This article is from the WSSF 2016 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

By Karen Robbins

Eliza Porter, Rat Pack, CA, Facebook
Q Is there a way to have my rats genetically tested to find out exactly which alleles they have?

A Yes, testing can be done but it can be done only for the genes the labs have an assay for. The labs can develop assays for anything once it is identified. They can also map new things, they just need a family set of samples (samples can be oral swabs or a bit of frozen tissue—typically a tiny tail tip nipped off under anesthesia). Try contacting IDEXX BioResearch (was RADIL) Genetic Services or Charles River Animal Genotyping Service. It’s fairly inexpensive to do this. One gal had her rats tested for the pink-eye gene (they also have one for albino), and a paternity test. If you need serology, they now have testing that does not require a blood draw. If you do this, we’d love to hear the results, how you went about it, what you tested for, etc.

The longer way to find out is to breed to whatever it is you want to find out if they carry it or not, i.e. breed to a Russian Blue if you are looking for that, or to a P.E. rat such as Champagne or Silver Fawn for the pink-eye gene, etc.

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