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From: jazmyn@netcom.com (Jazmyn Concolor)
Subject: Rat FAQ
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Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 20:09:10 GMT
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                FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CONCERNING 
 
                          DOMESTIC FANCY RATS 
                   (caring for your pets or breeders)
                         (revised, Feb 1997) 
        Updates and additions by Jazmyn Concolor based on suggestions and
 knowledge passed on by others on the net..
 
 Disclaimer: These answers describe various breeders' experiences.  We are
 NOT veterinarians and nothing here should be taken as veterinary advice.
 
1. What should I feed my rat?
---------------------------
 Rats are omnivores and will eat just about anything, but this is a better
 diet then feeding junk food..
 LabBlocks=PurinaRatChow/SmallAnimalPellets are complete rat nutrition.
 These are about 3/4 inch long hard extruded greenish feed pellets.  ~ 55c/lb.
 So are Harlen lab blocks, which come in F4 (regular) and F6 (nursing and
 pregnant rodents)
 Big males should get dog-bones=MilkBones=AttaBoy because they are
 lower in fat, and old males tend to obesity. ~55c/lb.
 Small amounts of vegitables, fruit, meal worms, crickets, hamster diet,
 dried corn on the cob or low fat whole wheat bread are good as treats.
 Do not feed chocolate, potato chips and other obviosly unhealthy junk foods
 as they tend to be high in fat and can lead to obesity, tumors and heart
 trouble.  Avoid feeding too many nuts or other high protien items, not more
 then about %5 of the diet if posible due to the high fat content.
 
2. Are table scraps OK?
---------------------------
 Rats LOVE most human food.  Avoid too much fat or fibre.  Chicken bones
 are very tasty and safe.  Unlike dogs, rats graw bones to bits.
 A diet of table scraps would likely be too high in fat to concider. As a
 treat it is okay.
 
3. What kind of cage is best?
---------------------------
 Wire cages provide better ventilation than aquaria, provide Junglegym
 exercise, are easier to clean, and are easier to attach bottles and wheels.
 Best to keep the cages out of drafty places in the first place, but if you 
 can't, protect from drafts by enclosing 2 sides and top at a corner in 
 cardboard. Note that 1/2x1 in. welded wire fabric floors can catch and break
 a rear leg.  Floors should be finer or coarser, or set onto shavings.
 Hairless rats, and mothers with babies are safer in an aquarium.
 5-gallon takes maximum one adult rat. 10-gallon, two adults. 
 Wire cages can be a problem with young rats who might get their legs caught 
 in the mesh and injure themselves.  Ventilation for aquariums can be helpped 
 by placing small fans over them to increase air-flow.
 Wire bottoms on cages have been known to cause bumblefoot in some rats, though
 the swollen foot may be from injury from getting a foot caught, though more 
 often bumblefoot is caused by infection.  It is however, easier for a rat to
 injure there feet by catching them in the wire floors and breaking or spraining
 feet or legs even.
 Aquariums are easier to clean, often less expensive then cages and often
 safer for young rats who sometimes will get a leg caught in the wire of a
 wire cage and injure themselves, sometimes so badly that they have to be 
 put out of their misery. (a compound fracture in a young rat is expensive
 very hard to treat, thus its often more kind to put them down rather then
 induce further pain on them.)  

