smalltowngirl
Well-Known Member
Dumbos Enter the Scene
Dumbo rats entered the scene when a litter was born in California in 1990 that had a male dumbo spontaneously appear. This rat was kept by the breeder and then bred to other regular rats but no more dumbos were created. It's at this point he was bred to either his mother or sisters to create more dumbos, proving it is also a recessive gene. Rat enthusiasts went wild for this new mutation whose ears were rounder, lower on the head, and whose skulls started to resemble Bull Terriers. They spread like wildfire from coast to coast in the US where breeders took to outcrossing and linecrossing to create a stable genetically diverse animal. They grew to be an even bigger phenominon when dumbos were exported out of the country and set about taking over the world.
Dumbos carry the distinction of being the least studied mutation. So far as I know no laboratories have started to breed these animals for research. This is likely because the mutation did not happen in the laboratory. However with little research being done we'll never know if the dumbos are harboring something unique in their genes or if it's just a cosmetic effect. What is known is that they have been a pretty big influence on the fanciers. Due to their mouse-like appearance they've aided in creating new rat enthusiasts who may have found the traditional rats a bit scary looking.
I ran across this and found it interesting since I have all Dumbos and thought I would share. :heart:
Dumbo rats entered the scene when a litter was born in California in 1990 that had a male dumbo spontaneously appear. This rat was kept by the breeder and then bred to other regular rats but no more dumbos were created. It's at this point he was bred to either his mother or sisters to create more dumbos, proving it is also a recessive gene. Rat enthusiasts went wild for this new mutation whose ears were rounder, lower on the head, and whose skulls started to resemble Bull Terriers. They spread like wildfire from coast to coast in the US where breeders took to outcrossing and linecrossing to create a stable genetically diverse animal. They grew to be an even bigger phenominon when dumbos were exported out of the country and set about taking over the world.
Dumbos carry the distinction of being the least studied mutation. So far as I know no laboratories have started to breed these animals for research. This is likely because the mutation did not happen in the laboratory. However with little research being done we'll never know if the dumbos are harboring something unique in their genes or if it's just a cosmetic effect. What is known is that they have been a pretty big influence on the fanciers. Due to their mouse-like appearance they've aided in creating new rat enthusiasts who may have found the traditional rats a bit scary looking.
I ran across this and found it interesting since I have all Dumbos and thought I would share. :heart:
