My husband decided to get a small, undemanding, smart animal. I bought this miracle for 200 rubles. at the pet store. We don’t know what the animal is called - the sellers found it difficult to answer. I googled the following information: Fuzz's mouse, fluffy rat, dwarf hairless rat, bald, hairless mouse. The animal lived for about 2 years - normal for a mouse, but a child will grieve from the loss.

I think this is a sphinx mouse. Lately Sphinxes are all the rage, so we finally got to the mice.

What can I say: it’s still better for mice to live in a field. They have no place in a city apartment (for your own good, he’s wonderful in the house). Before I had a mouse, all animals have a smell to some extent, but the mouse smell is suffocating, sweetish, not pleasant (then we got used to it). It is the animal's urine that smells, not the animal itself. At first he lived with us in a spacious large cage, spinning a large wheel (you have to spend your energy somewhere in a limited space). They gave him paper boxes and toilet paper - he built a house for himself and protected him from little people. That's all the joy of a mouse's life. Open cage stood on a chair, the mouse only ran along the edges of the chair (around the cage), did not run anywhere. But one day we were not at home for 3 days, we arrived and there was no mouse. Well, that's it, they thought he had gone to the neighbors. It rustled at night. So the mouse got a Moscow two-room apartment. He only went into the cage as if it were his personal chambers to drink, eat and sleep (sometimes). The animal is very active and it is simply vital for him to move; a cage for him is worse than death. If you tolerate odorous animals and really want to get a mouse, it is advisable for you to have LINOLEUM or TILES in your house, which can be easily and quickly wiped, and which do not absorb the smell. All other coatings are not an option. In the background active movement not scary poor nutrition, hypothermia and obesity. Caged housing is nonsense, the whole life of an animal is similar to a comatose state, only in relatively free conditions such small, intellectually ungifted animals at least somehow open up, become part of the family, and are interesting in communication. Why keep a vegetable in a smelly cage 20 by 20 cm, I don’t understand. The mouse’s lifestyle is chaotic (tends to be nocturnal), so in the evening you should not be lazy and catch something tasty, put it in the cage (it minces very loudly across the floor, disturbs sleep, maybe come to bed and touch your arms and legs with your nose, it’s cute, but very ticklish and scary, I pretend that I’m sleeping). It can bite until it bleeds out of fear or if you are very angry (for example, blocking the path), but sitting in your palms it has never bitten. Those. Unlike rats, he cannot control the force of his bite; he bites in with his teeth with all the mouse's strength. The food is varied, it drags everything from the table that doesn’t fit well (except for fish/meat, unlike rats). Doesn’t chew wiring and doesn’t spoil things (very, very rarely, fabric, paper). She can climb to heights - on dense fabric textures without any problems at all, onto chairs, and even into a buffet (I’ve never seen how), nevertheless she somehow manages. A wheel in a cage is a must! Preferably several of different diameters for variety. The mouse likes to spin different ones, sometimes more, sometimes less. A shelter house (a tea box is quite suitable, which you simply need to replace every 2 weeks) and ordinary cheap toilet paper without dye and fragrance as a building material for the mouse; he will chew it and wear it to insulate the house. You will also need sawdust, a drinking bowl with a ball at the end, and some ladders. The cage should preferably be of such a size that you can quickly and easily rinse the WHOLE part of it in the shower.

Thanks to selection, many species of domestic rats have been bred, differing in type, breed, disposition and character. Animals may differ in coat color, ear size, and build. There are odd-eyed, tailless or completely white. The selection became famous for creating a special hairless breed of domestic rodents, this breed was called the “Sphinx rat.”

Representatives of this breed do not have hair, but in some places almost imperceptible fluff predominates. Those sphinxes that are lucky enough to have mustaches cannot boast of their longness; the mustaches are short and quite sparse.

• The hairless Sphynx rat is hypoallergenic. Therefore, people who want to get such a pet, but are allergic to animal fur, do not have to worry about their health.
• The Sphynx rat has a good disposition, so breeders of this breed get a lot of positive emotions from interacting with their pets. Animals are pleasant to the touch and love to lie in the arms of their owner.
• Wonderful creatures quickly get used to their new home and quickly become attached to their owner. The animal prefers to watch the actions of household members from above, climbing onto the owner’s shoulder.

• Sphynxes love cleanliness, so the rat toilet needs to be cleaned and the bedding changed on time. Due to the lack of hair, representatives of this breed do not emit an unpleasant odor.
• Decorative animals are partial to bathing. Animals need to be washed warm water without the use of soap and shampoos.
• Science has proven that the Sphinx rat Dumbo is an intelligent animal; the pet will easily remember its name, the names of other pets and household members.
• The Sphinx is practically no different from the maintenance of ordinary individuals. The only difference is that hairless animals require a special room temperature. It should be from 22 to 30 degrees. If there are several animals in the cage, the temperature may be slightly lower.

What should a pet's cage be like?

Animal buyers are primarily interested in the cage. It should be spacious. It is better to give preference to plastic products. The cage must contain:

• drinking bowl,
• feeder,
• sports equipment so that the animal can frolic.

Read about how to choose the ideal cage for your rat.

pay attention! There should be no sharp objects in your pet's home, otherwise the rodent may get hurt.

It is necessary to ensure the cleanliness of the cage. It needs to be cleaned at least twice a week. Complete disinfection of the house should be carried out once a month. If the owners maintain hygiene, the animal will not have any health problems, and the skin will be clean and beautiful.

Care and maintenance of the Sphinx rat

The cage should have a special corner for sleeping. The sleeping place should be created from small rags and napkins. You can give the animal the opportunity to arrange a place to rest.

There should be no draft in the room where the cage is located. Humidity levels should not exceed 75-80%.

You cannot install a cage with a pet in the bathroom, kitchen, or near an aquarium.

Increased levels of humidity and evaporation can cause various diseases.

As bedding, you can use special cat litter or sawdust. It is prohibited to use softwood sawdust.

It is necessary to ensure that there is always fresh water in the drinking bowls, because the skin of hairless rats quickly evaporates moisture.

Sphynxes cannot maintain body temperature with the help of fur; to increase body temperature, these rodents begin to consume large amounts of food. Make sure that your pet has enough food in his cage during the cold season.

Once a month, the animal needs to trim its claws using sharp scissors or pruning shears. Otherwise, the animal will scratch not only itself, but also its owners, other pets, and damage the upholstery. Scratches on the delicate skin of the Sphinx can turn into purulent ulcers and cause numerous diseases.

Diet

The menu of ornamental animals should be varied, it should contain various grains, fruits, and vegetables. The animal's body requires protein, so they can be fed boiled lean meat or insects. You should feed your pet often, but little by little.

Rats periodically renew their front teeth. During this period, animals need to chew something. For this purpose, you can put a block of wood or regular bread crumbs without flavoring into the cage. The body of rodents needs to be enriched with minerals. To do this, you can buy chalk or mineral supplements for pets.

Diseases

Hairless creatures have poor health. Typical diseases of sphinxes are:

• tumors;
• skin diseases;
• kidney, heart, eye disease;
• anemia;
• bladder infection;
• diabetes.

Representatives of this breed often experience allergic reactions, so it is important to choose a high-quality litter and monitor the diet.

Breeding rules

Reproduction of sphinxes causes a lot of trouble. You need to know the basic rules of breeding:

1. the weight of the female at the time of mating must be at least 300 g;
2. male weight – at least 500 g;
3. the age of the female for the first mating is 6-8 months;
4. The age of the male for the first mating is from 8 months;
5. Adults preparing for mating must have impeccable health.

The female Sphinx is rarely able to feed her offspring on her own. The reason for this is the underdevelopment of the mammary glands. Those who breed Sphinxes buy an ordinary rat to feed their offspring.