3.5 Cracked aquariums are cheap, but where do I get a lid?
---------------------------
 Various "terrarium" lids are available in pet shops, but they tend to be
 expensive and vulnerable to gnawing. Tom liked to make his own lids. Tom cut
 a piece of plywood or particleboard to size on tablesaw. Then Tom makes
 plunge cuts on tablesaw to take out center, leaving 2 inches all around.
 Then Tom cut 1/2x1 wire fabric and staple-gun it on. Tom liked to cut wire
 fabric with heavy diagonal cutters, and trim with aviation snips. The snips
 leave a smoother cut.  Wire wheel if necessary, but solid 'steel' wheels 
 are safer.
    Where rats chew on lids, I have found that habenro hot sauce or juice tends
 to cause most rats to not chew on the item, but shouldn't be used on the food
 dish or they might avoid their food..:)
    Four Paws makes a good aquarium lid for about $10--just make sure you get
 the heavy wire instead of the fine as the rats _will_ chew through the fine
 wire.
 (added 6-96)
    I made lids from 1/2 inch square wire mesh.  Cut a rectangular piece
 that is 4 inches wider and 4 inches longer than the aquarium.  Bend the
 sides so that two inches hangs down on all sides of the aquarium and
 bend the corners so they are reasonably square.  Run steel shipping tape
 all the way around the aquarium (top, side, bottom, side), overlap the
 ends, and put a small bolt through the ends.  This keeps the rats from
 pushing the top off.  IMHO, this is simpler and cheaper than wood and
 wire.
 
4. Where can I get mail-order cages and supplies cheap?
---------------------------
    Tom had found the Morton Jones Co. (MJC) in San Diego (800-443-5769) or
 (619-789-1544) to have the best prices and selection of cages, bottles,
 drugs, etc.  They have a very informative free catalog.  They will also make
 custom cages to order. They have a "LesRoss"-style 3-bay rat cage available.
 Not listed in catalog.  It is optimized for rats and has a deep pan.
 Sheet metal wheels have proved popular with those who like wheels for rats.
 Call Leo at Fern Manufacturing at (818) 365-2615. He invented these wheels
 and had several of us test them for him. They truly are the best wheels
 available--also very reasonable. Leo also makes fantastic cages set in
 plastic cat pans. They are also powder-coated for easy cleaning. 

 
5.  What kind of bedding is best?
---------------------------
    Tom found wood shavings best as long as they are not dusty or only chips.
 Curly shavings don't pack down as much, and dry out better. Pine and
 cedar tends to cause resp. problems, but Tom claimed to have had a healthy 
 five-year-old on cedar. 
    Aspen shavings are the best and are found by the name Sani-Chips at most 
 feed stores and lab supply outfits. Newspaper bedding is not good for rats
 and colored inks can be toxic, so avoid newspapers.  Corncob is okay, but 
 not very absorbant or nice to sleep on. Corncob bedding also has a tendency 
 to grow molds very quickly. There are also books which warn of corncob bedding
 causing "ringtail" in some rats. (ie. "Rats: a complete pets owner's manual" 
 by Himsel published by Barron's;pp.21 & 58.)
   Paper bedding (not newspaper) is fine for rats. Just make sure you use a good
 brand such as CareFRESH 1-800-242-2287 or Cellu-Dri. There are also several
 others. Sani-Chips are the best hardwood bedding available. Call the
 manufacturer, P.J. Murphy Forest Products at 1-800-631-1926 to see where you
 can get them in your area. 
   Warning: Pine shavings have been known to carry mites, cause liver and 
 kidney damage, and respiratory disease.  So can cedar.  Also beware of feed
 stores that store their shavings of any find next to live poultry, as I know
 one person who found mites in their Sani-Chips, but it was the fault of the
 feedstore that but pidgeon and chicken cages next to the stack of shaving bags.

6. My rat scratches his face and has sores.  What's he got? Mites?
---------------------------
    The majority of the time it is _NOT_ mites. Scabs are more likely to be
 caused by too much protein in the diet, allergy, or skin infection. Mites are
 only a possible cause. 
    If it is mites.  Tom found Ivermectin (0.02 mL of 1% oral solution/lb, 
 diluted with water to 0.1mL doses) best (MJC). This is available for horses
 at feed stores at about $44/25mL (2500 doses). Any vet can dispense less.
 Try to get vet to give you a vial with undiluted 1% and a syringe, and 
 dilute and dispense yourself. Diluted Ivermectin will curdle. Treat all
 rats that could have come in contact. Clean cage. Repeat if nec. at 1 week.
    I have found that Zimecterin (horse wormer) works well.  Take a little dab 
 about the size that fits neatly on the flat part of a flat toothpick and 
 smear it on the rats tongue.  Repeat in 7-10 days.  If you must use sprays, 
 use the kind used on parakeets, such as 10 in one.
 
