Getting new ratties

[rottiegirl24]

I haven't had a rattie in years and finely convinced my mom to allow me to have them in her house again lol. im 31 and still ask permission on stuff like this. well we are preparing the cage its a bird cage we modified into a small animal cage it has multiple levels and lots of space for ratties.so the cage isn't an issue but what is an issue is what the heck do i feed them I used to feed tropical carnival rat and mouse food with rodent blocks and a bunch of different stuff for treats and suppliments but i can't remember everything i fed can you all please give me some safe rattie foods. or direct me to a page that list safe rattie foods on it. also wht kind of branches are safe for ratties to have? and finally i think the only place im going to be able to get my babies from is a petshop since i can't find any local breeders is there anything i should know before getting them from a petshop my last ratties came from a breeder but they are no longer around Bummer they had really nice ratlets.also any helpful hints on there care would be appriciated like i sadi i haven't had ratties in years. is it okay touse carefresh bedding for them i have a huge bag full that i bought for my degus then got rid of them and now have this huge bag of bedding.

[BaconWaffles]

i use a Suebee rat diet and use a low (15-18%) protein dog food instead of the lab blocks and suppliment alot of the sugary stuff for other healthier things.

http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html

and here is the link for the forbidden rat foods
http://www.petratscanada.com/forbidden_foods.htm

Remember males should NOT have citrus for health reasons.

I bought my rats from a pet store and so far they've been fine... they did manage to give me a female which unfortunately i had to swap out for another male. So far though i havent had any health problems and i house mine in a bird cage as well   Thats all ive got to say on the m atter i know there are more around here that know more than i do.

Also some carefresh might carry bugs.... there are other beddings you can try... i personally use newspaper under fleece (with the fleece secured to the edges) and it works just as good
Also! Bricks are great for scraping those long nails down!

[hairless_love]

Here's a cage calculator that you can use to see how many rats your cage can house: http://www.rattycorner.com/odds/calc.shtml Here's another one that allows you to also include the shelf measurements: http://www.ratzrus.co.uk/ratguides/rat-cage-calculator.php

As for diet, the staple of what a rat eats should be lab block or HIGH QUALITY dog food. I also use Suebee's Mix, which BaconWaffles mentioned. They also need fresh fruits and veggies. Since it's easier to tell you what rats CAN'T eat than everything that they CAN eat, also be sure to check out the forbidden foods list. Most branches are safe as long as there have been no pesticides or anything else dangerous on them EVER.

I also don't have much of a choice on where to get rats where I live, and have had a lot of pet store boys. Just make sure you check them very well before you buy them. Listen for labored, raspy, wheezy, or clicky breathing. Look for excess discharge from the eyes/nose, and check all over their bodies for hair loss or scabbing, especially around the ears and chin. Also consider their living conditions, how much room/ventillation they have, and if their bedding is too messy.

Carefresh isn't my fave, but it's fine. To avoid getting mites with your bedding, freeze it before use. Check out the Home Squeek Home section f the forum for other bedding ideas. I also always advise newbies to read thru EVERY POST on atleast the first page of Rat Care Corner, Home Squeek Home, and Rat Tails and Mug Shots. You'll learn A LOT that way! There are lots of smart people on this site to help you out.