What I feed my rats

[Rawkinlocs]

Hey Jenna and others,

Our rat has recently started chewing her own tail.

Any insights into why she would be doing this? I'm trying to google and get some info, but thought I'd come here as well.

Thanks for anything you can offer!

[JennaBoBenna]

Rawki, is the rat alone? Does she have a cage mate? Could be a form of self-injury due to being lonely

[Rawkinlocs]

Yeah, she is the only rat

I'd like to get her a cage mate, but is it too late? She's been by herself for so long, I wouldn't want a fight or anything.

I'll research it more...maybe we can discuss further off-list as I don't want to keep this thread off-topic of "What I feed my rats"! lol.

Thanks Jenna!

[JennaBoBenna]

Yeah, she is the only rat

I'd like to get her a cage mate, but is it too late? She's been by herself for so long, I wouldn't want a fight or anything.

I'll research it more...maybe we can discuss further off-list as I don't want to keep this thread off-topic of "What I feed my rats"! lol.

Thanks Jenna!

It's cool, Rawkie, it's all relative
How old is the rat? I have a rat that's just coming up on two years and wouldn't get along with a new baby that we brought in, was too territorial of the cage or something.

There is a way to test it, not a very good way, very sad...but most pet stores have a 14-day return policy. So, if you did buy the new rat and they don't get along you could return it...but that's a sad situation.

Maybe the rat won't react badly to the newbie if she's already lonely? hmm.... That's about the extent of my advice

[Raene]

We adopted a rat who was 6 months and lived alone her whole life and we got 2 babies and introduced the babies to the older rat. They never even glanced at each other...no problems whatsoever!

After we put them all in the same cage, they never had any real problems. Sometimes the babies pester the big one, Miri, and then Miri jumps on top of them and puts her little paw on their throat...a dog trainer once told me that animals do that to show each other who is boss. No harm done...the babies just lay there and then get up.

My only problem I've had so far is that the adult rat is very clean and she doesn't smell. The babies, however, have HORRIBLE pee odor...you know, they smell the cage up in just 2 days...and it's a 4 story very large cage I've added vanilla to their water, as Aleesha mentioned, but it doesn't seem to help. It's a terrible smell! Also, they pee in their hammock and on themselves and don't seem to care. It's so gross. Honestly I'd adopt them out and keep the older one, but my daughter has become very attached.

Any ideas how to get their pee not to stink so bad, and also how to get them to stop peeing in their hammock? It's really gross.

[Raene]

Here's the setup...they hate toys so I've removed them...they actually avoid the toys and walk far out of the way. Wouldn't you know?

Can ya spot the three ratties? They are Miri, Muffin, and Mini. :) Yes, my 5 yr old helped name the babies!

[JennaBoBenna]

My only problem I've had so far is that the adult rat is very clean and she doesn't smell. The babies, however, have HORRIBLE pee odor...you know, they smell the cage up in just 2 days...and it's a 4 story very large cage I've added vanilla to their water, as Aleesha mentioned, but it doesn't seem to help. It's a terrible smell! Also, they pee in their hammock and on themselves and don't seem to care. It's so gross. Honestly I'd adopt them out and keep the older one, but my daughter has become very attached.

Any ideas how to get their pee not to stink so bad, and also how to get them to stop peeing in their hammock? It's really gross.

Lol, are you feeding them asparagus??

heh heh...rats do like the pee on everything. I don't really think there's a way to get them to stop peeing on the hammock. They really like to snuggle up in their bedding and then bathroom in it...how fun I know. Not sure what to do with the horrible smell...is it the pee in the hammock that's stinking up ? Or is it the cage bedding itself? I'd remove the hammock and give them something disposable, like paper towels and a little box to hide in.

[Raene]

Hehe, no asparagus. The pee in the hammock plus in the bottom of their cage is stinky...plus what's all over them since they pee on themselves while sleeping. Another problem with them is that they shun all raw veggies...we have to give them steamed or nothing. But raw fruits obviously are good, as well as nuts and seeds.

