Diet

Rat Care Guide: Diet

Pet Info Packets: Rat Feeding

 There are many, many choices when it comes to providing your rats with the best diet. Controversy surrounds all of the options. It is up to the owner to weigh the pros and cons of each and make the best educated decision for their rats. We have tried several diets and always fall back on the use of Harlan Teklad lab blocks. We do prefer more of a wholesome and homemade diet that is nutritionally complete, but do not feel one has been precisely pinpointed as of this writing. Even when using the lab blocks we supplement with healthy homecooked meals, fruits, vegetables, pasta, etc.

Cages
 There are unlimited cage options for rats. We use and highly recommend Martin's Cages versions R-680 and above for regular use. Our favorite is the R-695 "The Rat Skyscraper". We do utilize the occasional Super Pet cage, or sterilite tub for nursing mothers, but we much prefer the tried and true Martin's Cages. We currently own several R-695, R-680 and a couple of R-670 cages. The R-670s are used for separating babies at weaning time. The Critter Nation cages are also a fine choice but do require a bit more in maintenance and space.

Bedding/Litter
 As of Winter 2009 we use Premier Pet Aspen shavings or Harlan Teklad Sanichips for the litter in all of our cages. The Aspen shavings are easily obtained at the local Tractor Supply Store, is economical and does not have that nasty mildew smell that I've experienced with other brands of Aspen. Harlan's Sanichips are a bit more difficult to obtain but are a delight in the cages. The pans look a lot cleaner and are not as heavy to lift and empty as with other beddings. 

If you obtain your bedding through a pet store, we highly recommend freezing your bedding for 48 hours before you bring it anywhere near your rats. This will get rid of any ectoparasites that may be lurking on the bedding from the pet store.

 We previously used Yesterday's News purchased for at Meijer's for a lower price than most pet stores which resulted in a savings of $7-10 per bag!

 Since discovering the No Sew Accessories website, our rats also enjoy a variety of things we can make without a sewing machine!e!

Enrichment
 The rats receive different play items each week to keep them mentally stimulated. We are in the process of switching all the wheels over to the 11" Superpet Run-Around mesh running wheels. They also enjoy SuperPet or Rody Igloos, various home-made hammocks, cardboard boxes, cat ball toys, treat-hiding contraptions, bird ropes, Run-About balls as hangouts ONLY. We do not use nor advocate the use of wood products in the cages. They will be chewed and soiled. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to keep bacteria at bay when using wood products.

 In the plans at this time are a large Martin's Cages playpen to use with the rats and their 'out time'. The use of this playpen will ensure that each gender will receive 2+ hours of playtime outside of their cages daily. This will be filled with items too large to fit in their cages for regular use, such as houses and mazes to keep them occupied. Wheels will also be used in the playpen. As with their cages, these items will be switched around regularly to prevent boredom.

Quarantine Practices
 Quarantine, or what most people really do -- isolation, is a measure taken to ensure that resident animals do not become infected if a new addition happens to be carrying a viral or bacterial infection or parasites.

 Proper isolation requires the new addition(s) to be kept at a separate, safe location/air space/building for a minimum of three weeks. This location must not contain rodents, and the people that will be caring for your rats must be aware of places they go (pet stores, friends) that may have rodents as well. Previous to their arrival you need to set up a cage, water bottle, food, food bowl and litter in the home your rat(s) will be staying. You do not want to transfer anything from the isolation location to your home during this period. There are some viruses, bacteria and parasites that can stay on items (clothes, cameras, bedding) for days -- not just hours.

 If possible, it is preferred to keep visits to the new addition at a minimum to prevent cross contamination to your resident rats at home Whenever you visit the new addition and leave the isolation location you should stay away from your home for a minimum of 2 hours. Once you return home you should change your clothes and shower. Even with those precautions, I personally will not go near my own rats for two or more hours after returning home.

 For our purposes we occasionally must adopt rats from other breeders that may be beneficial to our program. We do business with very few breeders and only adopt a few times a year to minimize the need of an isolation home and the chances of bringing in an unwanted illness. During the times in which we need to adopt rats we will place them in isolation for at least three weeks. If at the end of that time they are still healthy then they are brought home and introductions begin.

 Parasites such as mites or lice are a bit tricky to see if the infestation is low. As such, all new additions are treated with a single dose (appropriate for rats) of Revolution during their isolation period.

 It is rare, but sometimes we will adopt rats from unfortunate situations. These animals are usually kept in isolation for two months before we bring them into the rattery. This happens very rarely these days and has only been done twice in the last three years.

Sanitation
 It is extremely important to keep the environment clean and sanitary. All of our cages are cleaned each week and taken to the bathroom for disinfecting. All toys that are in the cages must be able to be sanitized and they are done each week as well. Waterbottles and food dishes are cleaned daily to prevent bacteria buildup. We use various cleansers to achieve this: Dial antibacterial soap, Simple Green, and an appropriate bleach solution that won't knock me out. ;)