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About Laboratory Rats*

The Laboratory Rat was developed from the Norwegian Rat (Rattus norvegicus) by an American Physiologist, Henry Donaldson, who started a breeding colony in 1906 at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. Three principal strains are now commonly used for scientific study:
Wistar Albino
Developed at the Wistar Institute. Wide head, long ears, tail length always less that the body length.

Sprague-Dawley Albino
Developed at Sprague-Dawley farms, Wisconsin. Longer and narrower head than Wistar, longer tail, which may equal or be longer than the body length.

Long-Evans or Lister Hooded
Developed by Drs. Long and Evans in 1915 by cross-breeding Wistar albino females with a wild gray male. A smaller variety, white with black (or occasionally brown) hood over head and back of neck, with a line down the back.

Life Cycle
Age (days)Weight (g)Development
Birth5hairless, toothless, closed eyes and ears
410hair begins to appear
10.covered with hair
13.eyes and ears open
2130-50weaning
40-50150-200sexual maturity
72200 - 400young adult
250-300270 - 800full grown; males larger than females
1000-1300.end of normal life span

For more on the biology of laboratory rats see the pages of:

*Please note that all procedures involving laboratory rats follow NIH Guidelines for the humane care and use of laboratory animals.

Last Updated: 12/26/01