|
Hitlers Gay Secret posted:What's a good diet to put a fat rat? One of my rats has gotten pretty chubby these last few months. I think it might be the rat food I give them (Reggie Rat), but I don't know what else to get them since I actually use my rice and other grains now for people food. Yeah, it's the rat food. Is Reggie Rat full of seeds? Oxbow makes good rat chow (Regal Rat) and so does Mazuri.
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2015 02:05
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 6, 2024 09:18 |
|
|
Hi rat people. I've posted about Alice and Boop, and they are doing just wonderfully, but a few weeks ago I got another baby girl named Basketballz. She's about 8 weeks old by now, and has adjusted really well. Everybody is getting along in the same cage, shes growing so fast, but recently Basketballz has had a different, more persistent sneeze. She was sneezing occasionally after I brought her home, or when she cleaned herself, but that happened with the other two as well. They adjusted pretty quickly and I hardly hear a peep out of them now, but the past week or so Basketballz' has seemed wetter and comes in spells. Here is a wobbly video of the three, with Basketballz being the smallest, sneezy one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIYrBBZ8y_I Am I worrying over nothing, or should I take her to the vet if it persists? It would bother me if I was sneezing as much as her, but I also haven't quadrupled in size or anything recently. Any tips of what to look for with respiratory problems? also rat butts
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2015 05:55
|
|
|
sleppy posted:Hi rat people. I've posted about Alice and Boop, and they are doing just wonderfully, but a few weeks ago I got another baby girl named Basketballz. She's about 8 weeks old by now, and has adjusted really well. Everybody is getting along in the same cage, shes growing so fast, but recently Basketballz has had a different, more persistent sneeze. She was sneezing occasionally after I brought her home, or when she cleaned herself, but that happened with the other two as well. They adjusted pretty quickly and I hardly hear a peep out of them now, but the past week or so Basketballz' has seemed wetter and comes in spells. She sounds just like my rat during his respiratory infection. Make an appointment as soon as you can. Also your ratties are adorable, oh gosh.
|
|
#
?
Nov 6, 2015 03:30
|
|
|
I don't think Ratigan can feel his back legs. He keeps getting them caught on the ledges as he climbs up. He's eating and drinking now, but I fear it wont be long. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2015 17:47
|
|
|
Hind limb paralysis is a rat's badge of honor. It usually means they've lived a good long life. And I have had rats that have lived quite a few months with it. You might have to make adjustments to his cage (remove ramps, make it one storey). My oldest boy insisted on climbing even though he was dragging himself around, and slid down his ramp a few times before I removed it.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2015 22:05
|
|
|
Yeah, I moved the food bowl lower so he doesn't have to climb as much. His brother is still as spry as the day I got him though.
|
|
#
?
Nov 21, 2015 19:17
|
|
|
Does anyone know if that mist deodorizing spray for dogs would be safe to use on a rat? Or would they ingest it while grooming and get sick?
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2015 21:55
|
|
|
Ratigan got worse. Taking him to the vet now. I feel so awful right now, but I can't keep letting him suffer like this.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2015 05:37
|
|
|
Nameless Dread posted:Does anyone know if that mist deodorizing spray for dogs would be safe to use on a rat? Or would they ingest it while grooming and get sick? Why is your rat smelly? Thats not normal, if your rat stinks it might have some health problem you should look into before spraying it with stuff.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2015 05:41
|
|
|
Bismuth posted:Why is your rat smelly? Thats not normal, if your rat stinks it might have some health problem you should look into before spraying it with stuff. He's not that smelly, just a little musky which my other rat was too. But i had some laying around and was wondering if i could freshen him up, it's not my favorite smell. I was reading that there are ways to cut down on their smells that i could probably try if nothing else: quote:Best ways to keep smell down overall: Erostratus fucked around with this message at 05:54 on Nov 24, 2015 |
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2015 05:50
|
|
|
Nameless Dread posted:He's not that smelly, just a little musky which my other rat was too. But i had some laying around and was wondering if i could freshen him up, it's not my favorite smell. I dont remember my males smelling too bad but my current fixed males have 0 smell and gorgeous grease-free white coats so if the smell is a real problem maybe get them fixed. I'd avoid spraying them with stuff though, rats love to bathe and I'm sure they'd lick it off within minutes, maybe try the baby-wipes or a light bath?
