Dumbo rat: photo, distinctive features, care and maintenance at home

People who have never had a decorative rat do not suspect how affectionate, intelligent and sympathetic creatures they are. These smart, sociable pets are a great alternative to popular dogs and cats. Fluffy rodents occupy a minimum of space in urban environments and do not require difficult specific care and expensive feed.

There are several breed varieties of domestic rats that differ in body size, color, length and quality of wool, the presence of a tail and coat, thanks to which you can choose a pet to your liking, taking into account your color and species preferences.

One of the youngest and most popular breed varieties is the Dumbo rat, which has won love and recognition all over the world for its friendly character and funny appearance. Before acquiring pups of this breed, it is advisable to learn everything about dumbo rats, to understand the intricacies of caring for and keeping these wonderful animals.

Breed description

The Dumbo rat differs from the usual ornamental rat of the standard breed by low-set rounded ears, the larger the ears, the more valuable this breed specimen. The name of the breed was given by the cute baby elephant Dumbo, beloved by children all over the world, a Disney cartoon character known for its huge round ears. Another smartest and cutest cartoon character of this film studio, the Ratatouille rat, is a representative of the decorative Dumbo rat.

Breeding history and appearance

Dumbo rats look very funny and touching thanks to their large and disproportionate ears for a small head, causing tenderness in most people. Small children especially love this breed for its attractive appearance.

The dumbo rat can be found with two varieties of cute ears: flat, rounded ears, resembling saucers, or slightly curled and pointed, like a half-open tulip bud with a curved petal, the point is slightly pronounced. When you press the last version of the ear from behind, the auricle opens and you can see the correct rounded outlines of the ear; dumbo rats with this type of ear are common in European countries.

The breed of decorative Dumbo rat was bred in the laboratory by American scientists in 1991 in California, and cute rodents came to Russia only 10 years later.

Despite the popularity of eared pets, it is quite difficult to find domestic rats with pronounced breed characteristics. The “large ears” gene is recessive, therefore, not every animal from rat droppings manifests itself, even if the parents have especially large rounded ears. Animals of an eared breed without distinctive species characteristics are still considered decorative dumbo rats and can bring charming babies with luxurious round ears.

The body length of the animals of this breed variety does not differ from the standard parameters: males grow to a size of 18-20 cm and weigh 250-500 g, females reach 15-18 cm with a weight of 250-400 g. Rodents have a more pear-shaped short body compared to ordinary ornamental rats, the lower part is more expanded than the standard breed. In animals of the Dumbo breed, a standard physique is allowed, as in ordinary domestic rodents.

The skull of the dambo variety is flatter and broader than that of other ornamental rat species with a relatively pointed muzzle. The back of the head protrudes slightly, but does not create the impression of a hunchback, the eyes are large, rounded, located on both sides of the head. Dumbo rodents are characterized by having a longer tail than the average standard domestic rat.

The nature and duration of life

The character of Dumbo rats is very friendly, affectionate and trusting animals quickly get used to the owners, remember the nickname and are easy to train.

Young rats of this breed are more active than their relatives, they love fun outdoor games with humans and other rodents, older individuals love to lie on their knees or sit on the shoulder of their beloved owner. This breed is characterized by thorough cleanliness, animals monitor their cleanliness and are well accustomed to the tray.

The life expectancy of this breed of rodents is an average of 2-3 years.

The duration of how many Dumbo rats live at home directly depends on the quality of the conditions of detention and feeding. With decent care, timely treatment of rat diseases, as well as feeding a balanced diet of proteins and fats using green fodder, vegetables, fruits and vitamins, the life of pets is extended to 4-5 years.

Colors

The color of animals of this breed variety, as well as the length and quality of the coat within the species, can vary greatly. Most often there are individuals with short velvety straight hair in gray, white, black and chocolate. Rare colors of dambo rats are Siamese, amber, topaz, mosaic (tricolor).

Amazingly beautiful blue mink Dumbo rat. You can find it only from large breeders at a cost that is high enough for decorative rats.

By crossing rodents of the pedigree variety of Dumbo with decorative rats of other breeds, scientists managed to obtain new subspecies that deserve the attention of amateur rat breeders.

Rat Dumbo Rex

The coat of animals of this breed is thicker, longer and wavy than that of an ordinary dumbo rat, the whiskers are also slightly twisted. The combination of curly rough Rex fur and round big Dumbo ears give these rats a fun and funny look, furry babies are called “curly and lop-eared”.

Rat Dumbo Sphinx

Rats of this subspecies are completely devoid of hair. As with sphinxes, sparse vegetation is allowed on the back, head and legs. Whiskers absent or short, slightly curled upwards. Touching huge ears and bare folded skin cause tenderness and awe in relation to these rodents. The lack of coat of this breed is an advantage for people who are allergic to pet hair. Hairless skin color can be pink, blue, white, black.

Rat Dumbo Siamese

A distinctive feature of the animals of this breed is the specific color of the coat, reminiscent of the color of the famous Siamese cats: the dark muzzle and paws contrast with the light body of the rodent. Siamese dambo rats are wayward and often aggressive in nature, this feature must be taken into account by parents of young children. The gene for the Siamese color is recessive, so the offspring may not have a characteristic coat color and be only a carrier of the gene.

