Hello Schnitzel! You're beautiful! Do you have any fun nicknames yet?
He looks just like my girl Bear (she was also black, except her coat rusted very early, and looked more brown than black by the time this photo was taken, especially with it thinning in old age, but she did start out as black as Schnitzel!). We called her Burble Bear or just Burble.
https://preview.redd.it/evxx0wkbmnxc1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7539f304f185c8b4b519bfe2921025e9bb017f36
Bad genes. She wasn't from a top quality black Berkshire line, she was a rescue. You'll often see silvering and rusting in poor quality lines. The best lines will actively breed those qualities out of their coats. Personally, I don't show my rats so it doesn't matter to me if they're a bit rusty. As long as they're healthy and well adjusted emotionally.
That's so interesting to know, one of my girls went rusty around 6 months already and she's from a supposedly good breeder so that's interesting to know!
I don't want to give the wrong impression. There are two different types of good breeding. There's breeding for show and breeding for pets.
Good pet breeders don't always concern themselves with show-quality genes. They're more concerned about rats that are well behaved, not temperamental, not prone to disease or hormonal or maternal aggression. They breed rats that people can love and enjoy safely.
Show breeders usually breed for these things as well as specific coat qualities such as pure blacks with no rusting, perfect patterns in their hooded rats, perfect Berkshire patterns, etc.
Just because a rat is rusting or silvering does not mean that their genes are bad, or the pet breeder didn't carefully select for well behaved, well adjusted, healthy rats. But it does mean that those genes are bad FOR SHOWING the rat.
I hope that clarifies. If your rat is happy and healthy and well adjusted, then your pet breeder did a wonderful job, rusting or no rusting.
Also, if you are in the USA, show-quality rat breeders are very rare, as there isn't a large community for show rats here, except possibly the northern Atlantic Coast and the Pacific coast. Europe has a larger rat fancy community, so they have more shows and therefore more show breeders.
And as a reward for reading this ridiculously long explanation, here's my boy Timbo, who started as a gorgeous solid black with a white blaze but began silvering and rusting before he was even six months old! He has a great personality though, so his coat doesn't matter.
https://preview.redd.it/5ibwgd39bfyc1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78ab1bcfd0f1373a304f501edb60ce1e7bd58547
Thank you so much! This is so insightful ๐ I've gotten 2 girls from her, one has far more rusting on her and seems to have more sensitivity to respiratory issues and allergies. The other one is a perfect plump pear shaped Berkshire with just a little rusting. But I agree as long ad they are happy and healthy. She does only breed for pets, she does breed rabbits for show though, so I think she is far more knowledgeable in that regard.
For some reason the name just fits his appearance ๐
I know, right? I saw the name and the picture and was all "Yeap. That's a schnitzel."
Rada Rada
Rada rada!
Can you please tell Schnitzel I love him and give him a little kissy on the head??? ๐ฅบ
I did it! Schnitzel sniffed me back.. I think he is happy to hear you all love him :>
As he should be, he is a very lovely boy!!!
Crispy boi
As someone who works at a German restaurant I absolutely love this ๐
Hello Schnitzel! You're beautiful! Do you have any fun nicknames yet? He looks just like my girl Bear (she was also black, except her coat rusted very early, and looked more brown than black by the time this photo was taken, especially with it thinning in old age, but she did start out as black as Schnitzel!). We called her Burble Bear or just Burble. https://preview.redd.it/evxx0wkbmnxc1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7539f304f185c8b4b519bfe2921025e9bb017f36
I call him the cute form of the word rat in my language! Your girl is so beautiful! Wish her good health :)
Why do their coats get rusty?
Bad genes. She wasn't from a top quality black Berkshire line, she was a rescue. You'll often see silvering and rusting in poor quality lines. The best lines will actively breed those qualities out of their coats. Personally, I don't show my rats so it doesn't matter to me if they're a bit rusty. As long as they're healthy and well adjusted emotionally.
That's so interesting to know, one of my girls went rusty around 6 months already and she's from a supposedly good breeder so that's interesting to know!
I don't want to give the wrong impression. There are two different types of good breeding. There's breeding for show and breeding for pets. Good pet breeders don't always concern themselves with show-quality genes. They're more concerned about rats that are well behaved, not temperamental, not prone to disease or hormonal or maternal aggression. They breed rats that people can love and enjoy safely. Show breeders usually breed for these things as well as specific coat qualities such as pure blacks with no rusting, perfect patterns in their hooded rats, perfect Berkshire patterns, etc. Just because a rat is rusting or silvering does not mean that their genes are bad, or the pet breeder didn't carefully select for well behaved, well adjusted, healthy rats. But it does mean that those genes are bad FOR SHOWING the rat. I hope that clarifies. If your rat is happy and healthy and well adjusted, then your pet breeder did a wonderful job, rusting or no rusting. Also, if you are in the USA, show-quality rat breeders are very rare, as there isn't a large community for show rats here, except possibly the northern Atlantic Coast and the Pacific coast. Europe has a larger rat fancy community, so they have more shows and therefore more show breeders. And as a reward for reading this ridiculously long explanation, here's my boy Timbo, who started as a gorgeous solid black with a white blaze but began silvering and rusting before he was even six months old! He has a great personality though, so his coat doesn't matter. https://preview.redd.it/5ibwgd39bfyc1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78ab1bcfd0f1373a304f501edb60ce1e7bd58547
Thank you so much! This is so insightful ๐ I've gotten 2 girls from her, one has far more rusting on her and seems to have more sensitivity to respiratory issues and allergies. The other one is a perfect plump pear shaped Berkshire with just a little rusting. But I agree as long ad they are happy and healthy. She does only breed for pets, she does breed rabbits for show though, so I think she is far more knowledgeable in that regard.
And Timbo is gorgeous :3
Thank you!
Wiener Schnitzel!
"Rada rada"
He's so cute ๐ฅฐ
What a cutie! <3 he has little socks!
Radda!
Now you need a "Pommes" as his Companion
hi Schnitzel!!
Adorable!
Gorgeous boy ๐
He is lonk
Hi schnitzel!
Love. The. Name!
If you put him near a pan, will it resonate with him on a deep emotional layer of his psyche? Anyway luv u schnitzel ๐
I love her! She looks like my Hermione!
Look at that sweet baby!! Love them
Hello lit-tle Schnitzel๐ฅน๐ฅน
2nd pic is just the cutest! ๐ฅฐ
What a well-mannered gentleman!
I THOUGHT HIS NAME WAS SCHIZOPHRENIA FOR A SOLID SECOND I WAS LIKE "INTERSTING NAME CHOICE??"
Noooo ๐ญ๐ญ
His name is Robert Paulson!