7. My rat sneezes.  Should I treat him?
---------------------------  
    If its just sneezing after digging or sticking their nose into something, 
 don't worry about it.  If there is red crusty stuff around the nostrils and 
 the sneezing is not related to dust or such, then it is best to be safe and 
 put the rat on an antibiotic.  Don't bother with Sulmet..Its worthless on 
 rats and will cause internal bleeding in mice.
    I've found the best antibiotic for rats to be Tylan.  It comes in powder 
 form and can be added to water. Put 1/8 a teaspoon in 8 oz of water and 
 change every 3 days.  Keep the rat on the Tylan for no less then 10 days 
 and even more then 30 in chronic cases. If the rat isn't drinking enough due
 to the taste, add a small amount of Equal (tm) sweetener to the water.
    Most antibiotics are available through feed stores, larger pet stores and
 vets, though one can order it directly through mail order. 

   KV Vet Supply                      Omaha Vaccine
   (800) 423-8211                     (800) 367-4444
   (call for Catalog)                 (call for Catalog)

    In severe cases rats often will stop drinking and therefore medicine in the
 water will be useless. Severe cases should be taken to the vet, unless you have
 access to prescription drugs such as Cefa-Drops, Gentocin, Amikacin, etc.
  
  Also Bunni-Mycin nose drops are good. (MJC)
 
8. My rat makes a rasping noise when breathing.  Is he dieing?
---------------------------
 Possibly.  See above for treatment. Also keep him warm and out of drafts.
 Nutri-Cal vitamin supplement is great for times like this as the rat might 
 not be eatting as well.
 Note: Some rats will wheeze and rattle from irreparable lung damage. If this is
 the case treatment may not be indicated. If the rat actually is sick enough to 
 be close to death, then treatment with the suggested drugs is not even close to
 being good enough. Gentocin injectable (.05cc per pound injected
 Subcutaneously once daily) is pretty fast acting, and combined with
 Cefa-Drops (.20cc per pound orally every 12 hours) is a life saver in most
 cases of severe respiratory infection. You should see improvement within a
 few days.
 
9. My rat's head is crooked and he walks in circles.  What's wrong?
---------------------------
 Called "Wry Neck", antibiotics are definitely indicated. Above treatment
 should help, but some head tilt may always remain. Gentocin Otic Solution
 (ear drops) should also be used.  Some rats never recover from head tilt
 however and often have trouble eatting or cleaning themselves. Some rats
 suffer so much from it that it may be best to put them down rather then
 prolong the suffering.
 
10. Do cedar shavings cause respiratory disease?
---------------------------
   Yes, they can, but dirty cages and drafty conditions can also lead to 
 respiratory disease as well.  Coming in contact with rats infected with 
 viruses and then handling your rats without taking precautions can also be 
 a problem.
   The ammonia in urine is said to irritate the lungs, so don't let your cages 
 get too wet and dirty.
 Ceder can also cause liver and kidney damage. So can pine.

11. What's the best rat book?
---------------------------
  This is a matter of personal opinion on the net, so I will list more then
 one.

 "Rats. A  Complete Pet Owner's Manual", Carol A. Himsel, DVM. Barrows 1991
  ISBN 0 8120 4535-1 ~$6.  Readily available at pet stores.
 
 Nick Mays' book is much better ('The Proper Care of Fancy Rats' pub. by tfh
 1992 ISBN 0-86622-340-1) - probably because he's kept & bred rats for years.  
  (This book is good for an intro into genetics as well.)
 
