MuffinsMum said:
In Rats - Practical Advice from the Expert, Debbie Duccomun lists raw red cabbage and raw brussels sprouts on the forbidden list.
(Sorry, I'm still new enough to this to need a 'guru' :giggle: )
What makes Debbie D an expert? If you look at the recommendations/medical advice in her books and publications, it is most often not in line with peer reviewed material. She has been questioned time and again about her guidelines for home euthanasia and she stands by them (even though they are not even acceptable in a laboratory setting) and continues to publish them in subsequent editions. She publishes her books and gives out advice knowing full well people use it as an alternative to going to a vet, yet she does not even hold a science degree.
Does she say why it's forbidden? It's actually omitted from the list published on her website that's been updated as late as this year:
http://www.ratfanclub.org/diet.html
If you read through the article I linked, it doesn't make sense to put raw cabbage on the forbidden list since the compounds that are of concern are heat resistant. Many fruits and vegetables contain compounds that inhibit absorption of one nutrient or another - that's why you should not feed the same things every day. The issue with thiamine antagonists is not unique to rats and yet, it is not recommended for humans to avoid raw red cabbage.
You have to be careful where you get your info and ask questions... lots of places list chocolate as toxic to rats but that is also incorrect. I had a vet once tell me avocado was incredibly toxic to rats (after I distinctly remember asking Dr. Munn about it during a consult) and when I really questioned her, she admitted she was extrapolating from birds because avocado is highly toxic to them. (The avocado flesh closest to the pit and peel is often listed as toxic to rats as well because it may cause GI discomfort.)
Most likely, SQ's vet is extrapolating from the potential risk to herbivores (rabbits, guinea pigs, degus, etc.) and she is over-simplifying his warning. It is very unlikely any food is capable of making the intestines get "twisted up". Fear mongering is not an effective way to dispense advice - when people realize you're full of crap, they will ignore all the advice you give them, even the helpful parts.