Owen was a pet shop boy. He was spotted by Deb, our resident talent scout, in a pet shop in Halesowen. He was very young and looked like he would be a blazed black Berkshire and then he surprised us a few days later by starting to moult to the husky colouring.

Owey was taken from his mum too young. He was no more than 4-5 weeks old when we bought him, and he'd already been in the shop for a few days. He was a bit on the small side for a buck, but that said, any rat next to Hamish - son of Stan tends to look smallish! He was a very friendly and soppy rat and would lie on his back for ages, without the slightest notion of trying to get up, while waiting for his tum to be tickled. Sadly Owen suffered from bad health from almost the moment we bought him - firstly nearly dying from a urinary infection, then suffering from respiratory infections throughout his life and which he died of at only 16 months old.

These photos show Owen aged approx 10 weeks. A roan rat is born solid coloured and white but moults to show the husky colouring from about 4-5 weeks old. Owen is half way there on this photo - he has moulted on his sides and the colouring is gradually working up his back and will finally reach his neck.