Also try the NFRS standards page at
http://www.cableol.net/nfrs/nfrsvars.html
Another good site is
http://www.altpet.net/rodents/rats/rf03....
And yet another is the AFRMA site at
http://www.afrma.org/fancyrm.htm
And yet another is the NRC page at
http://www.ratz.co.uk/nrc/directns.htm
To see good examples of Dumbo rats visit AristoRats Rattery
http://hometown.aol.com/RistoRat/ARmain....
To see Husky rats check out the ones at Scarlet's
http://www.cybercomm.nl/~krilkoen/rats/p...
Behavioral
Bruxing - Tooth-grinding which is similar to purring in cats. Rats grind their teeth when relaxed and happy or very stressed. Frequently accompanied by a sort of eye-bulging, which can be scary when you first see it, but simply results from the vibration of facial bones.
Coprophagy - Like rabbits and some other small animals, rats eat a percentage of their solid waste to get necessary vitamins produced by their digestive tracts. Gross to humans, but necessary to rats!
Ear-vibrating - Female rats in heat tend to be very hyper and when petted will get tense and wiggle their ears very fast as if they are trying to fly - it even makes a buzzing sound if you listen very closely. Cute!
Head-weaving - Most common in pink-eyed rats. Poor eyesight makes them sway their heads back and forth to aid in depth perception.
Marking - Rats (usually males are the worst offenders) use small dribbles of urine to mark safe places and leave messages for others. Rat lovers find it flattering to be marked; non-rat lovers tend to be more than a bit put off by it!
Tail-thumping - Like cats, rats swish their tails when thinking about pouncing on something or when frustrated. Usually a sign of annoyance.
Tooth-cleaning - Baby rats learn what is good and/or safe to eat by inspecting the mouths of older rats. When a rat does it to you, it means you've made it - you're an honorary rattie!
Health
Bumblefoot - A foot infection that rats can get from standing on wire-bottomed cages or simply from being overweight. Hard to treat, so keep your rats at a healthy weight and line all wire-floored cages with a solid surface!
Heatstroke - Norway rats, being native to more northern climates, are very susceptible to heatstroke. Temperatures above 80 F or 25 C can be fatal. Lethargy, panting and drooling are some of the symptoms. In the summer make sure your rats have a cool place to live and access to ice and plenty of fluids.
Myco - Stands for Mycoplasma pulmonis. A common illness in rats - most rats are exposed to it at some point in their lives; usually it's passed on at birth from their mothers. Some rats are resistant to it, but with others it remains with them all their lives and surfaces during times of stress. Not contagious to humans, but very virulent among rats. Usually causes lung and reproductive damage, but can attack other organs. One of the main causes of their short life spans.
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