Rats are extraordinary animals. They appeared on Earth long before man - approximately 47-48 million years ago. The attitude to these animals is polarly different: some are terribly afraid of these rodents, while others admire their beauty and ingenuity.
In any case, such an unusual animal deserves attention. And specifically, one of the species today in the center of discussion is the blue rat.
Description
This living creature is considered an aristocrat among its own kind, and this is no accident. Unusual color - that's what made the animal so popular.
The rat has an even coat color along its entire length, and the main "highlight" in its color is the bluish undercoat, which gives this unusual shade of rat coat. The paws of the animal also correspond to the overall color of the undercoat. But the stomach can be one of three colors: silver, white or gray.
Decorative blue rats do not differ from their counterparts in size - the average female rat weighs about 300-400 grams, reaching 39-45 cm in size with its tail. The tail itself is 15-20 cm.
The blue rat reaches maturity at the age of 1.5 years, but is ready for breeding at 4 months.
Behavior, nature and lifestyle
Decorative rats are very kind animals. They are closely attached to their master. If the animal is taken at an early age, then the rat can safely travel on the shoulder of the owner, even in open space.
Often rats spend most of their time outside the cage. However, one should be careful - rodents like to spoil the various available things.
The nature of the rats may vary, but overall they are very affectionate and loving animals. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of them - their activities can be envied.
Rats are also considered one of the most intelligent animals. That is why rats are chosen as experimental in laboratories. The animal easily remembers its nickname and responds to it, and also lends itself to training with ease.
How to communicate with the animal?
The blue rat does not tolerate loneliness, because often they often start a couple of animals at once. However, if there is no possibility or desire to get two or three pets, then one animal needs to be paid a lot of attention and not to be kept in a cage for a long time, because rats are curious. On average, a rat needs at least one hour of communication per day.
In this regard, rats are very similar to dogs - they are more than other animals in need of care and attention of humans.
Nutrition
Since the domesticated blue rat is a rodent, this must be taken into account when choosing a diet. One store feed for the full health of the animal is not enough. In the diet of the animal, it is necessary to include products such as, for example, boiled meat. This product must be well boiled and fat separated. The meat must be cut into small pieces.
You can also give cereal, but it is better to give priority to loose cereal. You can give semolina in small quantities, but be careful - the blue rat can easily choke on viscous porridge, and to help the animal, you need to know a special technique that is not so easy to learn. Therefore, be careful when feeding porridges.
It is also allowed to give raw meat, but infrequently and in small quantities. Also, it will not be superfluous to feed the rat well-cooked kidneys, liver or heart from time to time. It is necessary to make boiled egg white 1-2 times a week in the diet.
Also do not forget about various plants. For example, in summer, an animal can be given flowers and leaves of dandelion, plantain, chamomile and branches of fruit trees (which will help the rat grind his teeth). Also for the same purpose, pine nuts and chicken bones are added to the diet.
Shop Feed Selection
When choosing store feed, you should pay attention to the fact that it includes:
- barley;
- wheat;
- millet;
- oats.
In addition, the choice of food depends on the age of the animal. So, young rats are well suited for such "fatty" foods as Little One, etc. But for older animals, fatty foods need to be "diluted" with simpler grain formulations, for example, "Zverushki" food.
Do not save on your animal - do not buy too cheap food, in which only 2-3 cereal crops are mixed.
Life span
Blue rat how many lives? The life expectancy of these animals does not differ from the life of their brethren - it equals approximately 2-3 years, although long-livers are also found.
In general, the life span of a rat depends on proper nutrition. It is necessary to pay special attention to prevent obesity or excessive thinness of the animal.
Also, the life span of an animal depends on its activity. Rats, which are constantly kept exclusively in a cage, live much less than their counterparts.
Unfortunately, such cute animals are prone to various diseases, but the saddest thing is that oncology is the most common "rat" disease. It manifests itself in tumors, the mammary glands are most at risk. It was noted that by age almost every animal was ill with oncology. Many of the rats die precisely from this disease.
The veterinarian will help to cope with these ailments. The necessary course of drugs, regular treatment and observation by a specialist will help at least ease, or even completely cure oncology. Therefore, at the first signs of the disease (the presence of small tumors), you must consult a veterinarian.
Now you are fully aware what kind of animal this is - a blue rat. And with confidence you can decide whether it is worth having a pet or it is better to hold off. The blue rat (photos of which are presented above) will be an excellent pet and also a member of the family.