Rat Anatomy, or, Pretty Pictures

Smart rat face studies the camera.

This sleeping rat is positioned to show us the palm of her hand. See that place for the thumb? If rats had thumbs they would rule the world quite quickly.

Back foot of sleeping rat. Some nails are badly in need of a trim.

A jumble of two rats sleeping in a tiny box shows a jumble of ears, feet, hands, tails, mouths, and even healthy orange teeth.

Black berkie ears, eyes, whiskers, lips. This old lady rat is 39 months old, so her snoot has turned from black to white and grey. It's not so easy to tell from this photo, but black berkshire rats, having a white belly, are half black and half white on all their rat parts: ears, eye lashes, whiskers, top of nose, and lips, will each have some white, and some black. Can you tell those lips have been kissed a million times? :)

Agouti color fur.

Adventurous 86-year old Chancy Rat heads off to explore the table top. Her changing black berkshire coat shows in the bright flash. Older rats' coats will add more white, grey, and rust. Her staples from a recent benign tumor removal show at the bottom of her shaved white tummy.