ABCs of Animal World: Animal Breeds

Showing posts with label Animal Breeds. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Animal Breeds. Show all posts

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Unique Breeds of Fancy Rats for Pet

Rats are becoming popular pets any where in the world. Go to a pet shop and you will surely encounter a rat for sale as pet. Fancy Rats are domesticated brown rats which are the most common type of pet rats. The name Fancy Rat derives from the idea of animal fancy or the phrase, "to fancy" which means to like, or appreciate.

1.) Dumbo Rat

Dumbo Rats are unique fancy Rats because of their unusual appearance. These variety of rat have ears located lower than their head. They were named for their resemblance to “Dumbo” the Elephant.

2.) Zucker Rat

Oversized or overweight pets look amazing. One of them is the Zucker Rat which was bred to be a genetic model for research on obesity and hypertension. These fancy rats are capable of weighing up to 1 kilogram which is more than twice the average weight.

3.) Hooded Fancy Rat

This variety of fancy rat is called Hooded Fancy Fat which is name for its appearance.

4.) Himalayan Rat

Like Himalayan Cats and Guinea Pigs, Himalayan Rats are cute-looking animals for pet. These tiny mammals have a unique color and marking variation.

5.) Black Rat

Black Rat or Rattus rattus is a common long-tailed rodent that originated Asia and became widely distributed in Europe in Roman Times. It can grow to a length of up to 46.4 cm and a weight of up to 340 g. Despite its name, the Black Rat exhibits several color forms. It is usually black to light brown in color with a lighter underside. There is also an unusual green tinted variety.

6.) Sprague Dawley Rat

The Sprague Dawley Rat is a popular fancy rat pet. It is an out-bred multipurpose breed of albino rat used extensively in medical research. They are well-like for their calmness and ease of handling. It can attain a weight of up to 520 g and a length of up to 10.5 cm. Sprague Dawley Rat can live up to 31/2 years.

7.) Albino Lab Rat

The Albino Laboratory Rat is a breed of rat with red eyes and white fur. It is an iconic model organism for scientific research in a variety of fields.

8.) Wistar Rat

Another awesome-looking albino breed of fancy rat is the active Wistar Rat. It was developed at the Wistar Institute in 1906 for use in biological and medical research. This breed of rat is presently one of the most popular rat strains used for laboratory research. It is characterized by its wide head, long ears, and having a tail length that is always less than its body length. The Long-Evans and Sprague Dawley Rat strains were developed from Wistar Rats.

9.) American Blue

This fancy rat is a cool-looking fancy rat. The American Blue is one of several standardized coat colors.

10.) Hairless Fancy Rats

Some pet enthusiasts prefer hairless pets due to allergy reasons or for their unique appearance. Even though this rat is hairless, the markings on its skin indicate that it is a hooded rat.

See also

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Fascinating Facts About the Gorgeous Guinea Pig

Here are some important facts and things to remember if you have a Guinea Pig.

1.) Guinea Pigs, if handled correctly early in their life, become amenable to being picked up and carried, and seldom bite or scratch. It will even sleep in your lap.

2.) These cute furry animals are timid explorers and often hesitate to attempt an escape from their cage even when an opportunity presents itself.

3.) These rodents, however, show considerable curiosity when allowed to walk freely, especially in familiar and safe terrain.

4.) Guinea Pigs are fantastic pets. Ones they become familiar with their owner they will whistle on the owner's approach.

5.) These small mammals will also learn to whistle in response to the rustling of plastic bags or the opening of refrigerator doors, where their food is most commonly stored.

Abyssinian Guinea Pig

Two parti-colored Abyssinian guinea pigs

6.) Guinea Pigs don’t like to be alone. They should be kept in pairs or, preferably groups.

7.) A Guinea Pig should be put in isolation only for reason of medical condition.

8.) A Guinea Pig in solitude is more likely to suffer from stress and depression.

9.) For the abovementioned reason, it is illegal in Sweden to sell a lone guinea pig to a buyer who does not have any other guinea pigs.

10.) It is a common misconception that male guinea pigs cannot be kept in groups; male guinea pigs can make excellent companions, especially when introduced from a young age.

Satin Peruvian Guinea Pig

A lilac, orange and white Satin Peruvian guinea pig (show-length coat)

11.) Generally, aggression would only occur if there was limited space or resources or a higher ratio of males to females.

12.) Guinea Pig compatibility relies more heavily on personality than on gender.

13.) Guinea Pigs are not related to pigs at all. They are actually called Cavies. They eat a lot that’s why they were so named.

14.) Guinea Pigs originated in South America where they were domesticated by the Incas.

15.) The most common breeds of Guinea Pig includes the Himalayan, the Abyssinian and the Peruvian.

See also

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Cutest Hamsters in the World

A Hamster is a rodent and is a popular pet. There are 25 known species of Hamster. It is nocturnal, which means they are active at night. Its diet includes a variety of foods such as dried food, berries, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Hamsters are easy to breed in captivity and are often used as Lab animals. Here are some of the cutest species of Hamster for you to choose from if you are planning to have one.