How long do Sphynx rats live?

The hairless breed of rats lives no more than two years. But, if the owners pay due attention to the pet, treat it with love and care, then the rat can live up to three years.

Conclusion

Fertility of rats

“It has spread like rats” - we characterize any rapidly spreading phenomenon with such a colorful phrase. In terms of fertility and reproduction rate, these long-tailed, inconspicuous mammals are ahead of all animals living on our planet. Many people associate rats with unsanitary conditions and diseases, because they live in far from the most hygienic conditions: in garbage dumps, in gutters, in sewers and subway tunnels.

Habitats and offspring of rats

But their original habitats were tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia. Thanks to their extremely high adaptability, rats have spread throughout the globe. There are especially many rats in large cities, where their number is comparable to the population. It is estimated that there are two rats for every inhabitant of the planet.

These omnivorous and ubiquitous animals give birth up to 8 times a year, each time bringing from 9 to 20 cubs. Like rabbits, rats are ready for a new mating within 18 hours after birth. Their pregnancy lasts about 24 days. Rats are born naked, blind and deaf. During the first few days, females have to lick, feed and keep their babies warm around the clock. Upon reaching 30 days of age, the grown-up rat pups begin an independent life. They reach adult size by 11-12 months. And they reach puberty even earlier.

The harm and benefits of rats

Since ancient times, rats have caused people many problems. They cause great harm by eating food and feed supplies, rendering them unusable. various materials and mechanisms. These animals are natural carriers of such dangerous infections as plague, Q fever, rat typhus, salmonellosis, and icteric leptospirosis.

It was rats and their fleas that were the main culprits of several devastating plague epidemics. It is not surprising that people throughout their centuries-old history have been trying to exterminate rats or at least reduce their numbers. However, the habitat of these rodents continues to expand, and their populations are becoming higher every year. The reasons for this are the high reproductive potential of rats and increased resistance to poisons. Rats are considered the most resilient rodents on Earth.

However, they also bring some benefits. Rats have long been used as experimental animals in various medical and pharmaceutical research. And decorative rats are one of the best pets. They are smart, quick-witted, easy to tame, amenable to training and do not require special care.

The love for exotic species of pets haunts our compatriots. More recently, there was a real boom in hairless cats - you can read more about them, but now fans of the exotic have decorative hairless sphinx rats - absolutely devoid of fur - at home.

We invite you to learn about the peculiarities of keeping such unusual pets from our publication...

Benefits of keeping hairless rats

To start getting acquainted with them, we offer you the advantages of keeping hairless sphinx rats. Well, first of all, these are unusually sweet and responsive, tame creatures that constantly need your warmth (both literally and figuratively), care and attention. That's why,

They are ideal for the role of a pet for those who live alone, who have a lot of free time, and a lot of unspent affection and tenderness.

Also, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that these creatures are hypoallergenic and if you have previously been allergic to animals, and you have always denied yourself the pleasure of having a pet, you can succeed with a bald sphinx rat. In addition, this rodent has almost no odor, which is very important for clean owners. And, if you properly care for such a rat and regularly clean its cage, then nothing in your house will remind you that such an unusual rodent lives in your house. By the way,

scientists claim that one of the animals whose reactions and mental abilities are close to human reactions and mental abilities is the rat.

So, you have a unique opportunity to look at the world through the eyes of a similar creature...

Cost of sphinx rats

Depending on the type of hairless sphinx rat, its cost can range from 800 to 4000 Russian rubles. Thus, a Pet class sphinx rat can be purchased for 800-1000 Russian rubles, breed and show class rats can be purchased for 1000 or more Russian rubles. The cost is affected by the gender of the rodent, its age and the availability of documents.

Disadvantages of keeping Sphynx rats

As for the disadvantages of keeping such pets, this is a great responsibility for the life and health of such an unusual rodent, and also the fact that without your love and attention, your sphinx rat will get sick and may even die, therefore, you must be prepared for the fact that Every day you will need to arrange communication sessions with her. Also, keeping sphinx rats requires a more careful approach than keeping ordinary decorative rats covered with fur. Therefore, if you have not encountered such questions before, you may have difficulties.

And, although ordinary rats can live in any conditions and are considered one of the most unpretentious creatures, and they are not too picky when it comes to food, the same cannot be said about sphinx rats. They require optimal air temperatures, adherence to a daily routine, a more thorough approach to hygiene, as well as a lot of attention from their owner. We propose to dwell on these points in more detail.

Comfortable conditions for the sphinx rat

In order for your Sphynx rat to feel comfortable in your home, it needs to be in a room where the air temperature is at least 20 degrees above zero, but not higher than 30 degrees above zero. IN summer period From time to time, the rat should be hidden from the heat, and under no circumstances should the cage with it be placed in direct sunlight, since its skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays and the rat can burn...

The air in the room should also not be dry, but not too humid.

Sphinx rat cage

Otherwise, the requirements for a cage for keeping a sphinx rat meet the requirements for keeping ordinary decorative rats (read more about this). The only thing I would like to draw your attention to is that the cage is large and spacious, stands in a secluded corner where there are no sharp objects or drafts, and is not exposed to direct sunlight.

In order for your Sphynx to be comfortable in the cage, you can, in addition to the tray, food plates and toys, lay out napkins so that the rat can sleep in them and feel warm and comfortable.

Cleaning the Sphynx Rat's Cage

Since sphinx rats are cleaner and more capricious creatures, the cage needs to be cleaned more often. During cleaning, you must remove debris from the cage and wash and disinfect all surfaces. Disinfecting the cage will help you not only get rid of the rodent smell in your home, but will also prevent many. The main thing is that after cleaning and disinfecting the cage is well dried and ventilated before you introduce the rodent into it.

Caring for a Sphynx Rat

Sphynx rats have very sharp claws with which the rodent can scratch itself, and since hairless rats are at increased risk of injury, in order to prevent undesirable consequences, you will need to regularly trim its claws using small nail scissors, carefully cutting off the white part of the claw.

You should also pay special attention to caring for the skin of the sphinx rat; wipe it with a napkin soaked in water as brown secretions appear on it.

Today you can see many breeds of domestic rats in pet stores. Hairless rats deserve special attention. They attract people's attention due to their unusual appearance. Lack of fur means the need for especially careful care.

Owners of such animals should be very careful about rats. They need constant care, otherwise they may die. Quality nutrition is another important condition.

Distinctive features of the breed

First of all, it must be said that hairless rats are usually classified as the Sphynx breed. Here we can draw a parallel with another type of domestic animal - cats.

As you know, there is also a breed of cat that has the same name. These "cats" also have no hair.

Active breeding of rats has made it possible to develop a special breed that does not have hair. It is important to understand that the differences between such rats and other breeds lie not only in external signs, but also in character.

Character of the sphinxes

We can name some characteristic features of the character of hairless rats. Here we should note curiosity, a desire to play, and actively communicate with a person. At the same time, the absence of wool contributes to rapid taming. This is due to the fact that such rats need warmth. That is why they feel very comfortable in a person’s arms. They should not overcool or freeze. It is also important to wash your animals regularly.

Special care requirements

Since pet hairless rats do not have fur, they require special care. It can be noted that such animals are distinguished by their cleanliness, which is expressed in careful skin care.

However, it is important to help your pet in this matter. To do this, you need to bathe your pet regularly. It is best to accustom him to these procedures with early age.

It is also important to avoid drafts, direct sunlight, and severe hypothermia. Enough food will provide the rat with energy to heat its body.

Breeding such rats involves difficulties, since in most cases the mother does not have milk. Pregnancy is also difficult.

That is why, to obtain hairless rats, rodents are bred that are carriers of a special gene responsible for the absence of hair.