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2015 06:35
|
|
|
Goodbye ol' buddy. I'll watch over your brother now. God I feel terrible. I know he's not in pain anymore, but it still hurts for me.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2015 07:49
|
|
|
Hitlers Gay Secret posted:Goodbye ol' buddy. I'll watch over your brother now. My condolences.  I'm sure that everyone in here understands how you feel. This is the absolute worst part about being a rat-owner.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2015 11:01
|
|
|
After six rats, I finally found a big old tumor on Cream. It seems large enough that I have no idea how I didn't see it earlier, since they come out of the cage to play constantly. I have a vet appointment scheduled for Friday, but I'm going out of town for Christmas the next day super worried there won't be anything they can do about it anyway but I'm hoping it can be removed.
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2015 12:39
|
|
|
I got the Smaslug family a Christmas tree which they can eat. It was a good purchase so I made a video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxKp_N-4kig
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2015 02:49
|
|
|
I tried to post this before but my it didn't post it seems. My little girl has cancer. The tumor can't be removed and she's to old for surgery. The vet said she isn't in pain and we don't have to do it yet. But I'm so worried and just so sad that I feel sick. What would you guys do to make your babies feel the best they can in their last weeks? Mrfreezewarning fucked around with this message at 20:34 on Jan 8, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2016 20:32
|
|
|
I have had two old rats live a relatively long time after developing tumors. They lived to 2 yrs 8 mths and 2 years, 4 mths old. Neither seemed in any discomfort, or I would have euthed straight away. I'd been so upset but their lives weren't cut that short anyway. Try not to stress too much, give her lots of treats and enjoy the time left with your girl.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2016 14:48
|
|
|
Take them out more often. Enjoy the time you have left with them. I started spoiling mine with chocolate and potato chips. I'm sorry.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2016 22:36
|
|
|
.
eggburger fucked around with this message at 11:01 on Oct 26, 2022 |
|
#
?
Jan 10, 2016 21:43
|
|
|
I've never had female rats, but are you sure it's cancerous? I know females are prone to mammary tumors, so it could be one of those. Honestly, it's up to you and your finances. If you can afford to have it removed, I would go for it. 11 months is very young, and tumors are not exactly uncommon for rats, especially female ones. On the other hand, I don't think the tumors themselves are usually painful until they start spreading into organs. I think it's more likely to just be an inconvenience for her when it gets in the way of her walking around. You're not a bad pet owner for taking your finances into account in this very lovely situation. You are doing your best to take care of her and you obviously care about her a lot. Rats, unfortunately, are very sickly pets. If you are having trouble paying for their healthcare, I would maybe suggest not having more than two rats at a time. You never know when they'll all decide to come down with respiratory infections or something. My condolences and good luck with your decision.
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2016 02:12
|
|
|
.
