually an indicator of the mature age of animals.
Peppermint treat
Ingredients:
- 1 medium overripe banana.
- 2 chicken eggs.
- 3 tbsp. spoons of honey.
- 3 tbsp. tablespoons of liquid coconut oil (can be replaced with sunflower oil in the same amount).
- 1/2 teaspoon mint flavoring.
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
- A quarter cup of carob (roasted carob powder). A small amount of cocoa can be substituted, but this is not recommended for animals. Therefore, try to find an original product.
- Oat flour.
Cooking procedure.
1. Mash the banana in a bowl.
2. Beat eggs into the resulting mass, add honey, baking powder, cinnamon and coconut (sunflower) oil.
3. Add oatmeal to the mixture to form a firm but slightly moist dough.
4. Divide the resulting volume into 2 equal parts.
5. Pour 1/4 cup of carob powder into one half, and add the same amount of flour to the second half. A hard lump should form that does not stick to your hands.
6. Roll out 2 rectangles, 9-10 mm thick.
7. Place the layers of dough on top of each other and roll along the long side. Wrap the resulting sausage in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
8. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
9. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Remove the film and cut into 3-3.5 cm rounds.
11. Place on a baking sheet. During cooking, portions of dough will not increase in volume, so you can place them close to each other.
12. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
If you want to please your pet with a crunchier treat, cut the rolls into thin slices (about 1 cm), and after cooking, additionally dry them in a warm oven or even in a non-stick frying pan.
The finished product is stored for a long time in a dry place. So, by baking peppermint rolls once, you can treat your four-legged pupil with them for a long time.
Bon appetit to your dog!
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The structure and appearance of husky rats
Silver rats with unusual colors attract the attention of many pet lovers. The animals were bred on the basis of the decorative species Standard, so in appearance they are very similar to their gray counterparts.
Huskies have elongated muzzles with round, somewhat bulging eyes, the color of which varies from dark with a ruby sheen to bright scarlet. Zoologists believe that the color of the eyes of this breed is directly related to the color of the animal’s fur.
Domestic rodents do not see very well, but their hearing and sense of smell are well developed. Due to poor vision, the animals often turn their heads. Based on the shape of the ears, the breed is conventionally divided into 2 groups:
- small, high-set ears (Standard);
- large, rounded ears, set low (Dumbo).
Many people think that the tail of husky rats is completely devoid of vegetation, but this is not so. It has many bristles and hairs. Dirt constantly collects between them, which makes the animal’s independent hygiene very difficult. Animals do not know how to clean their tail, so the owner must take care of this.
Breeding
When deciding to breed husky rats, you should remember a few facts:
- The easiest way to determine the sex of a rodent is to carefully examine its tummy. Males, even newborns, completely lack mammary glands. While in females they are located in two rows and stand out on the abdomen.
- Rats reach sexual maturity at one and a half months of age.
- Estrus in adult females occurs every 5 days, with the exception of pregnancy.
- The ideal age of a rat for the first pregnancy is 4-5 months. The first birth at 6-8 months for a female can be dangerous due to narrowing of the pelvic canal. The rat may not give birth on its own and will have to resort to a cesarean section.
- The age of males is not important for mating.
- In order for a female to become pregnant, she simply needs to be placed in the same cage with a male.
- Husky pregnancy lasts 21-23 days. On average, a female gives birth to about 10 pups in a litter.
- In the second week of pregnancy, the expectant mother’s belly begins to increase, and closer to the date of birth, by stroking the female’s belly, you can feel the pups moving.
- During the period of bearing offspring, the female needs additional nutrition and physical activity.
- If a male lives with a female in the same cage, then before giving birth he must be removed so that he does not harm the newborn babies..
- The mother feeds the rat pups for about 5 weeks. During the feeding period, it also needs to be provided with enhanced nutrition.
Habits and behavior
Healthy animals are quite active and require daily exercise. If the owner of a husky rat does not have time to spend 1-2 hours with the pet every day, it is necessary to provide the animal with the opportunity to occupy itself independently.
To do this, the cage must be equipped with a physical training complex consisting of ladders, hanging toys, a hammock, and a wheel.
A distinctive feature of husky rodents is their ability to remember not only their name, but also the voice of the owner. Animals can be taught to follow simple commands, such as climbing onto a shoulder or hiding in a pocket.
We recommend the article “How to learn to understand the “rat” language.”
Interesting! If there are frequent quarrels in the family, there is emotional tension, the animal feels discomfort, and its character deteriorates. A frightened or angry animal can bite its owner.
