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CookieLanceRattie

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1: Would a Fiesty Ferret cage or a Single Critter Nation be better for two male rats?

2: Can rats eat millet, chia, oat sprays, wheat sprays, flax seed, and pet shop crickets? Can they eat whimzee chews?

3: I've heard that once a rat is weaned they can eat Oxbow without supplements, but I'd like to provide some extra protein. I have Mazuri here, would that work?

And what would the ratio be for one bag of Mazuri and one of Oxbow? (I can mix the Guaranteed Analysis)

4: At what age are rats fully grown?

5: What should I do if the rats fight?

6: If I don't have a quarantine cage for a new rat, what should I do?

7: How do you go about taming/bonding with them?

8: What should the Nutritional Analysis look like for a male rat?

9: I'm having trouble finding Uhaul Pads for under fleece.

10: Are the fruit and veggie flavored Gerber Puffs safe?

11: Any cheap recommended hammocks?

12: I've heard that I can rub a little bit of coconut oil on my rats if they're being lazy and not grooming. Is this true? If so how much can I put? Where can I put the oil?


Thank you so much!
 
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Hiya, your best bet is to google these things. You'll get answers a lot more quickly than waiting for people to respond on a forum. There are several lists of rat-safe foods online and lots of information on bonding with your rats available on this forum if you use the search bar. I'll answer a couple of the more pressing questions though:

1) Fiesty ferret cages have wide bar spacing. If you're getting your rats as babies, or plan to have younger rats at any point in the future, you'll find the critter nation preferable.

5) It's unusual for properly introduced rats to fight, though it does happen. With males it can be hormonal and I'd suggest neutering.

6) You can't get a new rat if you don't have a quarantine cage as new rats need to be kept separate regardless, an introductory period is essential. Rats can't be housed with rats they're not bonded to.
 
1, the critter nation - bar spacing etc

2. Please see the Reference Thread for detailed information regarding diet.
This is a rat rescue based forum. We do not support animals being eaten by other animals and discussion of this is prohibited (see the rules). Also, research has found that eating animals is not healthy for rats and will cause disease.

3. Mazuri is not good for rats. Please see the information regarding diet in the Reference Thread.
A good diet for rats includes a variety of daily vegs plus occasional berries, fruit, as well as cooked grains, etc Rats need low protein and oxbow for adult rats is sufficient but if you want to supplement them organic soy infant formula thickened with organic baby cereal can be given.

4. Rats, like people, continue growing and changing throughout their lives. The answer to your question is probably 8 months to a year.

5. Rats play roughly with one another. Rats that are used to living with one another do not normally fight. If they are fighting then there is something wrong and they may need to see a good rat vet - For example: male rats with a hormonal problem will fight and need to be neutered by a good vet with the knowledge and experience to do it safely, rats may also fight if the cage is too small, if they have parastites, if there are rat girls in heat nearby, if a rat has a brain tumour causing behaviour changes, etc. If rats are fighting then they need to be seperated, and what happens next depends on the cause.
- When introducing new rats there are gradual steps to follow so no one is hurt or killed (see the Reference Thread)

6. The quick answer would be that unless you have another cage suitable for a rat to live in for at least a few months, you can not get a new rat.
- When bringing in new rats they should be quarantined in a separate airspace for 4 to 6 weeks - like a different home where the people do not have rats. If you do not have another cage, then you can make a large bin cage (see the Reference Thread). New rats also need to live in a separate cage after the quarantine while they are slowly being introduced.
- Rats are not separated from their friends when ill as this will increase their stress and make them more ill. There friends will have already been exposed so there is no reason to separate them.
- You should have a large carrier for taking your rats to the vet - a small bin cage makes a good carrier - see the Reference Thread

7. Please see the Reference Thread for a link to good, detailed information. Then if you have questions, please ask
Give them time, be patient, put the cage in a well used room where they will get a lot of interaction, talk to them, once they feel safe then they will gradually learn to trust you. Try the info in the links mentioned above. There are other things you can do but try those first.

8. The reference thread contains a link to the dietary needs of a laboratory rat. I am not aware of any good current information addressing this question. In the past there was a good link but the site no longer exists.

9. Go to a U-haul store, phone them and ask, or visit their online site. Most people do not use those.

10. They would not be healthy because of additives (& sugar feeds cancer). I have no idea if they are "safe". Rats have short lives, and are prone to many illnesses, including cancer. I would encourage you to feed healthy treats not crap - please see the Reference Thread.
My rats like Kumut puffs which I buy at the local grocery store - an organic cereal that has no additatives.
https://www.naturespath.com/en-us/products/natures-path-foods/kamut-puffs/

11. There are many people who make hamocks and sell them. You can find them on the internet. Mainely Rat Rescue in the USA used to sell hammocks to support their rat rescue, other rat rescues often sell hammocks as well. Petunia, a member of this forum was making and selling hammocks to support her rats.

I make hammocks for sale to put toward vet bills for rescued rats (I have been involved in rat rescue since 2005)
You can also make your own hammocks - there is information and tutorials on youtube about how to make no-sew hammocks and also how to sew hammocks.

Other people in the USA may have favorite hammock makers they can recommend

12. rats are like cats, they spend a lot of time grooming. Unneutered boys will have a hormonal secretion called buck grease. Rats who are overweight or elderly etc may not be able to groom themselves properly and will need help - such as being wiped with a warm damp cloth or an unscented (alcohol free) baby wipe. I would never use coconut oil.

You might find this helpful if you have not read it https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/thinking-of-getting-a-rat-things-to-consider.32306/
I hope this information helps
 
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