eggburger fucked around with this message at 11:01 on Oct 26, 2022 |
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2016 02:54
|
|
|
About two years ago, I lost my dog of 12 years. I've been waiting a while, because that really tore me up, and I think I'm ready to move on to adopting a new pet. I loved having my dog, but where I live now wouldn't accept a large pet like a dog. So, I've been looking into other options, and I think a rat (several, as I've read) would be a fantastic choice. Does anyone have any experience with the bookshelf cages I've been seeing online a lot? I loved the idea because I have several Ikea Billy bookshelves around my house which are, now, just collecting dust. I also happen to work at a hardware store, so acquiring everything else (hardware cloth, brackets, etc) would be pretty inexpensive. I plan to replace the lovely cardboard back with a piece of wood and cut holes for ladders, of course. I like this because it would allow me to build a much larger cage then I could really afford if I bought a store-made one. The one question I have is what's appropriate for "sealing" the wood parts? I've read a lot online that the wood needs to be sealed before rats are in it, otherwise all the wood will soak through with urine. But what's safe for rats? I see several people using caulk around the edges where wood touches wood, then painting over it with a waterproof paint. That's what I'd like to do, but is water-based latex paint acceptable, or is there a special type of paint needed that is safe for animals? Everyone I see just says "I painted it" which doesn't tell me much. I've previously owned ferrets, so I have a reasonable idea of what's needed as far as construction goes, I'm just a little lost on what's safe to use.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2016 18:11
|
|
|
AbrahamLincolnLog posted:About two years ago, I lost my dog of 12 years. I've been waiting a while, because that really tore me up, and I think I'm ready to move on to adopting a new pet. I loved having my dog, but where I live now wouldn't accept a large pet like a dog. So, I've been looking into other options, and I think a rat (several, as I've read) would be a fantastic choice. Well, off the bat, you're going to want to avoid all soft woods. They contain aromatic compounds that are really harsh on rodent respiratory systems. I have a few IKEA things and they were really piney smelling to me, which is bad for rats. You'll want to avoid cedar bedding for the same reason. I'm also worried about the fumes of all of the adhesives and paints. I'm not really sure what kind of paint is safe for rats, but I'm wondering if you could maybe line the shelf with linoleum instead. That's pretty much the extent of my knowledge. Good luck figuring everything out.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2016 23:46
|
|
|
Thanks for the info! I had many of the same concerns, so I dug a little bit more. This person in particular broke down a lot of my exact safety concerns. According to them, Ikea's boards are manufactured to a lot higher of a standard than one (including me) might think. On top of that, they used appliance epoxy as the paint - which is far more harsh than I was planning on using (zero VOC latex) - and were assured it wouldn't be harmful. The caulk is still a little concerning to me, but I know a lot of people use old aquariuams as their homes for their rats, which have a lot of caulk in there. Since it would be sealed in by the paint once cured, I don't think it will be a concern (though if it is, I'll skip it and use the shelf lining instead). Edit: OK, going to need more modifications than this, it seems. Looking online, 11 inches just isn't deep enough, especially for males (which I was planning on). To the drawing board. Edit 2: I actually have two Billy bookcases of the exact same size/color. I am heavily considering ripping the back off of them and just screwing them together, face to face. Would double the depth to 22 inches which is far big enough. Edit 3: Caulk solution found! Amazon sells a specifically pet-safe adhesive/caulk. AbrahamLincolnLog fucked around with this message at 05:01 on Jan 21, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 20, 2016 05:50
|
|
|
OKAY SO SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST, but I've started construction on the Billy Bookcase rat mansion and I wanted to share progress pics in case someone can/wants to offer advice on construction. I am not a woodworker and I've never really done anything like this before so I don't really know what I'm doing. Before picture. Each one of these is 79.5 inches tall and 31.5 inches wide. Together, they will be 22 inches deep. According to the rat calculator, they will comfortably house up to 11 rats! I don't intend to have nearly that many, but good to know for the future.  First things first, I ripped off the cardboard backing from both. The cardboard would just soak up pee and get chewed through anyway, so whatever. I'm going to replace the back one with hardware cloth and the front one with, obviously, a door.  Cutting holes for ladders in the shelving. I don't have a loving clue what I'm doing with a jigsaw, but whatever, it worked.  The holes are rough but are in. I'm going to get sandpaper tomorrow and go over the jagged edges and smooth them all out. I also realized after I cut these that now there's only three pegs holding each one up, and these can be easily tipped over. gently caress, whoops. Not sure why I didn't think of that, but no big deal. I'll just have to get real brackets and screw them in.  