File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
My apologies for another rat thread, fellow /an/ons...
I've reserved a pair of males from a breeder, and they're due to be ready for adoption at the end of September. I built their cage myself and just finished the structural bits (I'm now completely, painstakingly sure that there's nothing sharp and/or dangerous in there and that they can't get out unless they, like, learn to operate tactical explosives and blow a hole in the bars). Now I'm starting to add toys. I found a wooden bar that I've sawed into 4-inch lengths and attached to the side bars with washers as perches, made a hammock/tunnel out of an old pair of boxers and paper clips, and cut an oak branch to fit in the cage. It's accessible from either the perches or climbing up the sides. I cut a cardboard box for a nest box, and there's one of those bird crocks attached to the opposite end of the cage for food (I cut it in half (horizontally) so they could actually get to it). I put an 8-ounce water bottle near the food, and a small (3.5"-ish) litterbox in the opposite corner.

Long story short, I'm trying my best to make everything perfect for them when they arrive since the cage is small (Roughly the dimensions of a Martin's Rat Cubbyhole; it's all I have room for. Damn you, tiny apartment). What am I missing? I think I'll buy a parrot toy or two and a wooden chew-safe ball, but I don't want the cage to get overcrowded either.

Pic sort of related, I'd post pictures of my boys if they were, you know, born.

tl; dr stuff you need for rats that new owners overlook.
>> Anonymous
>:| You sound like me, a month behind. I'm adopting two boys in 2 weeks and also live in a tiny apartment.

This thread is very relevant to my interests. I also have a question, how good is Regal Rat food by Oxbow? I want to figure out what to feed them before I get them.
>> Anonymous
OP here, I heard Mazuri makes the best blocks.
>> Anonymous
CHEESE YOGIES!!!
>> Anonymous
>>289912
WHAT ARE THESE AND WHERE DO YOU GET THEM. I've heard of them before. Would any pet store have them?
>> Anonymous
>>289915
I know petcos carry them, several flavors
>> Anonymous
OP, what did you make your cage out of? I made a guinea pig cage out of cubes&coroplast, but I'm pretty sure the spaces would be big enough for them to get through
>> Anonymous
Um... use the white Carefresh Ultra as litter on the bottom on the cage. You can have a litterbox too, but you're going to want to have the whole bottom covered with a good paper litter. Carefresh Ultra is the best I've tried, but there are other good recycled paper ones. Don't use cedar or pine. You can use a different kind of litter in the litterbox so they know the difference.

Don't give male rats orange juice. Look online for other foods to avoid, though there aren't many. You can give them all kinds of people food as snacks.

You can get them a big plastic wheel, but a lot of rats don't care for them.

They like to sleep up high, so put a hammock or a box up there for them to sleep in.

Start bathing them when they're young so they'll get used to it.
>> Anonymous
>>289917
It's 19-gauge PVC coated wire mesh with 1/2" bar spacing. In short, the same stuff used to make this cage:
http://www.backblast.com/rats/ratcages.htm
I also folded the ends over like this person did. I combined this and a few other plans to make my cage.
>> Anonymous
Congrats, I was in your position just 2 weeks ago :)
I've been with my baby boys for a week now.

>>289905
From what I've learned about rat food:

Avoid Kaytee lab blocks. Mazuri is good and readily available in stores, but Harlan Teklad is the best. They make several different formulas of rodent food, and #2018 is a good choice for growing rats. HT is really hard to find in brick and mortar stores, so you'll probably have to order online. I ordered 15 pounds from craftyrat.com and it was way too much o_0 I'm set for at least 7 months and I'll have to freeze some of it.

The cardboard nest box is good. They really need a place to hide and feel cozy, especially in a new place. My boys have spent most of their cage time in their box.
>> Anonymous
>>290016
I've heard you aren't supposed to give them a nest box for the first week or so so that they can't get away from you while they're getting acclimated to their new surroundings.
>> Anonymous
remember.. no orange juice or oranges for the guys.. it's bad for them. No wood made from cedar or pine. No pine trees or Christmas trees. No cedar bedding. If you get them toys from the pet stores, always read the packaging, it doesn't have to be made for small animals. as long as it's not cedar or pine.

They love fresh food. Make sure you give them a bowl of fresh food each day.. We always gave some frozen peas in lukewarm water on a towel and let them go nuts fishing it out. Watermelon was always a big hit with our girls.

We had two females who eventually developed mammary tumors that kept coming back.

Make sure you don't use any litter that makes dust, it's severely bad for their respiratory system. They are very susceptible to respiratory infections. If they ever start sneezing a lot say for days on end.. and their bedding is still clean and there is no dust. Take them to the vet, If you hear a sound that sounds like "hoo hoo" take them to the vet.

If you get them used to it. They will love baths. If you are worried about it, grab a little tub of something gooey you think they'd like.. say chocolate pudding and smear it on the bottom of a clean sink or wherever you're gonna bathe them. Let them get used to the area before you let them bathe there.. Beware, if they are of any caliber they will be lumberjacking up your arm the first time they feel the water.
>> Anonymous
>>290016
Thanks for the tip about where to get Harlan. I haven't been able to find a place, and buying 33 pounds of Oxbow Regal Rat (at least as good as Harlan) isn't an option for 2 rats. I can finally get them off Mazuri Rat & Mouse which is a bit high in protein despite being good.
>> Anonymous
dear OP

that is the cutest picture ive seen in my life. thank you :)
>> Anonymous
My rats love Peaches, when i first got my rats i put in a few slices of different juicy fruits, they can have most things besides citris, and the one that was eaten the fastest i always keep in the house.

