dumbo rats help

[TardGirl]

I started to breed rats about a year ago, after giving up on mice. And at first every time the rats would have there babies i would feed them to my kingsnake and 2 ball pythons. But now all that my rats will have is dumbo rats, they are so cute and sweet that i don't have the heart to kill them. Now i just have a bunch of dumbo rats, I even take them to this one pet store and they will give me other prey items for my dumbo rats. Anyone have any ideas on getting my rats back to having normal babies? I have even tried a new mother and father and that still won't work, they still have dumbo's and now even hairless rats. anyone have any idea's?

[snake_goth]

well um i havent tried this but have u fed the rats difrently
may b there eating to mutch or thay feel to well of sumthing like that all i can say is talk to a snake food seler just ask the place u used to get ur frozen food frm

[Alan311]

Humm cant say much but u might have to feed them to ur snakes if u want ur snakes to look as cute as the rats

[daver676]

What do you mean by "dumbo" rats?
I'm just a curious newb.

[rattekonigin]

The only way you can stop getting any dumbo rats in your litters is to buy breeders with known genetics...all your breeders now seem to be heterozygous (or dumbo themselves) for the dumbo ear gene, which means that you'll always get dumbos from them.

You could find someone who breeds feeders that have only ever had standard ear babies and get some new parents from them...

The only other way would be to buy some new parents from a rat fancier that keeps track of their rats' bloodlines, but many rat fanciers will not sell to someone who will be using their rats for feeder purposes, and they might even have you sign a contract attesting to the fact that you can't use them for snake feeder purposes...so that would probably not be the best way to go.

For general information purposes: Dumbo rats are a fancy rat "morph", you could say, with big ears set lower on the head than normal rats.

[Lisa]

Lol we're trying to get some dumbo rats, we'd like to intermix them with our blues. I'd also like to get a blue dumbo rex.

As for hairless, those would probably be good for your snakes, they don't use much of the fur anyways.

[yankeefoxtrot]

I would have to agree with rattekonigin. I would just feed the ones you have though......but thats just me.

Lucas out

[Lisa]

Dumbo rats are probably worth more alive to pet stores then they are dead for food. what you can do is sell them to the pet stores and use the money to pay for frozen rats :)

[Chris Steele]

I would sell them to a petstore and buy frozens witht he money.

BTW, how do you get dumbo and hairless rats anyway...Is it possible in mice?? I breed mice.

[CyberGhost]

I want them I would love them as pets I've always wanted soem hairless.

[TardGirl]

Thanks for all of the help. A few days ago i took some to a pet store and they did not give me any money for them, but they did give me a bunch of free mice. So now every time i go in there i get free snake food. Thanks for all of the ideas :)

[CyberGhost]

Did you give them to the pet store? If not would you be intrested in selling them? I would love to have a dumbo or two and some hairless.

[TardGirl]

I gave all of them but 4 to the pet store. I am letting them breed though and i'm sure that i will have mass numbers soon again. I will let you know when i get some more though. I'm sure that they will all be dumbos and hairless as always. :) I will have some more in a few weeks, I will post it for you when i get them ok. :)

[Lisa]

Try a different pet store, some might give you $
it's also in the way you present yourself. don't ask if they want to buy and for much. tell them these are going for such and such price.

[TardGirl]

Thats a good idea, Thanks lisa

[CyberGhost]

Okay, but you gotta promise to save some for me.(wink, wink)

[TardGirl]

I will don't worry :)