Live Protein?

2384 Views 19 Replies 7 Participants Last post by VanillaRat, Mar 13, 2011

Shayna&Liam

Discussion Starter · Mar 10, 2011

Hey guys, I was wondering what kinds of bugs and stuff I can get for my little ratties. The other day I split an earthworm in half and they each got a piece and they went absolutely NUTS over it... I didn't think until after that I should ask somebody who knows about these things. Can I keep giving them earthworms? What about mealies, or superworms? Well, maybe not superworms since they bite...... but yeah. They get egg and chicken and things like that pretty often but it was so fun watching them eat the squirming worm I was wondering what else I can give them.

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Dustette

· #2 · Mar 11, 2011

If you buy clean bugs, it's fine, but try not to give bugs from your garden, you're not sure what sort of bacteria/viruses they might be carrying!
You can try also chicken bone under surveillance, my rat LOVED it and it was crazy to see she could eat through it no problem.

Shayna&Liam

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 11, 2011

No, they're not, and I don't think I am going to get them fixed. I'm happy with them living separately, and like I said, they still get along awesome unless one of them encroaches on the others' territory, which they are both learning is a no-no. We'll see how it plays out - if they start fighting for real, I will definitely take them to the vet but for now, it's all good.

Dustette

· #4 · Mar 11, 2011

wrong thread?

Shayna&Liam

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 11, 2011

Haha I don't know how I managed that - this should be in my picture thread with SMokey and val (bunnies).

Shayna&Liam

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 11, 2011

Thanks for you advice BTW.

Purple-Hops

· #7 · Mar 11, 2011

Rats are much happier together. I don't own any and I don;t know how often Lisa (vanillarat) comes here to back me up. But I've long enough with her and her rats to know this. They can live fine but it's recommended to pair them. (same goes for bunnies but I can't say much bc I have my plate full with just Kaysh) Lisa, though, feeds them crane flies, worms, pinkie mice, super worms and spiders and other such things.

Shayna&Liam

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 12, 2011

Lol my rats live together, it's the bunnies I was talking about - I totally posted in the wrong thread, somehow. Gracie and Cocoa are sisters and will stay together unless something happens to one or the other.

Pinkie mice? Isn't that kind of.. cannibalistic in a way?

Purple-Hops

· #9 · Mar 12, 2011

Oh, my bad!! lol I totally read that you missed the thread about the bunnies but somehow ignored it. Anyhow, pinkies? Seeing as mice and rats are different species of rodent it's not "technically" cannibalistic so to speak, but gruesome? Yes. They don't care. Rats will eat anything.

FlickeringHope

· #10 · Mar 12, 2011

Ever heard of Muricide? Rats are actually very common predators of mice. And not just pinkies, either, they'll go after adults as well.

Jess

· #11 · Mar 12, 2011

How about Dubia roaches? Yummy.

Shayna&Liam

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 12, 2011

Wow, I had no idea about the mouse thing - I know they are different species but still, it hits kind of too close to home for me. I'd think of my ratties having babies every time I fed them one, I don't think I', up for that. I think roaches, mealies, etc. would be where I cut it lol.

Vladina

· #13 · Mar 12, 2011

Yeah, agreed, feeding mice to rats just seems...gruesome and too close to home, as you said!

VanillaRat

· #14 · Mar 13, 2011

Rats can have super and mealy worms and crickets.I have given mine these,but I rarely do.I usually give them fish or some sort of meat...the bugs are for my scorpion.
I never tried earthworms before though.I have caught crane flies in the past and given them to my rats,but again I rarely give my rats live food.

Purple-Hops said:
Rats are much happier together. I don't own any and I don;t know how often Lisa (vanillarat) comes here to back me up. But I've long enough with her and her rats to know this. They can live fine but it's recommended to pair them. (same goes for bunnies but I can't say much bc I have my plate full with just Kaysh) Lisa, though, feeds them crane flies, worms, pinkie mice, super worms and spiders and other such things.

I don't feed my rats pinky mice!!!!?

I NEVER fed my rats pinky mice??? Where are you getting that from? I used to feed my geckos pinky mice and my scorpion can have them,but I have never fed rats mice...:no2:

Shayna&Liam

Discussion Starter · #15 · Mar 13, 2011

Yeah I kind of thought that sounded strange.

Shayna&Liam

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 13, 2011

I usually give them chicken or scrambled eggs for protein.

VanillaRat

· #17 · Mar 13, 2011

Shayna&Liam said:
Yeah I kind of thought that sounded strange.

Yeah,Purple-Hops is my sister...so I think she is just confused.
I have had rats and mice the same time,but never fed my rats mice...never even THOUGHT OF IT! I did have geckos before though and gave them pinkies...so I think she is just getting it all mixed up and confused.

Tis okay though.

Shayna&Liam said:
I usually give them chicken or scrambled eggs for protein.

I give mine a bit of chicken or turkey and fish.I don't buy eggs as me and eggs hate each other,so my rats only ever had eggs like a few times when I took a couple from mom.I boiled them and then put a tiny hole in them and let the rats "work" and get them open and it was cute because someone would take the huge egg in his mouth & try to drag it away from the rest of the rats,didn't wanna share.

Seeing a rat trying to drag an egg around is a funny sight I must say! I haven't given my rats eggs in years,but thinking about this I think I should get them eggs this week as a treat.

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VanillaRat

· #18 · Mar 13, 2011

Oh just wanted to add though,rats do not need too much protein.Too much protein can cause skin problems...itchy,scabby skin.

Purple-Hops

· #19 · Mar 13, 2011

oh. . Same thing. My bad, oops!! SORRY!!!!

VanillaRat

· #20 · Mar 13, 2011

Purple-Hops said:
oh. . Same thing. My bad, oops!! SORRY!!!!

No worries,it is okay.
Just wanted to clear that up.

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