Hairless
Rat · 0 live listings
Hairless rats carry a recessive gene that leaves them nearly bare, often without whiskers or eyelashes. With no coat for protection they need a warm room, soft bedding and extra food, and their skin and eyes need more checking than a furred rat.
At a glance
The tradeoffs, honestly
Hairless rats feel the cold, scratch easily and are prone to skin and eye irritation. Many hairless does nurse poorly, so ethical lines breed from furred carrier mothers.
Common questions
What extra care do hairless rats need?
A warm, draft-free room, fleece or paper bedding without sharp bits, a slightly larger ration, and regular checks for skin sores and eye irritation, since they lack protective lashes.
What health checks should I ask about?
Ask about respiratory health in the line: nearly all rats carry mycoplasma, so sneezing, clicking breaths or porphyrin (red) staining are red flags. Ask about tumours in older relatives, request vet-confirmed sex and a litter record, and find an exotics vet before you bring rats home.
How were these babies bred?
Ask whether the mother was furred. Hairless does often struggle to produce enough milk, so careful breeders pair a hairless buck with a furred carrier doe.
Ask the seller for these. Documents on Everybarn are on file for your own checks; we don't check them with the issuer.
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