We're about to start work on a rat model for our mod. Obviously it will require animation. As per the suggestions of other community members we should utilize existing animations.

I wanted to see if anyone knew of any tutorials on how to make a new model/texture use an existing animation? The suggestion was to use the molerat, scale it down, apply the new model and texture and it would work with the new animation.

Any help or direction to useful information is much appreciated!

I've been using http://www.fallout3nexus.com/articles/article.php?id=196 to try and get http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/7940/fevsubject.jpg to use the super mutant skeleton/animations. I haven't gotten anywhere yet, so I don't know all the specifics. I think the 2nd method near the bottom covers what you're trying to do.

import the molerat nif into what ever you are using. and model the rat to be roughly proportionate to the molerat. Once that is done, model and texture etc, just import the skeleton.nf(if you hadn't already) and rig your rat mesh to that skeleton. you just have to have you legs and joints roughly in the right area of the skeleton. after rigging you can export and test it in game. if you are happy with the rig and don't want to make any more changes, then its time to set up the dismemberment. it is easy enough in max, just a tad tedious. and then you should be home free.
The scaling will be done in the geck.