Fancy Rat

Coat and looks how to spot one

Short and smooth as standard; also rex, velveteen, satin, harley, bristle and hairless coats, plus dumbo-eared and tailless (Manx) body types

A long, athletic body with a fairly deep chest and arched loin, big bright eyes, wide-set rounded ears and a tail that is thick at the base and narrows to a fine tip, about as long as the body. The standard coat is short and glossy, a bit coarser in males and softer in females. Rex rats have curly fur and even curly whiskers, satins have an extra sheen, and dumbo rats carry large round ears set low on the sides of the head.461

Personality what they are like

Fancy rats are friendly, inquisitive animals that tend to form strong bonds with their owners and will often come looking for them when allowed to roam. They are bigger and steadier in the hand than most small rodents, which makes them easier to hold, and they pick up training quickly thanks to a good memory and sharp focus. Show standards ask for rats that are calm and easy to handle.156

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Busy, active animals that are most lively around dusk and at night. They need daily time out of the cage in a safe, supervised space, plus climbing, exploring, foraging games and training sessions to keep body and mind occupied.578

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Rats groom themselves and each other, so little hands-on grooming is needed. Spot-clean the cage often, change bedding regularly, check water bottles twice a day and handle the rats gently every day so they stay used to people.85

Home where they are happiest

A cage that is as large as possible, with several levels, platforms, ladders, ropes, hammocks, tunnels and shelters to climb and hide in. Use dust-free bedding such as non-aspen wood chips, cellulose chips or shredded paper. Keep the room around 19-23 C, away from bright light and heat, since rats sleep much of the day.73

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete rat pellet or nugget as the base (not food made for rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters), topped up with small amounts of vegetables, fruit, cooked egg, grains and seeds counted as part of the daily ration. Fatty and sugary foods are for training treats only. Fresh water from bottles at all times, and scattering food encourages natural foraging.8

Company who they like around

Highly social and should never live alone. Keep them in same-sex pairs or small groups, or as a neutered mixed pair, and give them plenty of daily contact with their people.51

The story where it all began

In 18th and 19th century Europe, rat-catchers trapped wild brown rats, many of them sold for the cruel sport of rat-baiting. Some catchers began keeping the unusually coloured ones instead. Jack Black, who called himself rat-catcher to Queen Victoria, tamed the prettier rats, dressed them up with ribbons and sold them as pets, and he and London publican Jimmy Shaw are credited with starting many of today's colour varieties. The rat fancy became official on 24 October 1901, when Mary Douglas won Best in Show with a black and white hooded rat at a National Mouse Club show in Aylesbury. The National Mouse and Rat Club ran rat classes from 1912, but interest faded after Douglas died in 1921. The hobby came back in 1976 with the founding of the National Fancy Rat Society in England, and the American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association followed in 1983. Breeders have since added new varieties, including dwarf rats, which came from laboratory Sprague-Dawley lines in the 1970s.1910

Recognised by the official bits

National Fancy Rat Society (UK)

British society founded in 1976 to promote rats as pets and show animals; welcomes both breeders and pet keepers.9

American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association (AFRMA)

Non-profit founded in 1983 in Southern California. Its standard recognises seven varieties (Standard, Rex, Tailless, Hairless, Satin, Dumbo, Bristle Coat) and about 40 colours grouped in six sections: Self, AOC, AOCP, Silvered, Marked and Odd-eye.4

National Mouse and Rat Club (historic, UK)

Organised the rat fancy formally from 1912 until around 1929-1931.1