I can't find any reliable source that says thyme tea is definitely helpful, just maybe helpful.
I did check this page about using it for HUMANS and the possible side effects would cause me to think twice about using it for rats. If it was certain to help, maybe.........
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-suppl...veingredientid=823&activeingredientname=thyme
"Thyme is
LIKELY SAFE when consumed in normal food amounts. Thyme is
POSSIBLY SAFE when taken as medicine for short periods of time.
It can cause digestive system upset.
Thyme oil is
POSSIBLY SAFE when applied to the skin. In some people, applying the oil to the skin can cause irritation.
But there isn’t enough information to know whether thyme oil is safe to take by mouth in medicinal doses.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Children: Thyme is
LIKELY SAFE when consumed by children in normal
food amounts. Thyme is
POSSIBLY SAFE when taken as medicine for short periods of time. There isn’t enough information to know whether thyme oil is safe for children when applied to the skin or taken by mouth.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Thyme is
LIKELY SAFE for pregnant and breast-feeding women when consumed in normal food amounts. But it’s not known whether it’s safe to use thyme in larger medicinal amounts. Stick to food amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Allergy to oregano and similar plants: People who are allergic to oregano or other Lamiaceae species might also be allergic to thyme.
Bleeding disorders: Thyme might slow blood clotting. Taking thyme might increase your risk of bleeding, especially if used in large amounts.
Hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Thyme might act like estrogen in the body. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don’t use thyme.
Surgery: Thyme might slow blood clotting, so there is some concern that it might increase the risk of extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using thyme at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery."
well, I would not risk giving thyme tea to my boy Haskell as he has a heart condition and I don't want to do anything that could affect his blood clotting (he's on metacam which can affect clotting in people, so I don't know.... blood clotting is a very complicated and sensitive thing, with lots of factors involved...)
I did find one reference where a person let their rats chew on thyme leaves with no ill effect.
and then i found this disturbing page where they injected rats with the essential oil, doesn't really give much detail as to why (it was an IP injection, into the body, seems like that would hurt)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25145237
but apparently thyme is good for your teeth, maybe *I'll* try chewing some...
it has such a strong flavor, I can't imagine rats like it, but who knows
you got me very curious now.