Mis-shapen head..

[justinO]

We have had two come out like this, and today one was on its side acting all twitchy... it got fed off. The other one (this little boy) seems to be fine so far, but his eyes are not sitting right in his skull (kinda lower down). I still can't get over how big his head is!

now, is this a genetic defect or is this just a freak occurance?

http://ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/1849bighead.jpg




The photo doesnt really show it that much cause the lil booger wouldn't stay still! Trust me, his forehead is huge.


Cheers,
Justin & Jessy

[jjaj02]

He kinda looks like a mole to me.........with his long nose. I dunno your guess is as good as mine. He's kinda cute though! :)

[ReneeB]

you should keep him, raise him up and see if he grows into his head.. if not feed him off :)

[justinO]

yeah, we are planning on keeping him.. his sister unfortunatly had to be whacked today because it went all nuts and was on its side convulsing and stuff. it also had a big head.

I admit, he is cute. we'll see what happens.

[thunder]

if two happened in the same litter, it could very well be genetic. its not like reptiles where many mutations are caused by incubation issues. i would suspect that the little guy has internal problems, tho. freaky!

[Linds]

Hmmm... definitely a brain defect of some sort, from the looks of it and what you described his sibling going through. Seizures are no good at all :( ( or whatever neurological disfunction ). I've never seen any major birth defect like that in rodents. It would be interesting to find out exactly what is happening inside there, and if any other internal organs are deformed. Most defective rodents that have come in to my care were bred by my friend, and are now my pets. Two patchwork hairless dumbos with mismatched eyes... lol :p The one has a normal eye and his left eye is the size of a pinhead, the other has one normal eye and his right eye is noticably smaller. Cute little monkeys they are :p

[thunder]

hey linds, post pics of those weird rats. your description makes them seem like cartoon characters. i would like to see for myself!
LOL

[annieb_mice]

It definately sounds genetic. Have you been inbreeding (siblings or parent to offspring?) I'd suggest getting some "outside" blood to add to your breeding colonies. :)
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[justinO]

I hope this last one makes it. This is the first time ive ever seen or heard of it.

AnnieB, no, we have not been inbreeding at all, and we've not seen babies come out like this before recently.

Personally, I'm wondering if it is a case of hard labour, and the mother pushing/squeezing too hard and mis-shaping their heads that way???


cheers,

Justin

[Linds]

Thunder,
Here's a pic of Little Buddy when I first got him as a weanling. I'll snap better pics of all of them once they get in to their "cute phase" (right now they have nearly full coats, it looks so much cuter when they are almost bald or with the patch designs coming through :)).

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/503/22le.jpg">

[thunder]

thanx for the pic. i dont know if i could have a pet like that, it might creep me out.

[Linds]

LOL that's exactly what my friend that gave him to me said :p

[Lisa]

We have a couple rats with differing eyecolour, one red one black, doesn't seem to affect them any.

[justinO]

Update:

The little guy is doing well.. for a little while, i wasn't sure if he'd make it, or i'd have to whack him.

he is seperated from the rack, and in a cage with a cagemate for company.. I think i've got a new pet :P

[capsicum]

Originally posted by Lisa
We have a couple rats with differing eyecolour, one red one black, doesn't seem to affect them any.

Different eye color has to do with genetics. I will bet that the both have blazes on their foreheads?

TK

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

I personally do not feed off any mouse that seems to be defective/has a tumor. I wack em, and then chuck 'em out. Keep us updated on the little one!

C.

[justinO]

unfortunatly last week he took a turn for the worst.. i went to check on him in the morning and he had some blood coming out of his nose.. so, since i said that he'd only stay alive as long as things appeared to be well and his existence wasn't a mockery of life, I thought it would be best if i put him out.


it kinda sucks, but what can you do.

Justin

[jjaj02]

I am so sorry to hear that. He was such a cute little guy. Better luck with the rest of your breedings.

[jcgherps]

Justin0 your rat the baby and his sister had a birth defect...possibly genetic...how many litters has their mother thrown?...I recently got a rat *dear Charlie* after 4 long days he passed away...he had a enlarged heart which in turn backfired and took him in his sleep...I have had rats come out like yours before..we ended up with 3 litters that had at least one baby with a enlarged forehead and down set eyes...one grew into a great male breeder...the others unfortuantely suffered what ur lil girl did the seizures...their mothers died with in the next month or so they were older rats whom we had purchased and they were bred out they would throw half developed babies along with the mutated....if he is weaned and acting fine he should do great in life and live a happy healthy life...to me it seems their brain is too large for their skull....our male that lived...was the smartest rat I have ever seen he was like a dog lol and HUGE too I am not sayin that what my rats had wrong with them is the same as yours but its a possiblity

[jcgherps]

Sorry to hear he turned for the worst Justin.....my computer is a lil ate up lol it wasnt showin ur last post about him passin till after I posted before...really I am sorry to me it does sound like a neurological disorder...he could have possibly had something similar to what humans get called Hydrocephalus...*also known as water on the brain* which can cause siezures, unpredictable and uncontrolable nose bleeds....but I am sad to hear he left u but he isnt suffering anymore....:( everyone tells me RATS shouldnt be pets...but I disagree I am very much attached to my breeders just as I am the animals that will eat their offspring...its life...gotta make the world go round.......GOOD LUCK with future breedings...Keep a close eye on their mother she may possibly throw more like him and his sis

[JD@reptiles]

god made a pig, a gunea pig and now its a pygmy pig, that thing is funny as hell, I would keep it if i were you, lol.

[justinO]

Well, the mother of that litter has had about 5 or 6 litters and this was the first one with the weird heads. We don't want to get rid of her as a breeder cuz she has actually also produced the cutest babies out of all of our breeders!!

It was sad, and we usually try not to get attached, although there's a few that we really do like (our russian blue is SO great!), so it was disappointing.

We will see what happens, but all should be well, breeders can only do about 9-10 litters before we retire them (aka feed them to the white lipped, HA!)

i'll be using a few of her really cute babies as breeders to the father who made them pretty in the first place and have SUPER PRETTIES.

This will be the J & J rattery line of super pretties, coming soon....... watch for them!
;) :P

[jcgherps]

lol pygmy pig....thats what I first thought it was when the pic was first loading...I got down to the top of the eyes the ears forehead and hair even looked like a piglet lol poor lil guy was so ugly he was amazingly adorable....gawd its so hard not to love them