 There's also 'Rats' by Susan Fox

   Genetics: Colour Inheritance in Small Livestock' by Roy Robinson, a 
who also keeps rats & other animals. This was published in 1976 by Fur and 
Feather, printed by Watmough's,ISBN 0903775069. 

Advanced info on all areas of genetics, aimed at scientists: 'The Genetics
of the Norway Rat' also by Roy Robinson, published by Pergamon Press in
1965 - unfortunately it doesn't have an ISBN no.  This book is about 
750 pages & is not for the faint-hearted.  It has a bit of info on colour
breeding etc., but is on all areas of rat genetics.

12. Should I get my rat a wheel?
---------------------------
    Yes, if you want to.  But be sure to get a larger one as he grows.  Large 
 rats will need 11" chinchilla wheels (MJC).  A wheel rat WILL get a curved 
 tail.  Not all rats will take to a wheel, but if it does it will use it a 
 lot.
 
 13. Can two males co-exist in one cage?
---------------------------
    Generally only if one or both were young when introduced.  Be sure the cage
 is just-cleaned so it does not have the one resident's scent too much. Make 
 sure each has a retreat in opposite corners.
 Also put a little vanilla or non-toxic smelly or deoderizing substance on 
 both rats to kill their natural scent, thus they cannot tell who is who or 
 even whos cage it was.  There might be a little scuffling at first, but 
 after one rat has established he is the boss, both should get along fine.
    Older males can be introduced, but its best to use the deoderizing methoid
 and realize that the two rats may fight anyway or never get along..Watch them
 carefully.
 
14. Do pregnant rats need special care?
---------------------------
    Lots of food: calories, protein, cheese, carrots, sweet potatoes, cat food
 Torn paper strips for nesting (non-scented tissue).
    Watch for vaginal bleeding.  If no babies in 12 hours go to vet for 
 Oxytocin injection to induce labor.  If breeding date is known and
 bleeding is well before term, induce labor.
    Some females will reabsorb the babies if they fail to give birth. Put them
 on antibiotics during this period.
    Some people would advise taking the rat to the vet right away, but this is
 a matter of opinion on the part of some people and if you are not sure what
 to do, you can always call the vet and ask what the best course is.  I havn't
 lost any rats yet and havn't taken any to the vet either for labor problems.
 Best to do what you feel is right.
 
15. Do nursing moms need special care?
---------------------------
   Food. Lots. Cornbread enriched with soyflour is good. Cooked rice (white 
 or brown) for moms and babies too. Small amounts of cat food or some 
 Nutri-Cal spread on a bit of wheat bread is good.
  
16. What do I do if a mother dies before weaning her litter?
---------------------------
    Sell babies for snake food if you are not willing to stay up long hours and
 handfeeding babies or there is no foster mother available. It is kinder then
 the pain and torment of the babies starving to death if you can't feed them
 often enough. Or, if you have the time and patience, you can try to hand
 feed them. We use 1/2 cup 60:40 evaporated-milk:water mixture with 1 tsp
 light corn syrup (Karo). Draw 1mL into needleless syringe (MJC), heat. 
    Test on forearm ... Feed one drop to each baby in hand. Repeat for entire 
 litter.  By second day they should be holding syringe like baby bottle.
 Stroke lower abdomen with wet finger to stimulate evacuation. When they 
 can crawl, put Gerber Baby's First Rice mixture into heavy glass
 furniture-caster cup. Also graham crackers or monkey chow soaked in milk
 mixture. Next feed non-fish wet catfood. They will love you forever.
    Goat milk can be used instead of the evaporated-milk:water mixture.  Honey 
 can be used instead of corn syrup in a pinch.
    Babies losing all their fur when hand raised is normal.  It will grow back 
 unless they were supposed to be hairless. :)
    Your best bet though is to foster the babies onto another mother rat when 
 available as hand raising is not always successful or practical.  Mother 
 rats are pretty good about accepting strange babies. If mixxed well with 
 their own, they can't even tell them apart if they all smell the same.
    If you have no foster mother available, call around to other ratteries and
 see if they do.  I found its best as a breeder to breed females in pairs
 so I always have an extra 'mother' if needed.
 
