Hi, newish rat mum

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Nataly

New Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2019
Messages
4
Location
Hollister California
I got my first rat about a month ago. I got my boy Jack from my teacher because she bought him and a few others so the second year students could draw blood from them and the first years (me) could practice administering oral and optic medication (water and eye drops). The first day she brought them to our class she told us that if we wanted to we could hold a rat during class and since I had never held a rat before I jumped at the opportunity. I fell in love with him instantly. Everyone else had to return their rat within five minutes because they were either defecating everywhere or squirming and clawing. Keep in mind that these were feeder bin rats. Jack on the other hand was calm and he snuggled into my hoodie pocket or elbow. I did notice some weird pimples on his right ear and he was sneezing every five minutes. The next day I chose to hold a rat again but couldn't remember with certainty who he was but after picking up another rat I knew it wasn't him. Over the course of a week I fell more and more in love with the stinky little boy (she kept them in a tank, 4 total. It was cleaned daily). And everyday I felt my heartbreak because my teacher had told us that if they didn't get adopted they were going back to the store. And I wanted to keep him so badly but my mom HATES rats (she thinks they're disgusting) and I knew she would never say yes, but my friend convinced me to try anyway. So, I explained to her how sweet he was, how he had never peed or pooped on me, or bitten anyone despite having water shot into his mouth over and over. How he deserved better and that I would just foster him until I could find a home for him. And to my surprise she said yes. And I swear on Jack's life I started crying then and there in the middle of class. I felt a huge weight lifted off my chest. At the time I didn't expect to keep him long and I hadn't bonded with his siblings so I only got one, which I now know was wrong. I got everything ready and brought him home on Friday February 1,2019 and he was 4-6 months old. the other rats ended up getting adopted by my teacher's friends. One died after he started sneezing, one turned out to be female and pregnant, the other is thriving. I'm currently trying to adopt one of the male pups to keep Jack company. There is a 1/3 chance he might be the father (rats have a 19-21 gestation period, they were bought 1 week before I met Jack, I bonded with Jack for a week, and the babies were born 1 week after he came home). The pups will be 6 weeks old next week so I will hopefully get at least one.
Since coming home Jack's ears are pimple free and he's sneeze free. He is a little lightning bolt and i'm sure he'd sell his soul for food if he could.
Feb 1, 2019 fullsizeoutput_343.jpeg fullsizeoutput_342.jpeg Feb 26,2019 IMG_3883.JPG
 
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What an absolute adorable baby! I'm glad everyone got a home and I do hope you can get him a friend. Sounds like a typical rat-- willing to do anything for food. I have a couple who will clear out food bowls just to store them in hides and then come to me, begging for more, despite having two hides full of stashed food.

What are you keeping him in and feeding him?

Also, be sure not to introduce cute little Jack and the baby right away-- babies need to be about eight to ten weeks old before they can meet another rat. The baby may also need to be quarantined, just to make sure they don't have external or internal parasites, or any illnesses.
 
I feed him Kaytee's fiesta mix and for treats I use cucumbers, apples, carrots, bananas, and broccoli. sometimes i'll give him tiny bits of a dog biscuit or cheerios. His cage is 2 stories with a hammock, an igloo, in-n-out cups as tunnels, paper towels, toilet paper rolls, strips of pj pants, chicken bones, an all living things glass water bottle, and a ceramic food bowl I made in 9th grade ceramics class, wooden bird toys, balls, a pumice stone perch, a wooden ladder, and square cardboard pieces. For bedding I use Kaytee's unscented clean and cozy. I usually leave his cage open from the time I get home (2:30 pm-3:00 pm) until I go to bed (12;00 am-1:00 am). If I don't have the time to supervise his free range I put up a large cardboard playpen like the one shadow the rat has (I watch her videos religiously).
 
A number of members, myself included, would recommend feeding Oxbow's adult rat food as a staple food. I feed the fiesta mix as a treat and so that my rats can have seeds. The vegetables look good, but I also feed my rats kale, spinach (in low amounts), general salad mix (rarely), etc.
For his bedding, make sure it isn't dusty. Unscented and clean is a great way to go.
 
A number of members, myself included, would recommend feeding Oxbow's adult rat food as a staple food. I feed the fiesta mix as a treat and so that my rats can have seeds.
For his bedding, make sure it isn't dusty. Unscented and clean is a great way to go.
Yeah I want to get oxbow soon , I’m trying to fatten him up a bit because he weighs 325g but spends most of the day eating.

The bedding says it’s 99.9% dust free. Thank you for the veggie recommendation, I’ll try them out.
 
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