Fatty ratties?

[WinX]

I don't have a scale so I have no way to measure how much my oldest weighs but since Winx died about 2 weeks or so ago, Pixie has grown A LOT. Why could this be? They always had food in their cage before and I'm not doing anything different now. Is there such a thing as a rattie diet? Do rats ever need it? Or should I just be excited that she'll be quishy? 

[Suebee]

I'm sorry for your loss.

It could be that Winx was, for lack of a better term, "hogging the food." If Winx was the alpha rat, she could have been controlling Pixie's food intake. Now that Winx is gone, there is more food for Pixie. You say you are doing nothing different -- but did you decrease the amount of food that you are putting in the cage? I know it seems obvious, but you didn't mention, so I had to ask.

It could also be many of the things that make humans overeat and gain weight -- depression, boredom, etc. Yep, rats do suffer grief and depression after the loss of a cagemate.

Other than reducing the amount of food you provide, there's not much you can do as far as a "weight loss program." But you could try stimulating Pixie with activities in her cage, and more out time.

[xedra77]

I've got a great toy in my rat cage that might be helpful.  It's meant to be a bird toy, but it's a little cage that hangs from the top.  I put the treats in and the ratties have to work to get them out.  It's very entertaining for me and the ratties.  It might be good stimulation Pixie.

It has also helped in rationing food in the past because lab blocks are too big to fit between the bars so ratties have to work to get them out and there's less hoarding.