We have used Carefresh and Aspen but neither seems to work great to cover up smells.

By the way, the guinea pig is doing really well. She's darling, actually, but I never really understand what she's saying and I wish I spoke Pig. When we hold her and pet her she makes those noises and I don't know if she's content or scared. I've never been so bad at reading an animal before. She seems very easy to take care of so far. She has rarely had fresh food before though, and she doesn't seem to understand what to do with it, other than lettuce which she eats up right away. Even cucumber she won't eat And she's apparently never been handfed, b/c she won't eat anything given directly to her. I'll have to attach a picture soon. She must be part goat b/c when we put her in bed with us she eats the comforter. Lol.

[JennaBoBenna]

Hehe, no asparagus. The pee in the hammock plus in the bottom of their cage is stinky...plus what's all over them since they pee on themselves while sleeping. Another problem with them is that they shun all raw veggies...we have to give them steamed or nothing. But raw fruits obviously are good, as well as nuts and seeds.

We have used Carefresh and Aspen but neither seems to work great to cover up smells.

By the way, the guinea pig is doing really well. She's darling, actually, but I never really understand what she's saying and I wish I spoke Pig. When we hold her and pet her she makes those noises and I don't know if she's content or scared. I've never been so bad at reading an animal before. She seems very easy to take care of so far. She has rarely had fresh food before though, and she doesn't seem to understand what to do with it, other than lettuce which she eats up right away. Even cucumber she won't eat And she's apparently never been handfed, b/c she won't eat anything given directly to her. I'll have to attach a picture soon. She must be part goat b/c when we put her in bed with us she eats the comforter. Lol.

oh wow! Hmmm...when my girls are stinky, I give em a bath and it seems to help with the pee smell. other that that...not sure what else it could be! and how odd they don't like anything raw...my ratties eat it up! the best part was when we first brought them home and they got to try all the new flavors, they were pretty excited. mine also really like seaweed, i like to think its because rats originated in asia have you tried giving them a piece of nori? mine devour it!

for the guinea pig, YES! very hard to read! i have no idea what my guinea pig is thinking sometimes! But if you go to a website for guinea pig sounds, you can kinda tell the difference between excited and scared lol. have you tried tomato, red bell pepper, or parsley with your pig? mine lovessss these! also, if you have access to it, lemon balm, he goes crazy over it! mine also likes to eat daisies and stuff oh--and italian sweet peppers!

edit: oh oh! have you tried giving cucumber to your rats? mine LOVE to eat the seeds(so i cut the cucumber into spears or circles). my guinea pig doesnt like cucumber so much, but my rats go gaga over cuke seeds !

[Raene]

Haha, the rats don't like cucumber, but they love zucchini. We give them circles and they eat out the inside (with the seeds) and leave the outside. They're silly.

Another guinea pig question...sorry for the overwhelming amount of questions...I am having a hard time understanding why they need that store-bought highly processed stuff. Would it be a problem to just give Frances Timothy hay, grasses, fresh veggies, vitamin C, and the occasional nut/seed/fruit? Obviously they wouldn't eat the processed stuff in the wild...so this would be adequate, right? I don't want to hurt her and I know they have sensitive tummies, so I'll adjust slowly, but let me know your thoughts on this. :)

[JennaBoBenna]

Haha, the rats don't like cucumber, but they love zucchini. We give them circles and they eat out the inside (with the seeds) and leave the outside. They're silly.

Another guinea pig question...sorry for the overwhelming amount of questions...I am having a hard time understanding why they need that store-bought highly processed stuff. Would it be a problem to just give Frances Timothy hay, grasses, fresh veggies, vitamin C, and the occasional nut/seed/fruit? Obviously they wouldn't eat the processed stuff in the wild...so this would be adequate, right? I don't want to hurt her and I know they have sensitive tummies, so I'll adjust slowly, but let me know your thoughts on this.

Cute! That's what my rats do with cucumbers!