Artificially bred individuals are not adapted to life in the wild. Therefore, the owner means a lot to them; the animals quickly become attached to the person. You cannot frighten or offend your little charges.
These smart animals initially treat people with great trust. But if a good relationship with your pet is broken, it will take a long time to restore it.
Proper arrangement of the cage
First of all, you need to understand that rats are fairly active animals and they need a lot of free space. When choosing a cage for your pet, you need it to be at least 40x60cm, height at least 50 cm. You should give preference to a cage with metal bars, the distance between them should be no more than 1 cm.
Since the animals are constantly on the move, the filler can fly away in all directions, so when choosing a cage, give preference to high pallets, at least 10 cm.
It is also better to choose plastic trays as they are very easy to clean. When setting up a cage for an animal, you need to install:
- Drinking bowl. It is better to choose ball models that have metal spouts. The drinking bowl itself is installed outside, and the spout is located inside the cage. They keep the water clean longer and no filler gets into it.
- A bowl. It is better to choose ceramic ones, which are not so easy to turn over. It is recommended to install two bowls for food and vegetables.
- Toilet. Rodents are very clean and if you install a toilet in the corner of the cage, the animal will go into it.
- Little house. The animal must have a secluded corner where it can hide if something frightens it, in order to be alone if it is tired of attention, or just to sleep.
- Hammock, ladders, shelves. This equipment will provide the necessary movement and games when the owners are busy.
- Mineral stone. This item is required because it ensures proper grinding of teeth.
You need to choose a filler that is safe and will not harm the rodent. This could be shavings, hay, wood pellets. Newspaper should not be used because printing ink is toxic and hazardous to health.
Care and maintenance
The husky's cage should be spacious enough to accommodate a pet's house, feeding area, and toys. The lock on the door should be made reliable, because smart rodents can learn to open their home.
To please the pet, many owners also place a special bath in the cage. The water in it needs to be changed daily, and general cleaning of the home should be done every 7–10 days.
Attention! The cage should not have an iron bottom so that oxidation products do not affect the health of the pet. It is better if the base of the home is plastic.
Newsprint or softwood sawdust should not be used as toilet filler. This can lead to illness. Hardwood or synthetic litters are better for pet rodents.
Find out also - “What can make decorative rats sick?”
The easiest option for feeding domestic rats is ready-made food. Preparing a diet from natural ingredients is much more difficult; only experienced breeders can do it. Zoologists do not recommend feeding ornamental rats from the human table.
Detailed article - “Domestic rat - recommendations for keeping and feeding.”
Their menu should include:
- cereals;
- leaf salads;
- vegetables;
- nuts;
- fresh and dried fruits.
It is useful to add soft-boiled eggs to your diet, as well as low-fat dairy products. Every day the animal needs to be fed with boiled fish or pieces of meat (10–15 g)
Interesting! Husky rats need to have their front incisors ground down daily. There are special pebbles for this - they are purchased at pet stores. An alternative can be pieces of natural hardwood.
Bottle with drinker
Such an accessory will come in handy during street walks. It does not take up much space, weighs little and does not hinder movement. But you can offer the dog to quench his thirst at any time, and not wait until he starts drinking from a dirty puddle or lake overgrown with mud.
The device consists of a water container and a bowl equipped with a dispenser button. It allows you to release as much liquid from the bottle as the animal needs to quench its thirst. Sold in two volume options - 350 and 550 milliliters.
Price – 475 – 584 rub.
Another model of the same device has a folding shape, which makes it easier to carry. The transformer connects the bowl and the bottle, securely fixing them in such a compact state. The durable polymer material has good shockproof properties and can even resist dog teeth. True, this struggle will not be long and - if the owner is careless - then all the liquid will end up on the ground.
Volume 250 ml.
Cost – 133 – 148 rubles.
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Differences from other decorative rats
Huskies live at home for 3–4 years. Their ability to change coat color throughout their lives is the main feature of the breed. Another advantage of the species is the high degree of contact. These rats can make good companions for elderly or introverted people.
The unique character of animals, their high trainability and devotion distinguish huskies from representatives of other types of ornamental rodents. Silver animals are often given to retirees or introverted people in order to unobtrusively fulfill a person’s need for positive emotions.
Decorative husky rats are great for keeping in an apartment. The main conditions for the successful education of these intelligent and responsive animals are a kind attitude, properly selected nutrition and timely hygiene.
