Types of fancy rats

There are many "types" of fancy rats - different colours, different coat types, even rats with different ears, no hair, or tailless rats. Because our laws do not allow rats to be brought into Australia, some of these types are found only overseas. Australia has developed a unique type of fancy rat, known as the "Downunder" rat. Although we cannot import rats, we can export them, so Downunder rats are now found throughout the world, including the USA, UK and parts of Europe.

Currently, breeders across Australia are working to introduce new colours and coat types. the Downunder rat has only been around for a few years. Blazed, blue and blue agouti rats did not exist in Australia until early this year when they were discovered in Queensland. Dalmation and rexed rats are still "in the pipeline". Dumbo rats (rats with large ears, set low on the head) come from mutations, and will probably never turn up in Australia unless the import laws are changed. Other colours such as Chocolate, Siamese, Himalayan, Platinum, Chocolate, Husky and Pearl are all available in other countries, but not in Australia. While most Australian breeders would love to breed these colours, there are devastating diseases in the UK and USA that may be introduced if these new colours were ever to come to Australia.

Below is a list of the colours and coat types found in Australia at the moment. Some of these colours are shown in the photographs at left - they are highlighted in yellow.


Solid colours

Description

Mink

Soft grey.

Black

Jet black.

Pink-eyed white

Pure white, with pink eyes. Often mistaken for albino.

Champagne

Soft cream/off white.

Dove

Very pale grey.

Blue

Soft pale blue.

Powder blue

Pale brown/blue.
 

Flecked colours

Agouti

Flecked brown ("wild" colouring). Mixture of brown, black, red

Cinnamon

Agouti with more red throughout the coat

Blue agouti

Agouti with distinct blue colouring

Argente

Tan/orange agouti with grey undercoat

Fawn

Orange agouti with cream undercoat
   

Silvered

Any of the above colours, with silver tipping on hairs

 

Markings

Self

Coat is all one colour, no white markings

Hooded

Body white, head, shoulders and stripe down spine coloured

Bareback

Like hooded but with no stripe

Variegated

Like hooded but with spots rather than a solid stripe

Dalmation

Like hooded but with spotting over most of body

Berkshire

Solid colour, white belly

Irish

Solid colour, white triangle on chest

Blazed

White stripe along nose, to between the ears

Downunder (DU)

Like hooded but with stripe on belly also (hence "downunder")

DU Berkshire

Solid colour, with stripe down either side of belly

DU Spotted

Like DU, but with spots rather than back and belly stripes
 

Coat types

Normal

Straight coat

Rexed

Curly coat & whiskers

Satin

Extra long guard hairs, extremely soft and silky coat

Hairless

No hair