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Anonymous
So I'm finally getting my first 2 pet rats on saturday.

Getting a giant homemade cage from my aunt, so I have the cage aspect down.

But do i have to have one of those water bottle things that hamsters use, or do rats just drink from a bowl?

From what I understand, to feed them I just get some basic rat chow and stick a bowl of that in there, while also giving them treats every now and then like cucumbers and shit. That it?

And last, the bedding. We're on a tight budget so we can't get the expensive stuff, but how much would a bag of bedding that won't give my rat lung cancer cost? About how long would a single bag of it last for?
I heard from some people that you can simply use a newspaper, and I heard from some people that you can't, so I don't know.
>> Anonymous
using a water bottle is a better idea, water stays cleaner and most rats know how to use it. feeding your rats a lab block meal and supplementing it with fruits and veggies is a common practice; you can use seed mixes too but sometimes rats like to just pick out their favorite seeds and leave the rest in there so their diet can get unbalanced and they can start getting chubby. google it, you can find tons of info on what to feed rats. as for bedding, as long as it's not cedar/pine you're fine. if you're really that broke just use shredded paper.
>> Anonymous
you sound like you have no idea what youre doing. for the sake of the rats, don't get them.
>> Anonymous
what first attracted you to rats?
>> Anonymous
Diet's pretty basic. Sounds like you need to go back to google, or pick up a book or a magazine -- anything, really -- and brush up on these simple aspects of rat keeping before you get them on Saturday.

Plus, if you're having financial problems, you really shouldn't be getting an animal at all. If you can't provide the basic care for them, why are you getting them?
>> Anonymous
Rats can drink from dishes, but they get dirty and it'll probably mix with their bedding and food and such. It's just easier to boy a bottle, really.

I'm not even sure what the expensive stuff is o.O But cat bedding made from recycled newspaper is fine, too, as long as its 100% newspaper. If you're gonna use real newspaper, make sure the ink isnt toxic, incase the rats try and eat it or something. But yeah, you can give them normal shredded paper. As far as I know that's fine too, for bedding.

Rats'll pretty much eat any food. Couple of things that you can't give them like citrus and shit, but just google for that. Giving them fresh fruit and veges is great, too~