This article is from the WSSF 2005 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

By Karen Robbins

Rhea Stevens, e-mail
Q I have been a rat lover for many a year—bred them on and off since college. Anyway, I recently heard about the new varieties and lucked into a female (she looks white, but is actually a Hooded without the stripe of color and is of an extremely light color with dark ruby eyes. They called her albino but she isn’t) and a Blue male. She had young recently, of which one is something I have never seen before. One has the markings found on a Papillon dog: white nose band, white blaze, white chin, white neck, but symmetrical color over ears and eyes, then random spots down back/sides (about 6 largish ones). The parents come from a litter that had Hairless so I am not sure it has hair yet or not. The babies are about 10 days old. What do you think? After so many years of wanting something new, I am very excited.

Pam Johnston, Columbus, OH
Q I am curious about one of my rats. His name is Donald and he has the pattern of a Hooded rat, but it is reversed. Instead of the head having a Black Hood, it is white and the band/stripe that runs down the middle of his back is a wide Black band/stripe and the rest of his body is white. Could he be a Reverse Hooded rat? Have you seen anything like this before? I have enclosed some photos of Donald. Sorry they are blurry. Will Donald be a famous rattie now?

“Donald” a Capped-Stripe without any head markings. Owned by and photo from Pam Johnston.

A In answer to the first question, sounds like what we call “Capped-Stripe” with the addition of a blaze on their face causing “Dutch” head markings. Most Capped-Stripes have a solid strip of color down their spine area but can come spotted and with or without head markings.

In answer to the second question, he is a Capped-Stripe but without any head markings.

This rat fits the description of the first question. This is a type of “Capped-Stripe” but with a Blaze on the face to just give “Dutch” head markings and a broken up spine marking. Rat owned by Carissa Cosley.

This is a Capped-Stripe but has a Blaze as well giving her “Dutch” head markings. Rat owned and bred by Lorryta Bowker.

This is a Capped-Stripe but without any head markings. Rat owned by Nancy Ferris.

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