Rat Dumbo Husky

A rare and surprisingly beautiful breed variety, rodents are called chameleon rats. Small Dumbo Husky rats are born in the usual standard color: gray, black, brown, but with age, the main color is diluted with snow-white hairs, turning.

All breed varieties of dumbo rats have characteristic large ears, the choice of breed depends on the tastes and preferences of the future pet owner.

Features of the care and maintenance of the Dumbo rat

Dambiks are unpretentious, cheerful pets that require a minimum of space and cost to keep, and all the efforts of the owner are more than paid off by the boundless trust and gentle caress of a tame animal. There are several features of the maintenance and care of cute eared babies.

Cell

A small pet needs to purchase a wire cage 60x40x60 cm in size from a pet store with a maximum distance between the bars of 1-1,2 cm. A cage for a dumbo rat should have a solid bottom, a high plastic tray, wide doors and shelves.

To absorb the specific rat smell, corn or wood filler is bought simultaneously with the dwelling for the rodent. Some owners use napkins, toilet paper and sawdust for this purpose. The fluffy rodent’s cage should be equipped with hanging metal bowls for dry food and a convenient nipple drinker. The rats eat treats and liquid food from small ceramic bowls.

For a young pet, to create comfort, it is advisable to put a house inside the cage, rats love to hide and sleep in it. A favorite accessory for decorative rats is a cozy warm hammock, in which adults spend most of their time with pleasure. Ladders, tunnels and ropes can be purchased and installed in the cage for entertainment and the necessary exercise for the pet. Dumbo rats choose one corner of their dwelling to relieve themselves, in this place you can put a tray with filler. A smart pet will quickly figure out what it is intended for.

Microclimate

A cage with a small animal should be installed in a dry, warm room at a height of 1-1,5 from the floor, away from sources of bright light and electromagnetic radiation. A furry friend must be protected from drafts, overheating and cooling, sharp sounds, obsessive attention from other pets and household members. From the cage, it is necessary to remove food residues, spent filler daily, and change the water. Twice a week, the rodent’s dwelling is disinfected with special disinfectant solutions.

Hygiene

Dumbo rats wash and cleanse themselves daily, but if necessary, the owner must bathe the funny animal in warm water using special shampoos. Trimming of small claws is also a regular procedure.

Reproduction

For breeding rodents of the Dumbo breed, it is necessary to select a healthy pair with pronounced species characteristics: a pear-shaped short body with a long tail, a wide flat head with large round ears. It is desirable to knit a female for the first time at the age of 5-7 months. Dumbo rat walks pregnant for 21-23 days and brings an average of 9-12 charming babies. Dumbo rats are born blind and deaf with a naked body, large rounded ears may not be present in all newborns from the litter.

Babies develop very quickly, at 4 days they begin to hear, at 12 days small eyes open. At the age of two weeks, rat babies begin to actively communicate with humans and learn about the world around them.

Games and training

The owner of a dambo rat needs to know that a smart rodent is a social animal, the pet morally needs to communicate with relatives and humans. Frequent outdoor games with a sociable animal, affectionate stroking and kissing contribute to the rapid emergence of precious trust and quivering love between a decorative rat and a person. Smart rodents easily master simple tricks, bring small objects, find treats, jump over barriers, animal training brings pleasure and pleasant emotions to the pet and the owner at the same time.

What to feed a Dumbo Rat

Dumbo rats eat almost any food, but, unlike wild relatives, domestic rodents are prone to allergies and digestive disorders, so it is advisable to follow the generally accepted norms for feeding ornamental rats when feeding a pet. The dambik diet includes:

• dry grain feed with the addition of pumpkin and flax sunflower seeds;
• proteins and calcium sources – boiled and raw chicken and fish meat, cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir;
• greens – wheat germ, oats, parsley, dandelion leaves, dill;
• vegetables, fruits, berries, dried fruits.

Forbidden to eat: sweets, alcohol, cheeses, sausages, spinach, white cabbage, green bananas, sprouted potatoes, spicy fried meat.

Choosing a name for the Dumbo Rat

The owners are trying to give the young smart kid Dumbo a deep and meaningful nickname in the hope that the name of the animal will be able to influence the character and intelligence of the funny animal. Sometimes it can be difficult to immediately name a pet with a suitable name that emphasizes its individuality and expresses the owner’s love.

It is advisable to take a closer look at the habits and character traits of a new family member for several days, most likely, he himself will tell the owner what to call him. The nickname of a fluffy baby can be tied to the color of the rodent and funny ears, human associations from the appearance and funny faces of the pet, favorite characters from books and cartoons or pop stars. The name of the rodent should be simple and easy to pronounce in a diminutive form. It is believed that females respond better to nicknames that begin with the letters K, M and D. Males are more fond of names with the letters C, K, M and D, eared pets are more willing to get used to nicknames with the letters T, N, L, M, K , S, W and R.

The name for a girl dumbo rat can be: Knopa, Scully, Masya, Dana, Molly, Ksyusha, Martha, Alice, Dasha, Klava, Matilda, Gina, Darcy, Alpha, Kayla, Linda.

The name for a boy’s dumbo rat can be: Kuzya, Tyson, Tim, Rocky, Simson, Garik, Steve, Venya, Bucks, Rocky, Dick.

It does not matter how the owner calls the eared smart baby. In any case, the Dumbo Rat will sincerely adore and faithfully wait for its beloved owner, giving him his incredible tenderness and selfless love.

Video: Dumbo Rat