Food for Rats

[Rattsie]

What is the best food to feed your rat??? I have looked like everywhere!!! We have fed them everything on this list!!! My rat Gracie has a pea sized tumor but I don't know if it is from something she ate or if she is just getting it!!!! Sorry if this is on the forum but I looked!!!

[Suebee]

I guess you haven't looked everywhere...

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

There are at least ten threads on this topic from the last few months, as well.

As for the tumor, it would not be caused by diet at her age. Get a vet to look at her.

[Rattsie]

Ok I think it is a cancer tumor my other rat had one and she ended up dying becuase of such a young age!! But gracie the one that has this pea sized tumor is SUCH a Teddy Bear!!!

[killersmom]

Its best to feed your rats a well balanced diet.  that includes fruits, grains, vegies, some meats.

I feed the suebee mix and nutro lite dog food (not endorsed by rfc) and my crew loves it.

if your rat has a tumor, its best to take it to the vet and have them diaganose it.  I have a rat with a bit larger then a pea fat deposit on her left hind quarter.  It doesnt interfere with her in any way, doenst seem to be getting any larger, so we are just leaving it alone unless something comes up.  Mamory tumors will grow much more rapidly.  And it could also be an absess, in which, antibiotics would be needed to help fight the infection.

Look around, do a search on green mush, lots here use it, have mixed results so far, also par'du or something like that, vitamin suppliment may work to.  

Tomoxifin has been used in  mamory tumors in rats as well, that would be prescribed by your vet.  Best of luck to you.

[Suebee]

almost all tumors on rats are benign, which means "not cancerous." If you're worred about it, have it looked at NOW while it's small. Once it gets too big, it's harder to deal with.

[BabyBlue]

Please read the link Suebee gave you, it'll have variety of diet options for your rats.

Only your vet can decide if the tumor is cancerous or not. Many mammory tumors in female rats are easy to remove, and rats can live a long healthy life after getting it removed. If your rat now has a tumor, please bring her to the vet to get it checked out.

[Rattsie]

I guess but Dr.Cromer the docter we went to said that most rats if they develope a tumor at such a young age it is most likely to be a cancer tumor!!! And my rat that had a cancer tumor died and the poor little girl was only one years old!!!

[Suebee]

Have the lump biopsied. It's the only way to know whether or not it is cancerous.

[Rattsie]

What do you mean?? Oh we were going to take in our rat but then thought well Gracie is a doll and what if her body can't stand it and dies?? I mean then it would not be worth it!!!!!!!

[Suebee]

Then that is a decision you will have to make for yourself. It is not one we can make for you.

The only way to determine whether a lump is cancerous is to have a biopsy.

[BabyBlue]

Many rats get surgeries (neuter, spay, tumor removal) and while yes there are risks, often they do fine as long as the vet is knowledgeable and is experienced in rat surgeries. Some tumors are easier to remove than others, and your vet will be able to advise you on that.

[Rattsie]

Yes so now we are going to take our next rat that needs a tumor removed to Dr.Funk!!! He is very good we took one rat there and he was done in no time at all!!! Then our rat was happier then ever!!! Well our friends rat but she passed away about 5 months ago!!!

[AngelZOO]

Alright now, who voted for Cheerio's! *gets her slap stick ready* lol  

[Dearpie]

I've heard some good things about both Dr. Cromer and Dr. Funk.  As another resource, Dr. Langhofer is excellent.  Several of us on the forum take our rats to him.  He's at First Regional Animal Clinic.  He's preformed many many tumor removals, neuters and spays.  

[Rattsie]

It is not just a tumor it is a CANCERous tumor. I don't that I a doctor (don't want to say the name) gave one of our rats to much medicine to mkae it die