Since it's an "adjustable" bookshelf, the entire thing was littered with holes so you can position your shelves. Obviously, these needed to be filled in because they seem like perfect starting points for a particularly chewy rat to sink teeth into. I decided to just go with silicone caulk, rather than the "pet safe adhesive" I mentioned above. After reading a lot online, 100% silicone only releases fumes in the first 24 hours while it cures, then it's just pretty much pure rubber. People use this in aquariums, where rats are often kept as pets, so I don't feel worried about using it here. Anyway, that sums up day one. Tomorrow I'll be at work, so I'm going to pick up latex zero VOC paint, brackets, screws, hardware cloth, sandpaper, and crown molding (for the door). Then it's pretty much just a matter of screwing it all together, really. AbrahamLincolnLog fucked around with this message at 20:45 on Jan 21, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2016 19:37
|
|
|
AbrahamLincolnLog posted:OKAY SO SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST, but I've started construction on the Billy Bookcase rat mansion and I wanted to share progress pics in case someone can/wants to offer advice on construction. I am not a woodworker and I've never really done anything like this before so I don't really know what I'm doing. Please continue posting these. I don't think anyone minds double posts in a fairly slow thread, someone correct me if I'm wrong. I didn't really think about it before, but IKEA does like to make furniture that fit together with the barest of connecting parts. I definitely like your idea of getting metal brackets and reinforcing the entire structure. Squished rats are no good.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2016 20:35
|
|
|
buffybot posted:Please continue posting these. You asked for it! Laugh at my inability to use tools.  First things first, I ran to the hardware store at 6 AM. This project is costing me far more than I expected, but oh well. To anyone thinking about doing this themselves: I dropped $120 on supplies today and that doesn't include tools, wood, or the shelves, which I all had. If you need everything it would be cheaper to just buy a cage this size. That said...  Brackets on the shelves in. No longer need to worry about smooshed rats.  Cut off a little strip of sandpaper and used it to round out the edges I cut yesterday. Probably not necessary, but the curved edges make it a little more comfortable for rat bellies.  More caulk. The outside edges of the shelving pieces aren't laminated, so caulk keeps them from absorbing pee. Also nice because now pee can't get trapped between the shelf and the side piece, even if it were waterproof, and it makes the edge curved rather than be a sharp corner. This makes a nice little "channel" that allows me to super easily wipe up everything and a simple baby wipe can just completely wash away everything.  I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TOOLS. These were all supposed to be the same size. I measured (twice), used a straight edge to draw a straight line, then cut with the jigsaw through the line I cut. Somehow still managed to gently caress it up.  Whatever. This probably makes me look retarded but hey. I decided to just say gently caress it and do it anyway.  Using too-small corner brackets (lesson learned) I screwed them all together and wouldn't you know it, it worked. Okay, admittedly it looks pretty jank. But it's solid and will work fine, I think. I'm going to get larger brackets and bolt them to the outside of the door as a reinforcement. After wiggling this around a bit I realize it's fairly easy to bend these brackets if I apply the right force -- I don't know if it will support it's own weight on a hinge, and brackets are like 75 cents a piece so there's no reason to not use them. Anyway, it was at this point I realized I'm a dipshit and I need twice as many brackets, because I'm doing two shelves and two doors. So I bought half the brackets I need. I also totally forgot brackets to screw down the hardware cloth to the door.  So that ends day two. When I go into work tonight I'll grab more brackets, and screw everything together tonight, then be able to paint tomorrow, and, if everything goes right, add rats Monday.
AbrahamLincolnLog fucked around with this message at 17:54 on Jan 22, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2016 15:48
|
|
|
Mrfreezewarning posted:I tried to post this before but my it didn't post it seems. My girl is still alive and chittering. She has been getting meloxicam and tetracycline for pain and the tetra for a micro flair up that the vet said will be with her until she passes. Tetracycline isn't supposed to be that effective for micro but it's softer on her system and we aren't really trying to cure her. Just keep her comfy. She is officially the oldest rat I have ever had. I went through my Facebook the other day and I got her from the breeder five years ago this month, and she was about ten weeks when I got her. Sally her much much younger cagemate passed last night. My girlfriend had her out and I was making a mix of corn, bannanas, and fresh greens as a treat for them and the cagemate just started thrashing and kicking and thrusting her head forward. I went to pick her up to see what was wrong and she bit me hard and then froze and was dead. Has anyone seen this before? I'm debating getting more rats to keep the sick one company since the vet says she is still comfy. What do you think?
|
|
#
?
