Its a Rex Rat....rrrr

Rex rats are distinguishable by one simple feature — their hair is curly. They can come in any color, and the density and extent of their curl can vary from barely noticeable to tightly curled.

Since AFRMA obtained some Rex animals from N.F.R.S. members in England, we adopted their standard to use. It says: “The coat to be evenly dense and not excessively harsh, with as few guard hairs as possible. Coat to be evenly curled and also to a lesser extent on the belly. Curly vibrissae (whiskers) are normal for Rex. Color to conform to a recognized color or color pattern (N.F.R.S.).”

There are Rex rats and then there are REX rats. Not all Rex rats are created equal. In fact, most people who own and even breed Rex rats have never seen a truly good example.

Most Rex babies start out with wonderful curly sheep-like coats. When they moult into their first adult coat at 6–7 weeks, however, their curl almost disappears. Instead of curl, they have kind of wavy hair.

For females and most males, this is about it. Though the coat may thicken/ tighten and then thin again, most Rex rats never regain their original “permed” appearance. For the rare male, however, this is not true. Once in a while you will get one that does regain that lush curly coat. Few and far between, these big males are really something to see.

Male or female, wavy or permed, all Rex coats have the unfortunate tendency to thin as they age. Often by the time they are 18 months old, their coat is very thin and patches are bald.


Hey there rexy...rrrrr