Banana chips are also very popular. As long as there is a nice place to hide (and a good amount of bedding as most of my rats like to hide their food also) they should be happy little guys :)
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>290403
They love Peaches? Huh...
Well, Fuck the pain away is something of a classic but that's it for me. To each their own, I guess.
>> Anonymous
>>290935
Wut
>> Anonymous
Once I gave our rats a section of cooked corncob.

I have never seen anything get so excited about anything.
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
Just got two rats. An hour ago, actually. The breeder obviously did a good job, because they couldn't be calmer. In fact, they both just decided that everything's cool and fell asleep. The dog is frustrated because it's a midget and cannot see into the cage on the table.
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
My rats are awesome. The other is a week younger than the other. He's a lot more scared about this, but he's managing well. The other isn't too worried at all.
>> Anonymous
Harlen block contains WAY too much Corn, which is very bad for rats. Oxbow is best, no corn, with the primary ingrediant being Soy. Here is where I buy mine, a three pound back usually lasts 2 or 3 months, depending on how much fresh veggies I give them.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6067+10381+16965&pcatid=16965

Truth be told, I buy a lot of stuff from that site. Usually getting food, bedding (which I always de-dust), and a treat in the same box. Some times cleaning supplies or toys as well.
>> Anonymous
Harlan 2014, first 10 ingrediants

Wheat middlings, ground wheat, ground corn, corn gluten meal, calcium carbonate, soybean oil, dicalcium phosphate, iodized salt, L-lysine
2018
Ground wheat, ground corn, wheat middlings, dehulled soybean meal, corn gluten meal, soybean oil, calcium carbonate, brewers dried yeast, dicalcium phosphate, iodized salt.
8604
Dehulled soybean meal, wheat middlings, flaked corn, ground corn, fish meal, cane molasses, ground wheat, dried whey, soybean oil, brewers dried yeast.
>> Anonymous
First ten ingrediants for Oxbow
Whole Brown Rice, Oat Groats, Wheat Bran, Wheat, Soybean Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Soybean Hulls, Monocalcium Phosphate, Flaxseed Meal, Linseed, Brewer's Yeast.
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
I'm kinda troubled about the fact the other rat isn't drinking even when I offer the bottle into the corner he's huddled in. He ate some when offered, and even his daring counterpart drank only when offered, but I even squeezed a few drops of water from the bottle to his nose and he didn't care. Either he's not thirsty, even though he has been without water for about 8 hours, or he's scared.

Of course I'm not thinking he'll be dying to dehydration. I'm just kinda bothered that he has not drunk yet. But he will eventually, that much is certain.
Could any rat owner say how often a young rat tends to drink?
>> Anonymous
>>292204
Try a bowl. Or give them veggies with lots of moisture in them.
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
>>292209

Tried cucumber. Rats went "meh". So I'm guessing he isn't seconds from death due dehydration yet.
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
Some intresting development with the rats. I turned their "cottage" around for the night so that they can sleep in it. This is because the breeder said I shouldn't let them spend their days in a box until they get used to everything and grow up a bit so they don't start isolating themselves. Anyways.
I show both rats the new nice wooden thing, and they both explore it a bit. The more daring one soon decides he's too hardcore for soft beddings (I cut up an old shirt) and shelter and goes back into the corner to sleep on the shavings. The other one fell asleep damn fast in the box.
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
     File :-(, x)
Didn't sleep much last night, the rats were damn active after the lights went off. It wasn't so much that the noise kept me up, but I just had to keep spying them for almost three hours. Somewhat worried that it seems like the younger one could squeeze through the bars if he tried. However, he seems to have no intention to do anything like that. Could be that he doesn't dare. Covered the cage with a few towels, disconnected all wires and closed the doors just in case.

I really dunno why I'm babbling about them uncontrollably.

Pic related, I ruthlessly beset my rats with a camera when they were dozing off in a corner.
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
Today I introduced the rats to yogurt drops. Finally got around to buying them. They weren't very enthusiastic, but they still eagerly grabbed the offered drops and ran to stash them.
The more timid rat is also exploring more and even climbs out of the cage when given the chance. They don't fear hands at all, always checking for treats first and then shrugging if there's none. They aren't climbing on the hand themselves yet, but they don't object being picked up. The more timid one has learned that if he climbs up, he can dive down my shirt and sit there.

And yes, they do have names, I just haven't mentioned them.
>> Anonymous
Eee, my litter was just born! :D
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
>>293475

Congratulations. My boys tried a bit of bed running. It was a bit scary, so they both somehow stuffed themselves under the sheets. But they did explore a bit, too. Both are getting more confident.
Sidenote: they have decided that yoghurt drops are for fools, real men eat corn flakes. Seriously, corn flakes in milk were unanimously chosen over yoghurt drops.
>> Masterwork Bastard !wl59mComes
Moar information about my rats. Not only do they like corn flakes, but they also now ignore all yoghurt drops. I tried to give them some before I left for school, and they just kept sniffing the hand and peeking outside. I just figured they were too intrested in other things at the moment and left some at their cage. When I returned, they had apparently just pushed them aside from the food bowl. I also tried nuts, and they didn't care for them at all. Cauliflower was a hit, though.

So, for the record, their yum-yuck list is like this:
Yum:
Corn Flakes
Lettuce
Dog Food
Cauliflower
Chicken

Yuck:
Yoghurt drops
Nuts and almonds
Chocolate
Raisins

Weird, innit? I'm going to try corn today.