Contrary to common stereotypes, a rat can be not only a small pest and a carrier of especially dangerous diseases, but also a real pet, causing tenderness in all family members. Especially when it comes to decorative animals! The Dumbo Rat looks like it was made to live with humans!
Species origin and description
Photo: Dumbo Rat
A few words about how this breed was formed in general and thanks to which it gained worldwide popularity. The name of the decorative rat of the Dumbo breed is explained by the similarity of this animal with the cartoon elephant. Moreover, initially the name dambo was unofficial, “folk”, which was assigned to decorative rodents by their first owners. Let's go, and when the breeders decided to officially register a new species, no one had any questions about its name.
Video: Dumbo Rat
There is no exact date for the formation of the species – for the first time, “dumbics” appeared in private individuals (as pets – they were used in laboratories before that) in the United States in the early 90s. Then the fashion spread to Japan and China – there, in general, such rodents have always been very revered, and the novelty in the form of “dumbiks” successfully replaced the familiar hamsters. Well, in the late 90s, the fashion for decorative rats appeared in Russia, and domestic zoologists bred several new breeds of this animal.
Interesting fact: The Dumbo rat breed is considered artificially bred. Yes, rodents similar to dambiks are found in nature, but they have a number of significant differences. Despite the fact that they can safely interbreed with each other and give offspring capable of reproduction, they cannot be classified as one species.
So even if you have never kept pets, do not be afraid – the Dumbo rat is considered one of the best options for the first animal that a person decides to settle in his own living space. The catchphrase “you come home, and she rejoices at you” — obviously about the Dumbo rat. People who have never had a decorative rat before do not even suspect how much these rodents — affectionate, intelligent and sympathetic creatures. Smart and sociable rodents get used to their owners no worse than dogs and cats. Fluffy rodents “do not require” a significant living space, they will not have to carry out difficult specific care and spend money on the purchase of expensive feed.
Appearance and Features
Photo: What a Dumbo Rat looks like
The cute Dumbo Rat does not require much space – a whole family of rodents fits in a small cage, and feels quite comfortable. In addition, she is very economical in care and nutrition (you will not need to spend money on a veterinarian and all kinds of groomers – the animal combines good looks and amazing rat survival).
Dumbo is smart, beautiful and incredibly charming. He has a phenomenal memory, Jesuit cunning and ingenuity. Unlike other rodents, it lends itself perfectly to training and with amazing ease captures the heart of the owners!
Moreover, even those who were initially categorically against the appearance of any rats in the house in principle, after acquiring a dambo, do not want to have any other pets. After all, such an amazing dumbo rat is love forever.
Now several breeds of domestic dumbo rats are offered, differing from each other in many ways:
- body size;
- the length and quality of the coat;
- the presence of a tail and coat.
You can be sure that you will be able to choose a pet taking into account all your color and species preferences .
As the owners of these wonderful animals themselves admit, they were able to win love for themselves with their benevolent character and cute appearance. But all the same, before acquiring Dumbo rats, you should learn all the details about them, understand in detail the intricacies of the care and maintenance of these rodents. After all, in order for them to please you, you need to provide them with not only attention, but also decent living conditions!
Now you know how to care for a Dumbo Rat at home. Let's see how this rodent behaves in the wild.
Where is the Dumbo Rat?
Photo: Dumbo pet rat
The wild predecessor of the pretty “dumbiks” inhabits mainly the Asian and South American jungles, like all other breeds of rats, occupying almost all available niches. But the tame rat Dumbo, to which this article is dedicated, is much more demanding on the conditions of its content. But on the other hand, all the costs and efforts of the owner are paid off a hundredfold by the boundless trust expressed to him and gentle caress from the fluffy animal.
When it comes to ensuring proper conditions of detention, there are several options, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. It is best to use an ordinary cage as a home for dumbo rats – believe me, there will be plenty of living space in it. Dambika can be bought at the pet store in a wire cage. The optimal dimensions are 60x40x60 cm with a maximum distance between the bars of 1-1.2 cm. The cage for a dumbo rat must have a solid bottom, a high tray (only made of plastic, wood and metal are not suitable), as well as wide doors and shelves.