17. Are leafy vegetables OK?
---------------------------
 Excessive consumption will cause diarrhoea.
  
18. My rat won't eat or drink and is losing weight.  What do I do?
---------------------------
    Rat is sick. Provide a low water bowl and feed as hand-fed baby. (above)
 Consult vet.
 
  In cases where a low water bowl only gets shavings kicked into it and is doing
 no good at all or the rat is too sick to use it. Try this. Mix 2 teaspoons of
 sugar into 4 ounces of water and feed (with an oral syringe) as often as you
 possibly can. Hand feed with anything you can possibly get the rat to eat
 (high-fat) as rats will lose weight extremely rapidly when severely ill.
 Definitely seek treatment from a vet. 

19. What's a fancy rat?
---------------------------
    This is a specialty rat that conforms to some rat club standard, such as
 hairless, odd-eye, chinchilla, dalmatian, rex, apricot.
 Many clubs set standards, judge rats, and award prizes.
 Many breeders supply pedigrees.
 
20. Are there any Rat Clubs in my area?
---------------------------
 I am compiling a list.  Please send me additions
   
      American Rat Mouse and Hamster Society
      J. Penny
      740 Begonia Street
      Escondido, CA 92027 USA
      
      National Fancy Rat Society           NFRS, Membership co-ord.   
      c/o Hon secr. Greg Baker             c/o Elaine Johnston 
      4 Salisbury Road, Ealing             4 Mayfair Court, Barn Hall Avenue
      London W13 9TX                       Colchester CO2 8TH
      
 National Mouse Club                       Rare Varieties Support Group (mice)
 Rodney and Linda Wilson (Secretaries)     c/o Mr. Dave Bumford, Sec, RVSP 
 29 Manor Close                            15 Rossall Drive
 Tunstead, Norwich                    Fulwood, Preston, Lancs  PR2 3SL  ENGLAND 
 Norfolk NR12 8EP       UK Tel: 01603 737044  
 
    NFRS, Membership co-ord. 
   c/o Elaine Johnston
   4 Mayfair Court, Barn Hall Avenue
   Colchester CO2 8TH

      American Fancy Rat and Mouse Assoc.       Rat Mouse and Hamster Fanciers
      K. Robbins                                J. Langdell
      9230-64th Street                          1756-14th Ave
      Riverside, CA 92509 USA                   San Francisco, CA 94122 USA
 
   The American Rat, Mouse and Hamster Society  Midwest Rat and Mouse Club
   c/o Sandy Ramey                              1216 Robinwood Dr. #5
   9370 Adlai Road                              Elgin, IL 60123
   Lakeside, CA 92040 

   Ratatouille
   Bootsmansstraat 12bnl
   3025 NP ROTTERDAM
   Holland

   IRF - Internationale Ratten Fokkers/Fanclub
        Secretariaat I.R.F.
        Cubalaan 7
        2685 LA Poeldijk, HOLLAND
 
   SRS - Swedish Rat Society        Finnish Rat Society 
   c/o Potku Holmstedt              c/o Nilla Lindholm
   Kullstigen 10, 3tr               Kirstinharju. 1b 31
   S-142 30  Trangsund              FIN - 02760 Espoo FINLAND
   Sweden         (tel) 46 -(0)8-7716718
   or se homepage:
   http://www.stud.mdh.se/~ltd92fsk/srs_main.html
 
   Tamraattans Vaenner (Friends of fancy rats)
   Eva Johansson                      Svenska Musklubben (Swedish Mouseclub)
   Upplandsgatan 97:2                 Grodan Elleby
   S-113 44 Stockholm                 Lilla Vikv. 
   Sweden                             S-13675 Handen
                                      Sweden
 
