what are the foods rats can and can not have, how much of it a day should they have? What is the best way to find a breeder in NC? do they poop alot and all over? im thinking about getting this cage and was wondering if it would be big enough for 2 rats since they need a companion. thanks http://cgi.ebay.com/3-Level-Hamster-Rodent-Gerbil-Rat-Mouse-Cage-H820PUR_W0QQitemZ250088509419QQihZ015QQcategoryZ116396QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
2007-02-27 16:57:18 · 2 answers · asked by ? 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
There are many commercial rat diets that are available. My suggestion would be to buy any of the brands that specifically say that they are formulated for rats and mice. If you were to join rat-only Yahoo forums you will find that there are many home-made diets that have been put together by many members and rat-care professionals. The following are particularly enjoyed by rat-keepers and their rats.
Spazrats diet:
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/petrats/81615
Debbie Ducommun Diet:
http://www.ratfanclub.org/diet.html
Suebee diet:
http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html
None of us follow these diets exactly. You can play around with them and they'd still be good.
Rats are omnivores and eat anything. If you would eat any healthy food then it's ok for your rats.
More on feeding your rats:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=feeding+your+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAqFmYLsucJ9Ju1A_wytuo5cazKIX%2FSIG%3D111gjvvgj%2F*-http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAjrR1DDgyctRMOV346dKZz4azKIX%2FSIG%3D11ia1qo58%2F**http%253a%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=feeding+your+rats
Forbidden foods:
http://www.petratscanada.com/forbidden_foods.htm
More:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=forbidden+foods+for+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAqFmYLsucJ9Ju1A_wytuo5cazKIX%2FSIG%3D111gjvvgj%2F*-http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAjrR1DDgyctRMOV346dKZz4azKIX%2FSIG%3D11ia1qo58%2F**http%253a%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=forbidden+foods+for+rats
Yes, rats can eat chocolate in moderation
http://spazrats.tripod.com/chocolate.html
Having had many rats over the years, I have discovered that individual rats have their own personal appetites. Some rats eat more then others. I would start with 1/2 cup of rat mix along with fruit and vegetables per day and adjust it accordingly.
The first place I would start my search for rats in NC would be to refer to the Ratster, http://www.ratster.com/. This is a directory compiled of breeders that breed for pets only so you know you are getting good quality rats.
Yes, rats poop and pee a lot and, at first, they will poop and pee all over. But rats can be litter box trained:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Litter+training+your+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAqFmYLsucJ9Ju1A_wytuo5cazKIX%2FSIG%3D111gjvvgj%2F*-http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAjrR1DDgyctRMOV346dKZz4azKIX%2FSIG%3D11ia1qo58%2F**http%253a%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=Litter+training+your+rats
In the long run, your choice of cage is too small. It is perfect for baby rats, but both male or female rats will quickly out grow it. I am familiar with the little house and wheel in that cage and again, perfect for baby rats, but too small for adults.
The rule of thumb is to buy the biggest cage you can afford. The best cages are the Martin's cages, R670 or R680
http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/rat/
Specify that you want a solid floor, not a barred floor, if you order one of these. Martin's will outfit your cage to your specs.
The second best would be a guinea pig cage with extra shelves added for more floor space:
http://www.mgpr.org/MGPR/PigCages.htm
http://hometown.aol.com/bunsnpigs/myhomepage/business.html
Adult female rats will squeeze out through the cage bars if the bar spacing is more then 3/4 of an inch.
I'm sure you've got more questions about rat-keeping and I will be happy to answer them as they come up. Kudo's to you for doing your ratty research.
Sandra Beasley and the Spaz Rats
(Rattery, Rescue, and Rat-care Expert)
http://spazrats.tripod.com
"my life has gone to the rats"
2007-02-28 19:08:49 · answer #1 · answered by spazrats 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Rats can really have anything, except things dogs can't have-- like onions and chocolate. Dog food is good for them, and nuts and seeds are fatty for them. Read up on Rat nutrition online to make a balanced diet. Or you can buy Lab blocks, made by multiple companies. Those are balanced diets alone.
They don't poop constantly, but they do poop anywhere they want generally. It's never been a problem for me, though. They can be litter trained...
And that cage is much, much too small. Rats get well over a foot long, so that cage is extremely small. Please get a cage made for rats, chinchillas, ferrets, etc. Ferret cages are the best, I think.
2007-02-28 01:19:03 · answer #2 · answered by Tazwell 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