They look very similar other than color.
2007-11-23 10:59:48 · 9 answers · asked by sparky8786 3 in Pets ➔ Rodents
They are very similar because your pet rat is decended from the wild Norway Rat, also known as the Brown Rat of the same scientific name, "rattus Norvegicus". Yes, they can breed.
Wild rat, Agouti coloration:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Rat_wild.jpg
Domestic rat, Agouti coloration:
http://www.altpet.net/rodents/rats/images/wylde1.jpg
There are some people on my other pet rat forums who have these Hybrid rats, intentionally or unintentionally, but we try to discourage this type of breeding because reports come back that the babies retain all of their wild instincts and make nervous, jumpy, bitey, non-pets.
Rattus Norvegicus (Brown Rat, wild or domestic) *can* breed with rattus Rattus (Black Rat, wild), but because they are two different species the babies have never been viable. There is a lady on one of my rat forums who took in a litter of wild baby rats to raise and keep as pets. She thought she had rattus Norvegicus, and that they were all males. As they got older she found they were rattus Rattus, and all females. Her domestic rattus Norvegicus mated with two of them. Genetically the two species are too different and the babies were reabsorbed, still-born, or died within the hour of birth.
rattus Rattus look more mouse-like compared to the hefty build of rattus Norvegicus:
http://www.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/idc/groups/public/documents/presentation/jcudev_008406~2.3.jpg
Edit:
Wild or domestic, you can't get rabies from a rat. They are what is referred to as "terminal vectors". Wild rats do carry diseases that our pet rats don't.
spazrats
"my life has gone to the Rats"
2007-11-23 11:18:27 · answer #1 · answered by spazrats 6 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Wild Rat
2016-09-30 00:36:07 · answer #2 · answered by ronhaar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could but you are risking so much of your rats health. Disease is one of them of course, then the wild one might kill her. There's no different look from a pet rat to a wild one, if you want that the just let her get dirty [sarcasm] but there is no difference between the look of a pet and wild one except one is healthier and cleaner. Also the offspring will be horrible, bad temperament,disease, and they really won't be able to live the best life they can because of disease and whatnot which should be the goal of any breeder.
2016-05-25 03:39:29 · answer #3 · answered by susanna 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on where you live. West coast, California and beyond has mostly rattus rattus as our wild rats. East coast and midwest has mostly rattus norvegicus as wild rats.
If you are on the west coast of the U.S. then no, they will not have live offspring. If your wild rat is rattus norvegicus, that is the same species as the fancy rat, and they can breed, although I don't recommend it. You have no control over inheritable health issues, specific health issues (virus, etc.) or inherited temperament. You are likely to get aggressive, non-people friendly babies, which are really hard to find homes for. Please don't let this happen! If there was an uh-oh litter, just socialize the babies the best you can, handling them every day to get them used to people. Good luck!
2007-11-23 11:29:53 · answer #4 · answered by Kinder/1st grade teacher 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they are the same species.
But don't do it. Pet rats are selectively bred to be tame. What would you do with up to 16 babies. I hope this is just a hypothetical question?
2007-11-23 11:02:03 · answer #5 · answered by insomnia c 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A rat is a rat,anyway you look at it.
2007-11-23 11:08:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes they can but go to a website and follow the instructions.
2007-11-23 11:02:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
of course just be careful and have tests done (no rabies, disease , etc)
haha =) best of luck.
2007-11-23 11:01:53 · answer #8 · answered by autumn x 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
lol
2007-11-23 11:10:05 · answer #9 · answered by jasmine d 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