Hmmmm...not sure about the diet question. I give my pig processed(healthier than most) food because he would drive us to the poor house with how much he can eat! and the store-bought seems to keep him happy and satiated. It's mainly hay pellets, and dried corn and peas and stuff. I don't feed him nuts or seeds as I read that might not be something to feed a pig. well, it said "shelled nuts/seeds" and I couldn't remember if that means the shell on or removed..so I just avoid nuts altogether! I would say try it out, see how the pig reacts, maybe girls don't eat as much as boys! and yes, they have very sensitive tums...I switched food on my boy overnight because they don't carry it at the pet store I go to now( I moved to a different part of my city) and over the next couple of days he had a turd the size of a freakin hazlenut stuck in his bottom poor guy, but we took care of it ....

[Rawkinlocs]

Hey Jenna!

Just wanted to stop in and give you a quick update on Nezumi (Yes...my eldest son named her the Japanese word for rat! lol - he's VERY into Japan and Anime, etc.) but anyway...she seems MUCH better and hasn't chewed her tail since she and my daughters rabbit starting playing together!

They run around and Nezumi actually CHASES Thumper (the bunny) around the room and they eat each other's food ('Zumi took Thumper's apple one day and it's been "on" ever since with them snatching food from one another and chasing one another...REALLY cute!) I think my daughter has some video footage of "the chase" so if/when she uploads it to the 'net, I'll show it to you!

So I think you were right about the loneliness...but since they made friends and started playing together, she's been doing better. Thanks again for your support and advice! And sorry for hijacking this thread!

[ShantiLove]

Just an answer to the piggy diet question

Tecnicaly they can live out of good quality hay and greens and a little fruit (and grass during the summer time ofcourse). But it is so vitaly important they get vit. C enought so giving them a good piggy pellet with vit. C might be a good idear to be on the safe side.

I dont have a rat but finds it really intersting reading your experiences with the little guys :) Loves animals.
I have two piggy boys and a senior rabbit girl that I just love. Rabbits have to be my favorite "pet", but the piggy boys are a lot of fun. It is funny how different their personality are, and yes I find piggys more hard to read aswell. I just have to say that piggys are really easy to keep and they get "tame" really easy and has a really friendly nature. Rabbits on the other hand has more caracter a bit like cats. The rats sounds so lovely. I never had one as my mom never wantet a rat in the house, and we had mice in school and they smells so bad I had this idear that rats are a bit the same ? Do rats need hay ? My husband has pollon allergy and is not doing to well with my little guys food. But I just cant live without my little hairy friends, so if I have to choose..... hhmhmhmh LOL ok but im looking for someone that can take their place when they finaly goes over the rainbow bridge (he agreed to hang in there untill they dies naturaly, got to love they guy). I have been looking alot at the rats at the petshop, they got babies a the moment and they are sooooo cute. What kind of bedding do you use for the rats ?

Im sorry to be a bit of topic here, but just wantet to comment on the piggy questions and I just have to promote the piggys a little ;)

[Soka]

Ok, not to hijack the thread, but I posted about my intentions of putting my rats (I have have two right now) on a raw diet and people on a forum I frequent jumped down my throat telling me that I couldn't possibly provide all their nutrient needs and that I NEED to feed them lab blocks or they will get deficiencies. One person even went as far as to tell me to rehome my rats if I wasn't willing to feed them lab blocks. Any thoughts on this?

[JennaBoBenna]

Ok, not to hijack the thread, but I posted about my intentions of putting my rats (I have have two right now) on a raw diet and people on a forum I frequent jumped down my throat telling me that I couldn't possibly provide all their nutrient needs and that I NEED to feed them lab blocks or they will get deficiencies. One person even went as far as to tell me to rehome my rats if I wasn't willing to feed them lab blocks. Any thoughts on this?

My girls are 100% raw and are beautiful, strong, healthy, and smart! their coats are so gorgeous, soft and thick. there's no way they are deficient in anything.

My other rat, though, the older one is a cooked food rat. She gets store bought food and he coat is more mangy than the raw girls. Definitely a difference!