Soft bag
Fabric carriers have been around for a long time, but their modern development has primarily affected the increase in the number of all kinds of windows, mesh and other little things. The cat will no longer sit in a dark bag, not much different from an ordinary travel bag. It is difficult to organize a comfortable long trip in such a device. But for short distances the convenience is quite adequate.
The advantage of a soft cage is its lightness, compactness, and the ability to securely attach it to a car seat or, for example, to the handle of a suitcase.
Negatives: Not hygienic for long trips and difficult to clean quickly (although they can withstand washing in a regular washing machine).
Cost – 1,360 – 1,489 rubles.
Description
The Dumbo rat has a distinctive feature - large round ears, which give it a special charm. But she is loved by rat breeders not only for her interesting appearance - the namesake of the Disney baby elephant has other advantages. However, Dumbo cannot be called an ideal pet either, so before buying a rat, you need to find out about the peculiarities of its maintenance.
Beginners in rat breeding, first of all, need to understand one thing: all the names of decorative rats (Dumbo, Rex, Sphinx, etc.) indicate variations of the same breed - Rattus Norwegicus dom (decorative rat). One litter can contain pups of different variations.
Belonging to a particular variety is determined by the structure of the animal’s body, the characteristics of its appearance and the quality of its fur. Dumbo rats can have characteristics of other breeds and are called Dumbo Rex, Dumbo Sphinx or Dumbo Husky.
Dumbo has a pear-shaped body, the maximum size of which reaches 20 cm in length, with short, dense fur. The ears of these rats are located lower than those of their relatives.
Choosing a name for the rat Dumbo
The owners are trying to give the young, smart baby Dumbo a deep and meaningful nickname in the hope that the animal's name can influence the character and intelligence of the funny animal. Sometimes it can be difficult to immediately name a pet with a suitable name that emphasizes its individuality and expresses the love of its owner.
It is advisable to take a few days to take a closer look at the habits and character traits of the new family member; most likely, he himself will tell the owner what to call him. The furry baby's nickname can be tied to the color of the rodent's coat and funny ears, human associations from the pet's appearance and funny faces, favorite book and cartoon characters or pop stars. The rodent's nickname should be simple and easy to pronounce in a diminutive form. It is believed that females respond better to nicknames that begin with the letters K, M and D. Males are more fond of names with the letters S, K, M and D, long-eared pets are more willing to get used to nicknames with the letters T, N, L, M, K , S, Sh and R.
The name for a Dumbo rat girl can be: Knopa, Scully, Masya, Dana, Molly, Ksyusha, Marta, Alice, Dasha, Klava, Matilda, Gina, Darcy, Alpha, Kayla, Linda.
The name for a dumbo boy rat can be: Kuzya, Tyson, Tim, Rocky, Simson, Garik, Steve, Venya, Bucks, Rocky, Dick.
It doesn’t matter what the owner calls the smart-eared baby. In any case, the baby rat Dumbo will sincerely adore and faithfully wait for his beloved owner, giving him his incredible tenderness and selfless love.
Simple wire cutters
The most primitive device is very similar to ordinary scissors. Only one of its cutting surfaces is equipped with a small notch with a sharp edge. Using such a device is easy, provided you have some skill and experience. For young dogs, nail trimming is always stressful. They do not want to sit quietly, they strive to tear the paw out of the owner’s hands and in every possible way complicate the process. So Litbro.ru will not recommend such a gadget to novice dog breeders. The risk of causing serious physical injury to your pet is too great. Well, for experienced owners who have used similar tools more than once, nothing better can be desired. Cheap and very effective.
Cost – 35 – 72 rubles.
More advanced versions of hand cutters offer expanded functionality.
Although their main part, in the old fashioned way, is based on two cutting surfaces. Service additions imply only human convenience. Models with rounded ends, a container for cut claws and lighting have proven themselves very well. The fact is that some dogs have the habit of looking for clipped ends on the floor and eating them. Sharp, bent cuttings can damage the stomach wall and cause bleeding. A small “waste collection” effectively solves this problem.
Price – 636 rub.
Another gadget from the line of simple nippers has comfortable ergonomic handles that allow you to securely hold the tool while trimming nails.
This is important when the animal gets nervous and breaks out.
We pay attention to one more detail - the expansion spring. It fixes the cutting surfaces in the open state, which makes the operation somewhat easier.
Otherwise, the functions of the device duplicate all the features of its predecessors. To properly shorten claws, you must have the skill and achieve unquestioning obedience from your dog or cat.
Cost – 229.93 rubles.
