Blood Rat

The blood rat is not truly a rat, though it is a mammal. These hairless creatures are considered a nuisance to most of the world, yet in the right hands they are quite useful.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Blood Rats are an ugly, hairless species with the body of a rat, the legs of a cat, paws of a racoon, tail of a possum, and head of a lizard and small round ears. Their eyes are front facing, like a predator's. Rather than being covered in fur or scale, they are covered in a wrinkly skin with stray bristly sensitive hairs. They are the size of a race dog, nimble, and able to squeeze into places most would think impossible for the creature thanks to its flexible rodent like bones.

Genetics and Reproduction

Blood Rats reproduce sexually. They reproduce twice a year in spring and fall, producing between eight and ten pups each brood. They gestate for twelve weeks and give birth to live pups.

Growth Rate & Stages

Blood rats are capable of standing and walking shortly after birth. They spend two weeks nursing from the mother before they are capable of eating regurgitated food. They are capable of surviving without their mother at six weeks of age. They will spend up to a six with their mother, assisting in care of the younger brood before going off on their own into the world. Blood rats are not sexually mature until they are a year of age.

Ecology and Habitats

Blood rats thrive in environments with plenty of food and room to grow their colonies. Left unchecked, Blood rats are capable of depleting their habitats of suitable food sources. Due to their diets, they are unpalatable and low value nutritionally. Never the less, they do have predators. Larger predators will eat these creatures if they can catch them. Sentient species will also cull these creatures indiscriminately when found in an ecosystem due to their rapid reproduction and eating habits.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Blood rats are omnivorous with a preference to being carnivorous. They hunt alone, tracking the scent of prey. They will gorge themselves on their kill to the point of immobility or death to prevent anything else from feeding on a kill. They leave nothing behind but a blood stain when they finish gorging.

Additional Information

Domestication

Blood Rats are domesticated by the Neh'Baku for their tracking abilities. When trained properly, they are able to follow up to twenty different commands and hunt functionally in a cohesive pack. Neh'Baku will trade the less desirable of their prized blood rats to foreigners if the price is right.

Average Intelligence

Blood rats have a middling low intelligence score.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The hairs sparsely distributed over their bodies are sensitive to changes in air pressure and electromagnetic currents, functioning much like a fly's. Their hearing is subpar compared to other animals, proven to be lesser than a human's from their small ear size, but that is made up for by the bristles and their sense of smell. Like a lizard, it's capable of tracking the scent of prey by flicking their tongue in the air. Compounding this, their sense of taste is keen, capable of picking out poisons and illness without exposing themselves directly to the substances.

Scientific Name

Rattus Sanguis

Lifespan

5 years in the wild, up to 13 in captivity

Average Height

28-30 inches

Average Weight

60-80 lbs