HEALTH & FOOD
Feeding your rat is very easy. You go to the pet store and buy rat food. I personally recommend large "lab blocks" or pellets. You can supplement your rat's diet with various treats they sell (yogurt drops are a favorite), and other treats. It is ok to feed your rat fruits and veggies, it keeps them healthy. However, an overabundance of these things can lead to diarrhea, which is unpleasant. One of my rats' favorite treats is sushi. I usually give them tuna roll (tekka maki). However, you can just feed them strictly
Your rat will live in a cage. This cage is your rat's home, so you want to make sure that it is nice, because your rat wil be spending most of her time there. The smallest size cage for one rat is a 10-gallon aquarium. Make sure there is proper vetilation on top. A wire or screen top is recommended. You can also get your rat a very nice wire cage. These can be fun because they have multiple levels, and your rat can climb. The only thing to watch for is that the mesh is small enough to keep the rat inside the cage. I had one rat, Zeba, who lived in his wire cage for 6 months before he figured out how to escape.
In the cage, it's a good idea to give the rat a food bowl, and a water bottle. I also like to give my rats a little place to hide. Anything from a cardboard tube to a large sup will work. You can buy little coconuts that have been hollowed out which is what my rats are curently using. Rats also like to chew, so if their "house" is made of something they can chew, that's also good.
In the cage you will also have bedding. Cedar bedding is usually considered too dusty for rats, so pine, aspen, or paper bedding is best. I personally recommend the paper bedding, it's sort of a greyish color and comes in a green bag. It has less dust that the pine or aspen, but doesn't smell as nice. You can also use corn-cob bedding, but that's not very soft.
You should always make sure your rat has water and a clean cage.
How can I tell if my rat is sick
When rats are sick, they don't act normal. You may notice that your rat isn't as active as he usually is, or she doesn't eat as much. One of the most common illnesses among rats are respiratory problems. If you rat is sneezing a lot, this may be an indication that they are sick. Before you rush off to the vet and spend a lot of money, check to see if your rat has water, and how dirty the cage is. If the rat hasn't had water for a long time, or obviously hasn't been drinking, wash the water bottle out well and then refill it. Rats can't throw up, so if they have something that makes them feel bad, they won't taste it again. Studies have shown that if you make water taste bad, the rat will refuse to drink. Also, changing bedding type can also help the sneezing if you're using wood shavings. Try the paper kind. However if your rat is still sneezing a lot with a clean cage, and isn't acting right, or if your rat hasn't had water for a long time, you probably should take your rat to the vet.
Finding a vet that sees rats can be hard. The first thing to do is ask people you know, because they may know of someone already. The first vet I took my rats to was recommended by a friend's dad who is a veterinarian himself. They took their rabbit to a specific clinic that saw all kinds of animals. If you can't get a referral, the yellow pages are the next place to look. Usually the best clinics for rats are the ones that mention "pocket pets" or "exotics" in their ad in the yellow pages.
When you do take your animal to the vet, be sure to discuss costs with the vet up front. It can cost as much as $40 for the vet just to see your pet, not to mention medication costs. Also, ask the vet about all your options. I once had a rat that was sneezing and not eating. He didn't have a respiratory infection, and the vet recommended new shavings and gave me a recipie for a sort-of "rat smoothie" which I now use when any of my rats aren't eating or feeling well. Also, the vet should communicate with you as well as with the animal. If you see a vet, and don't like him or her, it's ok not to go back. You and your rat should like the vet.
| Questions or Comments? e-mail alisha@bleurat.com |
This Page hosted by OLM
|