Litter planning - specific litters
In this section I will try to show the reasoning behind the litters that I plan here at Shunamite rats. Sometimes it has taken months of consideration and discussions before reaching the point where a litter is 'planned', so please view this as the tip of the iceberg.
Who?
Nezumi Wee beastie - diluted black probably carrying red eye. Dumbo carrier. DOB 28.05.08
Shunamite Tom's gold - topaz dumbo. DOB 23.05.07
When?
March 2009 onwards
What?
Expecting very exuberant, people friendly rats with gentle loving temperaments. Varieties should be agouti, possibly topaz, black and buff. Some dumbos.
Why?
This pairing has been chosen because these two rats are extremely similar in many respects. They are both quite representative of the positives of the tabi line, including sharing ancestors who have been generally long-lived. Both have very outgoing, relaxed, human orientated temperaments and are very active rats. I am aiming for this mating to help to fix these traits into the tabi line. Wee beastie in particular is neophilic and confident and comfortable in new situations. Physically, Tom is quite chubby, while Beastie is slender and extremly fit (a wheel runner). She has been allowed to grow slowly towards maturity. Tom has always been a soft squishy rat so I hope that Beastie will help to balance this. Beastie has good type, and a fairly nice head and eyes - Tom's head and eyes are better but he is a bit short in the body and tail. His dumbo ears are a bit pointed, while her mum has beautiful ears, so there is the possibility of improvement there too. Tom is Wee beastie's uncle on her maternal side.
Update 31.01.09
This mating will take place within the next couple of weeks. I have decided that since the youngest tabi line bucks are now over 19 months (including Tom), it is important not to wait to do the mating. Using bucks in old age has the disadvantage of increasing the number of mutations amongst the males sperm. This could potentially weaken any litter. So I feel that an earlier mating for the girls - who are now 8 months is preferable to a later mating for Tom.
Who?
Nezumi Pick me up - black dumbo carrier. DOB 28.05.08
Bailey's comet - cinnamon rex. DOB 23.06.07
Update 31.01.09
This mating will no longer take place. Pick me up has moments of being unpredicatable and over the top hyper, related to hormone cycles. She occasionally gets quite defensive. Her behaviour is similar at times to what I saw with Fission and Fusion, who both had polycystic ovarian disease when they were spayed.
Who?
Ratoon Gypsy's kiss - black dumbo. DOB ??.05.08
Shunamite Tom's gold - topaz dumbo. DOB 23.05.07
When?
March 2009 onwards
What?
I am expecting gentle, human seeking, outgoing temperaments. Cheerful rats without a trace of grumpiness. Again there will likely be a spread of intelligence as Gypsy is a little distracted in the brain department, while Tom is very much on the ball. Physically I am not really sure what to predict, they are two very different but related rats, so it may be a bit of a mixed bag, but I am hoping for some good, solid rats. Both are dumbos and the babies will be agouti dumbos, possibly black, topaz and buff.
Why?
This is an inbreed after an outcross. Lizzie did the outcross (her Kinta to my Hink), then she did a brother to sister mating on the outcross. Gypsy is from that litter. Her maternal and paternal grandfather is Tom's uncle. I am seeking to re-tabify the babies after the outcross. Physically Gypsy is a slender rat, especially for a female dumbo, so that is helpful to balance Tom's chunkiness. She has the added bonus of having lovely ears. Since the original outcross litter are still only 15 months old it is a little early to begin to judge how the outcross has affected the rats in terms of health and longecity. Currently the outcross litter babies are generally fit and well but only time will expose any problems.
Update 31.01.09
This mating took place 3 weeks ago, Gypsy is heavily pregnant and babies are due on the 1st/2nd February.
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