Jan 25, 2016 21:19
|
|
|
Ratigan had a fit like that a year and a half before he passed. I had come home and found him in the midst of it. He didn't bite me; but he bit through a metal bell before going still. In his case though he woke up a few minutes later completely fine, and the vet couldn't find anything wrong with him.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2016 02:31
|
|
|
I had a rat go like that after I found him locked onto a cage bar with his front teeth. He bit the poo poo out of me when I tried to get him to let go and was calling the vet to get him put down when he passed (he had cancerous tumors, we were letting him live out his life). It sounds like it could have been a stroke.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2016 04:45
|
|
|
Vincent, my last rat, is old. I noticed today that his back legs don't seem to be working, much like his brother right before he passed. Most of the harder treats I feed him are left untouched, he does still eat and drink, it's just really hard for him to get to the food. His brother got so weak after this point, I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and put him to rest now instead of waiting until he's suffering to do it. I just lost my cat last week so I'm in a bit of a haze right now I admit, but I'd rather not watch another animal suffer again.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2016 17:41
|
|
|
If you feel like it's time, then it's time. MrFreeze: I've had a young rat (10 wks or so) pass in the same way, I figured it was something with his brain. Horrible, but over quickly.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2016 21:19
|
|
|
Does anyone have any advice on discouraging stitch chewing? One of our girls had a tumour removed yesterday, we had to rush her back in to the vet today as she had burst them or nibbled them out. She's in the small cage apart from her sisters, not sure what else we can do...
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2016 20:56
|
|
|
You can cut head, arm, and leg holes into a sock and try to make a weird sweater for her. Or you can ask if the vet can make a tiny cone of shame.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2016 22:51
|
|
|
Big Bug Hug posted:If you feel like it's time, then it's time. I didn't want to, but he's gotten worse every day since I noticed it. I can see his determination, but it's no use forcing him to drag himself around any longer; he's not even drinking water. It hurts to do this, especially after having to put down my cat last week, but it's the right thing to do. He's going to be with his brother now. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2016 08:19
|
|
|
I'm facing the same soon with my last rat. It doesn't ever really get easier, but I have to say it is better when it's not a rushed, stressed decision. Sorry about your boy. I think I'll be extra sad when my boy goes, because I know we won't be getting more rats. I'm going to miss their little fuzzy butts.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2016 10:03
|
|
|
Yup, this is it for me as well. My room is going to feel a lot more empty now.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2016 10:29
|
|
|
buffybot posted:You can cut head, arm, and leg holes into a sock and try to make a weird sweater for her. Or you can ask if the vet can make a tiny cone of shame. Thanks, I'll try the sock thing when I get home from work, she's here with me just now! The vet had a go at making a cone of shame but nothing would stay on. Just after I posted last night we found another little lump on her. I feel terrible for everyone here who has lost or is losing a ratty and I really hope it won't be us too in the next few days
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2016 11:28
|
|
|
I'm getting a new rat. This is the first time I'm getting one from somewhere other than the feeder bin. The breeder said she will give me updates and pictures as my new babby girl grows  so I think I made a good choice there.This is Pico:  
|
|
#
?
Jan 30, 2016 00:34
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 6, 2024 09:18 |
|
|
Pico is beautiful! Post more ratbaby pictures as she gets bigger  Has anyone ever tried the body wrap or the cervical collar as described here? http://ratfanclub.org/surgery.html Sam has a dog-style collar of shame that 3 vet staff managed to tie on her, it's horrible watching her not being able to walk or feed herself and I thought one of the bandage ideas from that page might let her keep the use of her front paws. The vet thought it would restrict her breathing and didn't want to try it but they aren't rat specialists so I don't know..
|
|
#
?
Feb 2, 2016 21:39
|
|