Fancy Rats Forum

I had two litters in together from 2 weeks old last time, the one mum stopped feeding any of them by 5 weeks, the other carried on feeding my keeper does until at least 7 weeks.

I'm in the Forest of Dean

Where did you get them from? Are they relaxed when you handle them or do they freeze up? I would guess either they're scared or they're maybe a lab strain and have had all the personality bred out of them to make them really easy to work with.

Merriment Rats
NFRS registered Stud
Near Lydney, Forest of Dean

Breeding for healthy, friendly rats in marten, top ear and dumbo. This line also produces mink martens, Russian martens and US satin.

http://www.merrimentrats.co.uk

Facebook.com/merrimentrats

I would only ever treat the rat with symptoms if you're dealing with a straightforward bacterial resp infection - all rats carry the offending bugs but they only cause a problem for some, and they're impossible to eliminate even if you did treat everyone. However I do tend to take a second rat for c...

Ooooh!

For future reference you've got Eximius Rattery in lincs and several other breeders down into East Anglia and Cambs. Definitely plenty of reasonable distance options for the future although with breeder rats you do tend to have to wait because our focus is on improving our lines and making good pets...

Finacard out of those, but it's my least favourite cardboard bedding - I prefer ecobale or green mile with aubiose underneath.

Sorry she's still swollen and that Fawn's off colour too :/ the red/orange stuff is called porphyrin, it's the rat equivalent to snot/mucus and also comes out of their eyes. A little bit is normal but a lot is an indicator that something is wrong. I agree with Kristal, rats travel really well, 3 hou...

I agree, 17% protein is really high, my adults get about 8. Personally I recommend going on rat rations and buying equal weights or Harrison's banana brunch rabbit food, Mr Johnson's rat and mouse food and a rat rations complete mix like Mary linked to and mixing them together. That should cover all...

I think UTIs can be one of those things where rats get very sick indeed but then bounce back. I remember sitting up with a 7 week old kitten all night giving her calpol waiting for my vet to open so I could get septrin. She was so so very poorly but recovered fine and is still living with JemQ, aged...

Agreed although I thought ivermectin was quite good for internal parasites too.

Rhian33 wrote:Sorry to disappoint you Nelly but the garden bench had to go to make space for my double SRS and leave room for an explorer for visiting rats. I'll be putting in a garden armchair instead

I dreamt I had a bench in my shed

I do think the longer you keep them the more you learn to spot the battles you can't win. Resp issues often either don't affect the rat or can be managed, but sometimes there comes a point when you have to call it quits. No type of brain tumour is likely to be survivable and spleen and liver issues ...

Absolutely agree with Mary, there really is no such thing as an ethical pet shop when it comes to sourcing rats or at least any ethics they have will pale in comparison to those of a good breeder or rescue. Really hope your wee girlie recovers soon - I think my course of action for this would probab...