Rats and Apple Cider Vinegar (water questions)

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Ratigan

Ratigan

Active Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2015
Messages
25
Location
Toronto, Canada
For my birds (parrots, canary) I use ACV in their water, 4 tablespoons per gallon. I use the organic kind with the "mother". It helps their digestion (prevents "sour crop"), and their feathers gleam. When I started them on ACV I cut the dose in half and then increased it gradually.

I was wondering if anyone gives ACV water to their rats? Or would it be harmful to them in some way?

Another question: I know chlorine in tap water is harmful to pets. For my other pets I use the same water conditioner I use in my fish tanks (Seachem Prime). It removes both chlorine and chloramine. I have never noticed any harmful effects on my cats, reptiles, birds, or rodents. Would this be appropriate for rats as well? Right now for my rattie boys I'm just letting the water sit out to age for three days.
 
I would not add anything to their water that I did not drink myself.

I use a water filter to remove chlorine from my rat's water, because as you said, chlorine is not good for any animals (including humans)
I am fortunate as we do not have fluoride added to our water. Fluoride is a toxin that causes brain tumours in rats so rats can not be given water containing fluoride either.

Nothing should ever be added to their normal drinking water, as it is essential.
As for ACV, I have never heard of anyone giving it to their rats so I can't say .....
I hope you do a lot of research and if you decide to give them some, I would suggest it is an occasional addition in a separate dish, not added to their normal water supply.
 
Thanks for the reply!
After I posted this thread, I did some more research on ACV and rats. I found a number of websites that recommend it to be used, some say it should be used "off and on" and not all the time. Here's a good breeder website that describes the beneficial health effects of ACV in rats. She also mentions her own experience with it in her rattery:
http://www.camarattery.com/apple-cider-vinegar
Snip: "What I noticed after one 32oz bottle was pretty amazing to say the least. My rats are already known for soft coats, more so than other breeder lines I have seen, and I thought they were really soft. However the coats had gotten twice as soft even still. Also the cold temps weren't making them sneeze at all. I had moved at the time that I began using it and it was not my usual house so the rats were stressed and upset. The ACV stopped the sneezing and helped them acclimate to the colder house. Their immune systems were amazing. Also the rats love the ACV. They act like its apple juice. I personally can't stand the taste. They love it!"

I will try a half-strength ACV/water mix (2 tablespoons ACV per gallon of water) as a test. I think my new rats could benefit from it since they are stressed with adapting to a new home. I will offer them pure water at the same time.

For anyone who wishes to try ACV, you must use the organic version, which contains the "mother". The "mother" is the bacteria which were used to ferment the vinegar. They are probiotic and have antifungal properties. I use Bragg's, but there are other organic brands available. ACV also comes in a pill supplement for humans, but I prefer the liquid version. Start at a low dose, then taper up as you watch your animal's water intake. The maximum dose I use is four tablespoons per gallon of filtered water.

Re water conditioners: the brand I use also removes flouride and ammonia, as well as chlorine and chloramine. It is harmless in drinking water. I've been using Seachem Prime for my sensitive reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates for years, with good results. The dose is a few drops per gallon. I always filter and condition all drinking water in my home, as I don't trust the water pipes in the old building where I live.
 
I think giving them the choice of ACV and pure water would be fine, so long as they can always opt for the water if they want it.
 
Giving them the choice of fresh water or ACV seems fine to me.
MSDS for Seachem Prime
http://www.seachem.com/support/MSDS/Prime.doc.pdf
Emergency and First Aid Procedures: Skin-Wash with soap and water. Ingestion- Give several glasses of water to drink to dilute. If large amounts were swallowed, get medical advice.Precautions to Be Taken in Handling and Storing: Do not introduce to drinking water or foodstuffs. Wash hands after use, wear gloves if exposure is prolonged.

So...no, I would never give this to rats to drink.
 
jorats said:
Giving them the choice of fresh water or ACV seems fine to me.
MSDS for Seachem Prime
http://www.seachem.com/support/MSDS/Prime.doc.pdf
Emergency and First Aid Procedures: Skin-Wash with soap and water. Ingestion- Give several glasses of water to drink to dilute. If large amounts were swallowed, get medical advice.Precautions to Be Taken in Handling and Storing: Do not introduce to drinking water or foodstuffs. Wash hands after use, wear gloves if exposure is prolonged.

So...no, I would never give this to rats to drink.
Click to expand...

OK - good call! I'll have to see if I can find a different dechlorinator that's safe to use in drinking water. In the meantime I will go back to aging the water in buckets.
 
If you do not want to set the water out, then buy a Brita water filter, or a more expensive type. They remove chlorine from water.
Adding any chemical to the water to remove chlorine etc is not a good idea
 
No worries, I have a Brita and a Zero Water pitcher. I tend not to use the Zero Water for drinking straight out of the pitcher, as it removes all minerals from the water. It's great for making coffee, though.

I usually keep a couple of buckets of clean water in my bedroom/rat room anyway, to water the plants. They're covered with old sheets to keep dust out. I'll probably use this water for the rats as well. I gave them each a small dish of the ACV water at half strength, in addition to plain water. I've seen a couple of them sipping the ACV water, so I'll keep offering it for now.
 
Lol I know that some conspiracy theory nuts like Alex Jones sell water filters on their websites that filter out everything including fluoride and chlorine. I mean if you're really worried about that sort of thing then it's always cheaper than buying a billion water bottles.
 

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