he is a two and half year old male. he doesn't like the wheel or a ball to roll around in. even when he was thinner i liked to just chill out. i give him vegetables and watched how much food he eats. he eats so much. he has been to the vet and declared healthy. he needs to loose this weight. i know i am to blame too. i just can't seem to get him interested in anything. except eating. and that is not a joke.
2006-07-13 14:55:44 · 12 answers · asked by werewolfpixie 5 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
the wheel was given to him as an option. i left it in there for a month and not a single touch. a sniff here and maybe a nibble there, but nothing more. he has a pretty good sized cage. he does have a cage mate and they are both happy and content to eat and sleep the day away. i just don't want him to die because of him being overweight. i don't expect him to look like he did when i first got him. i just want him to be able to walk around and explore a little. i want him to be comfortable. i have cut his treats down to only a single yogurt vitamin dip ball. they love them. only one a day. i was just thinking of rat proofing my computer room so he could just walk around. that could help a bit. i do work in a pet store that is why i now own six rats and i'm begging my husband to let me have more. lol!! he can't resist....
2006-07-13 18:22:38 · update #1
almost forgot, i gave him cheerios for treats and vegetables and he got bored of those real easy. he doesn't like the diet rat formula. he tumped his dish over and looked at me like i was evil. spoiled rat...but, i love him:o)
2006-07-13 18:24:10 · update #2
If the vet said he was healthy, leave him alone. Don't feed him anymore than usual. Do you take that big squishy boy out and love him up? All the male ratties I ever had were big squishy love bugs! I can't say I ever had a really obese one but at 2.5 years I'd say let him enjoy the 6 months to a year that he has left and just love the crap out of him. I had a gp that ate because he was bored...I played with him often but he was just in a habit of pigging out..no pun intended.
2006-07-14 15:23:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 3⤋
I had a fat rat once, and they are very hard to manage. Especially if there is another rat in with them who is of perfect weight. If there is then you might need to separate them until he drops the weight. Do know that for males it is perfectly normal for them to want to lie around all the time, and most adult rats, especially males, dont like the balls, mine never did. He might be pretty set in his ways if he is two and a half as well. That is pretty old for a rat, and the obesity hasnt seemed to affect him yet, but it still cant hurt to try. Whether he is alone or you have to separate him, when it comes to diet, youre just going to have to give him less even if he wants more. If you continue to do this, his stomach will learn to eat less and he wont be as hungry, but still make sure to give him enough. Do not give him anything like nuts or even meats or eggs, or anything with too much fat or protein while you are trying to drop the weight. No cheese either. Try just fruits, vegetables, any kind of seed rat diet with vitamins and such, and lowfat crackers or cereal like cheerios or crispix. I wouldnt recommend pasta either because of the very high carbs even though i know rats love it. Good luck.
2006-07-13 15:10:16 · answer #2 · answered by lita k 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As far as I know, that's just the way male rats are. They are personable but VERY lazy, and can get HUGE. Especially if the vet has declared him healthy, I doubt you have much to worry about. Plus, at 2.5 years, he's getting up there, I think it's just the natural slowing down that comes with old age, sounds like he's a happy, healthy rat :-)
2006-07-13 15:02:13 · answer #3 · answered by snake_girl85 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They make rat wheels for in the cage, but he might not use it. I'd at least make sure he has one as an option. I'd also make him a maze. Since he likes food, make him a maze and give him a food reward to get to the end.... a LOW calorie, LOW carb food item, like low cal/low fat cheese in a SMALL portion. Change the maze around so he has to work at it and exercise himself.
If possible, get him a cage that is multi-level. Put his food on the highest level so he has to go up the ramps/ladders to get to it, and back down to the water or to sleep.
2006-07-13 15:02:48 · answer #4 · answered by Juju_Bee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is normal but if you want him to trim down forget about the wheel forget about a ball you can even forget about winsor palaties because all he needs is a bigger cage and it wouldn't hurt to give him a mate either he needs room to run and those wheels are a joke so think big and get that big rat a big cage!
2006-07-13 15:01:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you can do is feed him at certan times like , making him eat 3 times a day! But dont feed him too much for each meal for example dont give him 3 frutes for every meal just gove him one. A fat Rat is regular... So if you whant to keep him interested in some thing else or for him to exersize you really shouldint cuz a hamster is the one whos supposed to exersize. Just like i said before a fat rat is REGULAR!!! But if you still want him to loose wheight you can make him run. You can make him run by making him chase his food 4 about 5min. if you do this often i garentee u he will loose the weight!!!!!!!!!!
2006-07-13 15:10:17 · answer #6 · answered by Delma 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get your rat a little hamster wheel. I know it sounds ridiculous but, it might help. And try to get your rat to eat healthier food
2006-07-13 14:59:45 · answer #7 · answered by bre-bre 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try setting in the hallway and put a peice of food on the other side!
2006-07-13 15:00:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Borrow a neighbor's cat to chase it around the house.
2006-07-13 14:59:47 · answer #9 · answered by Tortured Soul 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go ahead and euthanize him and take him out of his misery. Good luck.
2006-07-13 15:03:01 · answer #10 · answered by p.c. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