Hairless Rat Make Good Pets and Lab Specimen
These species were first bred for research in laboratories and are widely called nude rats. The members of this breed initially had weak immune systems, which made them suitable for research on diseases. Meanwhile, they are still bred and being used in labs. Not only that, they have now become popular in the pet trade. For now, at least two genetically distinct hairless rat breeds exist. However, some claim there are up to four distinct hairless breeds.
Nevertheless, whether two or more exist, hairless breeds are called Sphynx, like the hairless cat breed. The first Sphynx rats in the pet market died from very poor health, resulting in kidney failure early in life. However, since that occurrence, breeders have worked hard to breed more genetically different as well as viable specimens, and a well-bred hairless rat from a reputable breeder should at least live to about the same age as normal rats do. Do you find these cute or creepy?