1.) Teddy Bear Hamster

The Teddy Bear Hamster, which is also known as "Angora" Hamster or Longhaired Hamster” is a hamster with short velvety fur that comes in many different colors. Male Teddy Bear Hamsters usually have much longer fur than the female variety. It is the second-largest hamster breed, measuring up to 18 cm long.

2.) Golden Hamster

The neat-looking and beautiful Golden Hamster is a very popular species of hamster. This popular pet’s binomial name is Mesocricetus auratus and is also commonly known as Syrian Hamster. It can grow up to 18 cm in length and will usually have a lifespan of up to 5 years.

3.) Djungarian Hamster

The cute-looking Djungarian Hamster or Phodopus sungorus is a ball-shaped and typically half the size of the Golden Hamster hence it is called a dwarf hamster.

It is also commonly known as the Siberian Hamster or Russian Winter White Dwarf Hamster.

The Siberian Hamster is more rounded than the Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster. It is shaped more like an egg.

4.) European Hamster

The European Hamster, scientifically known as Cricetus cricetus, is endemic to Western Europe, Russia and many more. It is the largest species of hamster measuring up to 34 cm in length, not including a short tail of up to 6 cm. It is also known as the Black-bellied Hamster or Common Hamster.

5.) Chinese Hamster

The Chinese Hamster or Cricetulus griseus originated in the deserts of Northern Chna and Mongolia. It can grow up to 9 cm in length and can weigh up to 43 grams. It has a lifespan of 3 years on average. It has always been kept as a pet and as a laboratory animal.

6.) Campbell's Russian Dwarf Hamster

Campbell's Russian Dwarf Hamster or Phodopus campbelli is a dwarf species of hamster. The Campbell's Dwarf is also native to the steppes and semi-arid areas of Central Asia, the Altay Mountains and the provinces of Heilungkiang and Hebei in Northeastern China.

7.) Roborovski

Roborovskis or informally named Phodopus roborovskii is the smallest of all hamsters averaging 2 cm at birth, and rarely 7.5 cm during adulthood. Roborovskis lack any dorsal stripe which is commonly found on the other members of the Phodopus genus.

Like many hamster species, it has a lifespan of 3 years. It is also called Desert Hamster. A Roborovski Hamster is fast, agile and naturally timid or shy. It is generally recommended as "look but don't touch" pets.

See also

Monday, August 22, 2011

Notable Breeds of Turkey

At present, there are only 8 recognized breeds of domestic turkeys by the American Poultry Association. Elsewhere in the world, there are many more unrecognized variants or as recognized breeds in other countries.

Bronze Turkey - Popular turkey breed

The impressive Bronze is a domestic turkey breed whose name refers to its plumage, which bears an iridescent bronze-like sheen. It is the most popular turkey throughout most of American history. There are 2 distinct types of this breed: the Broad Breasted Bronze and the Standard Bronze.

Royal Palm Turkey - Bred as an ornamental bird

The cool-looking Royal Palm is a domestic turkey breed which is one of the few turkeys not primarily selected for meat production. This breed is best known as an ornamental bird with a unique appearance, largely white with bands of metallic black. It is primarily kept as an exhibition bird or on small farms and can grow up to 10 kg. A turkey with similar coloration in Europe is sometimes called the Crollwitzer, Pied, or Black-laced White.

Red Bourbon - Large breed of turkey

The beautiful Bourbon Red is a domestic turkey breed named for its unique reddish plumage and for Bourbon Country, Kentucky. This breed is large and can attain a weigth of 15 kg. Red Bourbon originated in the states of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Broad Breasted White - Large breed for commercial meat

The Broad Breasted White is a domestic turkey breed which is commercially the most widely-used breed. They produce more breast meat and their pin feathers are less visible when the carcass is dressed due to their white color. These properties have made the breed popular in commercial turkey production. This bird is really large growing up to 23 kg or more.

Midget White- Smallst breed, rarest and critical

The Midget White is a domestic turkey breed named for its small stature and white plumage. It is the smallest standard variety of turkey growing up to 6 kg. it is a rare heritage turkey breed and classified as critical.

Black Turkey - Large Breed of turkey

The Black is a domestic turkey breed also known as the Norfolk Black or Black Spanish. It originated in Europe and despite the monikers of Norfolk and Spanish, this breed can be found in any part of Europe.

Beltsville Small White - Small turkey breed

The Beltsville Small White is a domestic turkey breed named for its small size and white plumage. The Beltsville in the name is taken from its place of origin – the USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland, USA. Beltsville Small White is similar in appearance to the Midget White.

Broad Breasted Bronze- Bred for commercial meat

The handsomely beautiful Broad Breasted Bronze is a domestic turkey breed. It is a non-standardized commercial strain that does not qualify as a breed. Broad Breasted Bronze is only used for commercial meat.

See also

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