What do rat pups look like? - briefly
Newborn rats are hairless, pink‑skinned, with closed eyes, sealed ear canals, and a length of roughly 1–2 cm. Within two weeks they develop fur, open their eyes, and begin to display typical rodent features.
What do rat pups look like? - in detail
Newborn rats are tiny mammals, typically measuring 2–3 cm in head‑body length and weighing 1–3 g at birth. Their bodies are covered with a fine, downy coat that appears almost hairless to the naked eye; the fur is usually a pale gray or pinkish hue, lacking the darker adult coloration. The skin underneath the fur is translucent, allowing the underlying blood vessels to be faintly visible.
Eyes remain sealed for the first 10–14 days, rendering the pups completely blind. Ear pinnae are flat and undeveloped, lying flush against the head; auditory capacity does not emerge until around three weeks of age. The tail is short, smooth, and proportionally shorter than that of an adult, often appearing as a thin, flexible rod without the characteristic scaly texture.
Key physical characteristics include:
- Head: Rounded, with a smooth snout; the nasal openings are small and partially covered by soft tissue.
- Mouth: Open at birth, enabling suckling; incisors are present but not yet erupted.
- Limbs: Short and stubby; forelimbs and hindlimbs are proportionally similar, with paws bearing tiny, undeveloped claws.
- Vibrissae: Whiskers are absent or extremely short, developing later in the first week.
Developmental progression alters appearance markedly. By day 7, fur begins to darken, eyes start to open, and ear pinnae lift slightly. At two weeks, the coat becomes denser, coloration approaches the adult pattern, and the tail gains noticeable length and scaly texture. By the third week, the pups resemble miniature versions of adult rats, with fully functional sensory organs and clearer species‑specific markings.
These attributes are consistent across common laboratory strains such as Sprague‑Dawley and Wistar, though subtle variations in coat shade and size may occur depending on genetics and maternal nutrition.