To eliminate the specific rat smell, it makes sense to purchase corn or wood filler. Some owners use napkins, toilet paper and sawdust instead. If you can still agree with the last option, then the first two are not suitable at all. The fluffy rodent cage is equipped with hanging metal bowls designed for dry food. In addition, you can not do without a special nipple drinker. Various treats and liquid food are best placed in small ceramic bowls.
For a small rat, in order to ensure maximum comfort, it makes sense to put a house inside the cage. Dambiks love to hide and sleep in it. A cozy warm hammock will become a favorite accessory for decorative rats – but adults will spend their “leisure” there. Ladders, tunnels and ropes will also be used by the rats for their runs.
What does the Dumbo Rat eat?
Photo: Dumbo rat at home
Dumbo rats are picky – they happily consume almost any food, but, unlike their predecessors living in the wild, domestic rodents are less adapted to the consumption of low-quality food. Small dambiks are prone to allergies and gastrointestinal disorders, so it is strongly recommended to adhere to generally accepted norms in feeding a rodent.
So, the diet of dambiks is as follows:
- dry grain food – the main menu item for every day. Ideal — wheat with the addition of sunflower seeds, pumpkin and flax;
- proteins and foods high in calcium – boiled or raw chicken meat, sea/river fish, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir. But sour cream, milk and condensed milk are on the list of non-recommended products;
- greens – wheat germ, oats, parsley, dandelion leaves, dill;
- vegetables, fruits, berries – as in fresh and in dried form. Give them all only pitted and with the utmost care (the development of an allergic reaction is possible), all citrus fruits are prohibited.
Please note that it is strictly forbidden to eat: sweets, alcoholic drinks, cheeses, sausages, spinach, as well as white cabbage, unripe bananas, sprouted potatoes, fatty and fried foods.
About the frequency of feeding. Meals should occur 3-4 times a day, if we are talking about a “baby” or teenager. For adult rats, 2 feedings a day are enough. Be sure to remove any leftover food from the cage in time so that it does not spoil. Every day, check the availability of clean water in the drinker.
Character and lifestyle features
Photo: Decorative Dumbo Rat
The nature of the dumbo rats is quite friendly – these affectionate and very trusting rodents quickly get used to their owners, remember their nickname and are easy to train. There is also a “reverse side of the coin” — dambiks get used to only one owner, so you only need to buy babies. A change of ownership for an adult Dumbo rat can cause severe “mental trauma” and associated psychosomatic illness.
Young Dumbo rats behave much more actively than their relatives. Animals love to play with humans and other animals (unless, of course, these are cats and dogs). Adult rats will be much more pleasant just to lie on their knees or sit on the shoulder of their beloved owner. Cleanliness is a special feature of these animals. They scrupulously monitor their cleanliness and quickly become accustomed to the tray (how to develop this addiction – read above).
The life expectancy of dambiks is 2-3 years. It is noteworthy that it is directly proportional to the quality of the conditions of detention and feeding. If decent care is provided, systematic examination and timely treatment of diseases, as well as feeding with a properly selected diet balanced according to BJU (including greens), the life of dambo rats is extended to 4-5 years.
Fun fact: Dumbo rats are very clean – they always set aside only one corner of their dwelling for defecation. Accordingly, there you need to place a tray with filler. It will not be difficult for a smart pet to understand the purpose of this “accessory”.
Microclimate. A cage with a small rat needs to be installed in a dry, warm room. The minimum distance from the floor is 1-1.5 m, subject to the maximum distance from sources of bright, blinding light and electromagnetic radiation. A furry friend should be protected from the effects of adverse factors. In no case should drafts, overheating and cooling, as well as sharp sounds, annoying attention of people and animals be allowed. It will be necessary to systematically remove food debris from the cage, used filler, and change the water twice a day. Disinfection of the rodent's dwelling should be carried out at least 2 times a week.
Hygiene. Dumbo rats diligently wash themselves and cleanse themselves every day, but from time to time you can bathe your pet – unlike most other pets, dambiks are very fond of water procedures. Trimming small claws should be a regular procedure.
