i need help

[zig zag zoey]

ok hears the deal i found the cage i am going to put my rat in, its a mettle little pet cage the holes are to small fore it to squees out of. i have not decided wether or not to git 2 rats, i would like your appinuns and i need to know what i can feed it, i was thinking chereos reglur not hunny dipped or eneything on the box it just seas shugers 1g if i cannot i will feed it 1 ld of hamster food mixed with 2 lbs of sunlower seed

[RedJoy]

thats great you found a home! but i suggest that if you want the rat to be more friendly towards you then you only get one rat. That way the rat will bond with you. but you have to take her out daily. i do suggest you get a female because males can be a little revealing with their private parts and i don't think you want to have those on your neck or shoulder. but if you aren't going to handle her daily you should get 2 but you should still consider two females, espesially because you might not want breeding.

[Jerica]

I think its always nice to have 2 rats because they are very social, plus you can't spend all day with it. Females are better in the sense that they smell less and don't have those extra parts, but I think are more likely to develop tumors (a lot develop mammary tumors or uterine cancer) so its up to you. As far as feeding, you can give cheerios, but they need a regular diet too. Oxbow, Mazuri, or Harlan Teklan makes lab blocks that are good for a main diet. Hamster food and sunflower seeds won't be an adaquate diet, sunflower seeds are fattening too. They can have fruits and veggies like strawberries, pears, peas, fresh corn, and apples. They can have an occasional meal worm too. http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html this is a really good link for rat diet. I have done some research along with asking on my chins-n-quills (has other animals too) forum and this is what they suggest. I was going to get a rat at one time, but ended up not being able to. Another suggestion is feeding a good senior dog food, many suggest Innova senior dog food as the main diet with fruits and veggies supplementing. If I had rats I'd feed Diamond senior diet because I'm very fond of it and that's what my dogs get. So I hope this helps you out, good luck with the ratties and have fun :)

[krazy4birds]

I know nothing about Rats zig but I just wanted to congratulate you for getting closer to your dream pet!

[zig zag zoey]

thanks crazy4birds. i heard that dog food was to fattning fore rats. i do have all day every day to spend with my ratty becouse i am homeschooled. do you think if i git 1 femail it would be able to play with my femail bunnie i would let her play with raz but he mounts and i dont want him to crush the rat. i havent sceen anay rat food anaywere? did you meen that i can feed the rat frouts and or veggies as a mane diet daily???

[zig zag zoey]

well i have been thinking last night and i have decided to git a mail rat becouse i cannot bair to se an animal suffer from anaything let alone cancer and i will cover my sholder or whatever a little towle i know that mail bunnies are mommies boys and femails dont relly like to be held or that is ther a change in tempernment beteen mail rats and femail rats?

[Hazelgreen4]

They sell rat food in any pet store. Look at where the other small animal's food is and it should be there.

[zig zag zoey]

not around heare i cannot find it i heard fron another post that if i mix granie cearel weth gerbal food that would be good so i think i will do that

[Jerica]

A senior diet dog food won't be too fattening for a rat. The gender really has nothing to do with their personality, my female bunny loved to be held. It depends on the individual animal whether they like to be held or not. A grain cereal with gerbil food might be ok, but rats need a good amount of protein in their diet, that is why a dog food works so well. Here at the college we feed the rats strictly dog food, even the gerbils and hamsters get dog food mixed in with their seed diet. In the wild rats don't eat just seeds, they'll eat meat and pretty much anything. That is why they need more than grains and seeds, that's why a dog food mixed in with other stuff gives them such a good diet.

[zig zag zoey]

so gerbal food mixed with grain seral and senur dog food will be a good diet? right now he is gitting chereos and gerbal food but i will change that

[BirdLuver288]

There is also the option to get your rat neutered.

And you shouldent be scaired to get a female because of the risk, if they are on a good diet, and are constantly checked over for anyhting wrong, they will stay safe..Rats that get tumors *males can get them too BTW* can have a simple procedure that removes them, but you should find a vet that is certified to work with small animals...

I have 2 girls, and they are sooooooooooo attached to me, and only me *well, eachother too, but speaking I'm of people* When ever i'm in the room, they rush over to the bars and stick their little noses out, IMO rats are happier with companions of their own kinds

[zig zag zoey]

ok i changed his food he gits chereos, oats, and adalt dog food im trying to git senyour the food is chicken soup fore the sole thats the only stuf grandma will by

[PetManiac199]

i would never get an animal that size neutered ( my animal specialist that i had 4 hamsters said 2 risky for rodents hamsters, mice and gerbils, rats) because very high chance they can die because of anesthesia

[zig zag zoey]

yea and rabbits and gunny pigs and that its relly riscy and i need to git my 1 rabbit nutterd i need to find the best vet possable does anayone know how mutch rabbit nuttering usally cousts? i know there are a number of vets in this fourm i hope 1 of them could help me with the price and a relly good rabbit docter in MI my dogs vet referd me to 1 but i havent talked to him yeat

[BirdLuver288]

ofcourse you would need a specialist to do the job, but MANY shelters fix males and females before putting them up for adoption, tehy are jus tas over populated as cats and dogs, and deserve the same treatment.