This article is from the WSSF 2017 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

By Karen Robbins

Jerry Mccain, FL, Facebook
Q I have a wild rat I have been nursing. I want to know what color the belly should be—it has a white belly. What kind of wild rat do I have? Is it possible to have a wild and domestic mix? It came from Daytona Beach.

A In the photo you sent it has really big ears and large eyes which the Rattus rattus have. Don’t know what kind of wild rats are the norm for your state. Agouti (which is the normal color of most all wild rats) have a naturally lighter belly color and may look white depending on the species. You could try contacting the local animal authorities to see what kind of wild rats are common in your state.

As far as wild and domestic being able to interbreed, unless it is a wild Rattus norvegicus (same species as the domestics), then no, they can’t breed together and produce kids.

Note: Any wild rodents a person brings in for any reason needs to be medicated, treated for parasites, quarantined, and tested as they can bring in infectious diseases to your pet stock or yourself.

Back to top