QUESTION: What are the main problems associated with rat breeding?
ANSWER: There are two big problems: aggression and bad feeding habits. The problem of aggression in rats is covered a lot on my web site, since it is huge problem. Both rats and owners suffer. The problem with bad feeding habits is not really covered at all, but there are at least two articles at Eva's Rat Articles.
It is common that rat owners buy most of the food for the rats in pet shops. If you stick to the boring lab blocks this is actually not so bad, since lab blocks are made for mice. Mice are relatives of rats so the lab blocks can provide most of the correct nourishment for rats - if they are not too old! But how can you be sure they are not too old? If the shop owner can show you the bag the blocks was originally sold in you can see for yourself since the bags are stamped, otherwise you should realize that the lab blocks are probably too old... And then the level of nourishment is low.
The lab blocks are made for mice, not for rats, and there is no kind of food you can buy that is optional for rats. So unless you want yout poor rats eating lab blocks made for mice every day, or go without any kind of proper food, you need to learn about nutrition and make your own rat food.
Making your own rat food is not as hard as it may sound, it only takes knowledge! Not all about what rats need is known, but you will be greatly helped by learning a whole lot of general stuff about food and nourishment. With right kind of food you can make your rats big and healthy.
I can understand, in a way, if the rat breeder prefers to give the rats lab blocks, but the whole rattery would gain from using better food. I cannot understand if the common pet rat owner buy bad food in the pet shop for the rats instead of learning how to make good food.
Copyright Eva Johansson.
Last update: 11th of August 2006.