Social Structure and Reproduction
Photo: Male and female Dumbo
The vitality and growth rate of the rat population has become a household name – in nature, rodents breed several times a year. Decorative dambiks are also quite prolific, however, in order to breed these animals, the owners will need to select a healthy pair with pronounced characteristics of the species. These are: a pear-shaped short body and a long narrow tail, as well as a wide flattened head with large round ears.
The first mating of the female should occur at 5-7 months. Pregnancy in dambo rats lasts 21-23 days. In one litter, 9-12 charming babies are usually born. Dumbo rats are born blind and deaf with naked bodies. Moreover, not all newborns may have large rounded ears – this species trait is difficult to preserve. Individual development of babies occurs very quickly. At the age of 4 days, they already begin to hear, at 12 days of age, dambiks open their small eyes. At the age of 2 weeks, the offspring of Dumbo rats are already actively studying their owners and learning about the world around them.
It is very important for the owner of the dumbo rat to remember that this charming rodent is a social animal. It is very important to provide your pet with communication both with relatives and with a person. Systematically conducted outdoor games with this animal, affectionate formation of precious trust and quivering love – dambiks are attached to only one person for life. Clever rodents don't have to learn simple tricks, bring small items, look for treats, and even jump over barriers. Training is a lot of fun for both animals and humans.
Dumbo Rat's Natural Enemies
Photo: What a Dumbo Rat looks like
C Considering that the Dumbo rat is considered exclusively as a pet, it is somewhat incorrect to talk about its natural enemies – for lack of those. However, this does not mean that nothing threatens the life and health of these pretty rodents.
First of all, it is necessary to note other pets – not a single cat, no matter how lazy, cutesy and friendly he is, refuses to eat a small dambik. This animal is of great gastronomic value for the purr. A small, defenseless animal that does not know life and does not pose a danger emanating from a cat can easily supplement a cat's diet.
And a well-fed cat will also not pass by such a rat – believe me, for him your dambik is much more preferable than the most expensive toy. Therefore, even being in a cage, rodents will not be able to feel safe if a cat lives with them at home.
Believe me, he will wait for the moment when the owners are not at home, break the cage and dine with its inhabitants. And if the rats themselves come out “to freedom”, then it’s not worth explaining anything – the cat’s hunting instinct will jump 100%. The same can be said about dogs, especially small and hunting breeds. Like cats, they are not averse to eating little rats.
So if you start dambiks, then only fish, turtles and parrots can become their neighbors. Even if a cat or a dog just looks at a cage with decorative rats, and even more so barks at them, hisses or purrs angrily, this will have an extremely negative impact on the health of the pets.
Photo: Dumbo Rat
The dambo rat species is considered to be completely and completely domesticated – their distant ancestors found in nature have very little in common with charming dambos, so we can safely say that the habitat of these animals captures the entire globe. After all, a decorative rat is gaining more and more popularity in the rating of pets every day. And this is not surprising – with minimal costs associated with the maintenance of decorative rats, and also taking into account the possibility of placing animals in small areas, these rodents conquer the owners with remarkable intelligence, tricks performed, as well as emotionality and emotional attachment.
The second name of the species is “decorative rat”. This once again testifies in favor of the fact that the species was bred artificially, for commercial purposes. The Dumbo rat species includes many breeds, the main difference between which is their color. By crossing animals of different breed varieties of dambo with decorative rats of other breeds, scientists managed to obtain many new subspecies that certainly deserve attention.
The following dambos are most often acquired:
- amber. The color, length and quality of the coat of animals of this breed can vary significantly. Mostly there are rats with short white hair;
- tricolor. A combination of white, black and red shades;
- blue mink. It is considered one of the rarest and most expensive options;
- rex. Their coat is thicker, longer and wavy, their whiskers curl heavily;
- Sphinx. Like cats, such rats are completely devoid of wool;
- Siamese. Color similar to cats of the same breed;
- dumbo — husky. A combination of gray and white.
The Dumbo Rat attracts with its cuteness and friendliness. They are easy to care for and a pleasure to watch. A variety of breeds allows you to choose pets that meet all preferences!
