Items to encourage chewing

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OldsGal

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
428
Location
Nebraska
I have a little boy in the rescue who is only 4-5 months old who is already having teeth issues. I discovered last night that they already needed to be trimmed as they were severly long enough that it was preventing him from eating. I know that typically once a rat starts to have teeth issues they will always have teeth issues. I just feel this is so young for it to start.

In any event I want to try to cut down on the amount of teeth trimmings this guy will need and so I want to try to find items to encourage chewing. I have all of the typical items. Wood blocks, Lab Blocks, bird hangy toys, milk bones. I am just looking for more ideas as he really isn't chewing on those. How do I encourage him to chew more.

I was thinking maybe some sort of hard dog toys? Or bird cuttle thingies (not sure if that is what they are called).

Thanks all for the ideas.

Staci
 
Nuts in their shells. He should chew through the shell to get to the nut. Ill post more when i can think :) I just like to give the occasional nut. Takes them a while aswell so it keeps them occupied
 
The healthy nylabones always get mine chewing. Walnuts... Soak your blocks in fruit juices.

Have you tried getting his teeth trimmed right to the gum line? My vet did that with one of mine, it kept his teeth straighter for a long time before he needed trimming again. But then he'll have to eat soft foods for the first little while.
 
Hmm chewing isn't a problem at my house HAHA.

Every few weeks I buy a box of "baked dog bones" http://www.luckydog.com.au/ourRange/bones.aspx i attach 2 to the cages with a cable tie and the rats go crazy to chew them up. As they are big it takes them a wile to chew them up( 2 weeks or so). they are good and hard and seem to do the trick at keeping my ratties teeth down. (I can't say it is helthy but my rats are not fat sooo)
 
what about those snack shack items? Our kids go nuts for that. The boys have the bridge right now and are working on just one side for some funny reason lol The girls have the logs, they love them!
 
Eat a popsicle, and let him have the stick. My girls go nuts for that. And I'm with Jo on the nylabone edibles.

A friend introduced me to these the other day: http://www.zukes.com/woof/z-ridge.html

They have like, no protein at all and close to no fat. They're a little bit more expensive than nylabones, though.
 
Any idea on why his teeth became too long?

I have a number of rats who have an upper jaw that is too long and a lower jaw that is too short. Unfortunately, nothing is going to solve that problem and their teeth will always need trimming because the teeth don't match up at all.
 
Chicken bones. I like the small ones that come from wings. Fortunately my son loves chicken wings so I have a regular supply.

And if you're bored and want some entertainment put only one chicken bone in a cage with more than one rat. Sit back, watch, and laugh your butt off. But not for too long - make sure you have one to give everybody at some point.
 
It's hard for me to imagine having to encourage a rat to chew. Mine chew everything in sight (except, so far, the FN pans). I am thinking that if your rat isn't chewing, he is not able to. What does he eat? Does he brux?
 
Godmother said:
It's hard for me to imagine having to encourage a rat to chew. Mine chew everything in sight (except, so far, the FN pans). I am thinking that if your rat isn't chewing, he is not able to. What does he eat? Does he brux?
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My last rat did not chew a damn thing. The amount of money i spent on chew toys was ridiculous. They sat in his cage for over a year and then all went to Sid in the end. He only ever chewed the fleece in a hammock once so he could climb inside. My mum says he wasn't a "real rat" lol, just from the way he acted (he was more like a cat or something)

He did brux a LOT though
 
I bought a variety of nuts in the shells (2 of each) to encourage chewing, and my kids chewed into them all except there is still one walnut I've been moving and replacing every time I clean the cage for the last couple months, and I think I threw the other out with the bedding. They sure did like some of the others tho.
I quit buying the painted wood alphabet blocks after the scares about bad stuff in chinese exports & toys and reading a post that the paint may contain it. Now I just buy (unpainted) old-fashioned clothes pegs from the craft secion in the dollar store.
I haven't had to deal with teeth problems *knock wood* but if I did I might consider boiling a wood thing in beer. Most of my kids have gone for my beer if they are on the kitchen table when I have one. Or coffee with International Delight creamer, they seem to like that too. Boiling in fruit juice is good too but that's been said.
So has chicken bones. I've never thrown out a bone of any kind without it leaving the ratties cage rather than the kitchen. (cooked of course)
And I used to always peel broccoli stalks before cutting them up for the kids as I would for myself before I realized that chewing on the hard outer part is good for their teeth, so now I give them the hard outer stalks of veggies along with the nice inner parts.
 
lilspaz68 said:
I say a snak shak log...mine chew (and demolish) them for hours :)
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really? I have a snak shak bowl but I thought they weren't good for ratties because of the alfalfa?
 
Fidget said:
I bought a variety of nuts in the shells (2 of each) to encourage chewing, and my kids chewed into them all except there is still one walnut I've been moving and replacing every time I clean the cage for the last couple months, and I think I threw the other out with the bedding. They sure did like some of the others tho.
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I found exactly the same. my guys nibbled the end of the walnut for about 5minutes and then moved on and didn't go back
 
I guess they like a challenge far as it's fun but get bored if it's too demanding. Not like any of our kids have to work for food - Lol!
 
Chel said:
lilspaz68 said:
I say a snak shak log...mine chew (and demolish) them for hours :)
Click to expand...



really? I have a snak shak bowl but I thought they weren't good for ratties because of the alfalfa?
Click to expand...

Alfalfa is not bad for them, it's just not as easily digestible but it's a really good fiber.
It would be like humans eating corn, it's not bad for us, we just can't digest the cellulose in it.
 
Chel said:
lilspaz68 said:
I say a snak shak log...mine chew (and demolish) them for hours :)
Click to expand...



really? I have a snak shak bowl but I thought they weren't good for ratties because of the alfalfa?
Click to expand...

They wouldn't be good as a source of nutrition, but are fine for chewing on. Alfalfa doesn't hurt rats but doesn't help them either.

Some people are worried about the pine in the Snak Shak items, but they're so processed I doubt any of the harmful phenols are left.

jorats said:
Moon said:
Eat a popsicle, and let him have the stick. My girls go nuts for that. And I'm with Jo on the nylabone edibles.

A friend introduced me to these the other day: http://www.zukes.com/woof/z-ridge.html

They have like, no protein at all and close to no fat. They're a little bit more expensive than nylabones, though.
Click to expand...


Ooooh, where do you get those?
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My Global just brought them in. Any Global pet foods should have access to them, but like I said, they're not cheap. I am going to ask my Global to get the super tiny ones, as currently they only carry small and up.
 

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