What does a pet rat look like? - briefly
A domesticated rat usually has a smooth, fur‑covered body 7–10 inches long, a pointed snout, round ears, and a long, hairless tail about the same length as its body. Its coat may be white, black, brown, or spotted, and its dark eyes are glossy and alert.
What does a pet rat look like? - in detail
Pet rats are small mammals, typically measuring 7–10 inches (18–25 cm) from nose to the base of the tail, with tails adding another 5–7 inches (13–18 cm). Adult weight ranges from 300 to 500 g, depending on sex, age, and strain.
The body is compact, covered in dense fur that varies in texture and pattern. Common coat types include:
- Standard short‑hair: smooth, glossy coat, most frequent in laboratory and commercial lines.
- Rex: curly, plush fur that feels like a soft blanket.
- Satin: glossy, slightly longer hair with a sheen.
- Hairless (nude): minimal fur, exposing thin skin with visible blood vessels.
- Mink and Himalayan: darker dorsal coloration with a lighter ventral side, often with a sheen.
Coloration spans a wide spectrum: albino (pink‑eyed white), black, brown, agouti (mixed brown and black), blue, beige, and patterned varieties such as hooded, blaze, or belted. Pigmentation is genetically determined and may include markings like a white mask or a white stripe along the spine.
Facial features include small, rounded ears positioned low on the head, each covered by a thin layer of skin and sparse hair. Eyes are large relative to skull size, usually dark brown, but albinos have red or pink eyes due to lack of pigment. Whiskers are long, stiff tactile hairs extending from the snout and cheeks, essential for navigation in tight spaces.
Limbs consist of four toes on each fore‑paw and five on each hind‑paw, equipped with sharp, curved claws for climbing and digging. The paws are hairless, revealing pink or gray skin that may darken with age. The tail is hairless, cylindrical, and semi‑flexible, serving as a balance organ and a thermoregulatory surface.
Dental anatomy features continuously growing incisors, white enamel at the front and orange‑pigmented root visible near the gum line. Teeth self‑sharpen through gnawing, a behavior essential for dental health.
Overall, a domesticated rat presents a sleek, muscular silhouette, a proportionally long tail, and a variety of fur textures and colors that distinguish individual strains and breeding lines.