   German Rat Society              VdRD e.V. (German Rat Society) 
   Petra Tresbach                  Pf. 15 03 24
   Beethovenstr. 64                D-60063 Frankfurt am Main
   D-60325 Frankfurt am main       GERMANY 
   Germany
                        
      Mouse and Rat Breeders' Assoc.        
      S. Brown                             
      127 Stockbridge Lane                 
      Ojai, CA 93023 USA                 

   Northeast Rat & Mouse Club International
   c/o Patricia Smouse, VP                 patriciasmouse@netbiz.net
   17705 Smouse Lane, SE                   301-777-8234
   Flintstone, MD 21530-9802


    Rat and Mouse Club of America
    13075 Springdale Street #302 
    Westminster, CA 92683 
           
   Rat Fan Club
   857 Lindo Lane
   Chico CA 95926      (916) 899-0605  Ratlady@pinsight.com 
    (Note from RF pres) 
      If you send a self-addressed stamped envelope (SAE with international
      postage coupon from out of the U.S) I will send you a free intro issue of
      the Rat Report and a list of back issues.
 
WWW sites
American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association (AFRMA) WWW Page
        http://www.pacificnet.net/~craigr/afrma
RMCA Rat Page
        http://www.rmca.org
Northeast Rat & Mouse Club International
        http://www.bucknell.edu/~dmiddltn/nrmci.html
Filip Sebek's rat page (fsk@bilbo.mdh.se)
        http://www.mds.mdh.se/~ltd92fsk/rats_common.htm
Michelle Tribe's rat page (mrtribe@chat.carlerton.ca)
        http://chat.carleton.ca/~mrtribe/rats.html
Mitch's rat page (mitcho@netcom.com)
        http://home.earthlink.net/~bromide/rats.htm
Charles Ofrina's rat mailing list archives
        http://www.krl.caltech.edu/~charles/rats/
(Coming soon) Dave Hein's rat page (dhein@comp.uark.edu)
        http://comp.uark.edu/~dhein/rathole.html
Pet Rat Web Server
        http://uptown.turnpike.net/~arturos/index.html
Electronic Zoo/NetVet - Rodents
        http://netvet.wustl.edu/rodents.htm
Brian Lee's Rat Page  (bclee@umich.edu)
        http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bclee/rats.html 
Pages with pictures and/or stories about specific pet rats (not including 
those above) or other non-general info.
 
James Kittock's Rat page
        http://robotics.stanford.edu/users/jek/Rats
Ronald Barry's rats
        http://sleepy.usu.edu/~ronb/myrats.html
Monica's Page
        http://www.uio.no/~mnbjerke/index.html
Becky Walton's rat
        ftp://ftp.crl.com/ftp/users/ro/sam/rat.html
Kraus Haus
        http://www.best.com:80/~dijon/
Egon Weber's home page 
        http://www.umich.edu/~egonw/
Avital's rat (Toad's) page
        http://www.mit.edu:8001//people/avital/links/ratpage.html
Rat's WWW server
        http://rat.org/
Lumchan's former rat Henry's page
        http://ranma.com/lumchan/homepage/henry.html
Paul Bickford's home page
        http://occams.dfci.harvard.edu/~bickford/Welcome.html
Rodent Web Page
        http://www.webcom.com/lstead/rodents/rodents.html
 
Lists of rat sites:
 
Yahoo's list of Rat links
        http://www.yahoo.com/Entertainment/Animals__Insects__and_Pets/Rats/
Acme Pet rat page
        http://www.acmepet.com/exotic/rat.html
 
Rat Mailing List (Currently may not be valid..Need update)
majordomo@starry.stanford.edu
*
To subscribe to the list, send e-mail to:
 
     majordomo@starry.stanford.edu
 
with the following command in the message body:

   subcribe rats
*
 
   The British Hamster Association,
   PO BOX 825
   SHEFFIELD
   S17 3RU
   ENGLAND.
                
Gerbil Mailing list
listserv@ricevm1.rice.edu,
        subscribe gerbils
mail to  GERBILS@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU
 
(Please send additions/corrections to jazmyn@netcom.com)
      
21. Where can I get Rat-Theme Art?
---------------------------
  Lynne Skrabak
  Earthling Design
  2530 26th Ave.
  San Francisco CA 94116

 Fine Rat Etchings, Collographs, and Watercolors. Catalog.
      
22. What's a blue rat?
---------------------------
 This is a slate-blue rat similar in color to an Russian Blue cat.
 A random mutation found by chance in England c.1990 .
 Some clubs now recognize a 'Russian Blue' color that is slightly different.
 One of the clubs calls very pale blue rats lavenders.  But its a known fact
 that most clubs have trouble agreeing in what to call a color or the standards
 for colors they accept and even if the color is a new color or just a bad
 example of another color.  Best to check with your own club leadership if 
 you are not sure of what color your rat is.
  
23. How can I tell if my rat is in pain?
---------------------------
 The rat stands still, and its hair stands on end.  It may squeak if you
 touch it.
 
24. How can I comfort my rat if she is in pain? ... at delivery?
---------------------------
 Electric heating pad under half of aquarium (set on low).
 Remove houses so you can monitor rat.  Talk to a vet if needed, but rats are
 pretty good at having babies on their own and there isn't much you can do
 other then watch for excessive bleeding or other signs of trouble.  Its not
 generaly a good idea to give a rat in labor asprin or other pain killers as
 it may cause labor to stop prematurly in some rats.  Best to let nature take 
 its course.
 
25. Do rats need houses inside their cages?
---------------------------
 No, but they love them.  They like to jam themselves into small boxes.  If
 you can get 7x7in. plastic boxes with holes, they can be washed.
 e.g. baby-wipe boxes, plastic corn poppers, newspaper rural-delivery tubes,
 1/2 gal. milk cartons, old Playskool toys w/o bottoms.
 Plastic/PVC sewer pipe conectors come in many shapes and rats love to climb 
 around them and sleep in them, just remember to get a size that will fit 
 all the rats in the cage.
 It's best not to give a new rat a box to hide in. Wait until the rat already
 knows you and wants to be with you.
 
26. My male got into a fight and now he has a big abscess on his back.  
    What should I do?
---------------------------
 All wounds should be rinsed with Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) when they are 
 fresh.  This will prevent most wounds from closing and getting infected.
 Neosporin cream is good for healing minor wounds quickly.
 Normally an abscess will pop and drain on its own. If not, they normally 
 kind of hard nodules under the skin. If this is the case, wait until a small
 scab forms and then squeeze gently. The scab will pop open and you can 
 continue to squeeze out old semi-dried pus. Squeeze until all of this is out 
 and watch to make sure more pus doesn't form. Neosporin is okay, but not
 normally needed if oral antibiotics are used. Tylan or Tetracyline in the water
 is fine--Amoxicillin from the vet is better.  
 Note: Some people who don't like using Hydrogen Peroxide, so Charles suggested
 this: 
 Might I recomend as an alternative, then, Tea Tree Oil, which will also
 sterilize the wound, but to the best of my knowledge is not acid-based.  It
 also has a really nasty smell, so they don't lick it off (I've had a big
 problem with that when using aloe on little cuts and bruises; the other
 rats would pounce on the one placed back in the tank and lick every last bit
 of aloe off) and the other rats stay away (unless its something bad enough
 that warents them being put in isolation, in which case this is not a worry!)

27. My rat rocks back and forth and seems to stare into space a lot. Is he sick?
---------------------------  
  Not likely.  There are many theories as to why some rats do this.  Poor
eyesite, nervousness, etc.  Since most of the rats that do it are red or pink
eyed, its most likely poor eyesite.   

28. What kinds of fancy rats are there?
--------------------------- 
   (List based on AFRMA standards)
   Varieties: Standard, Rex, Tailless, Hairless and Satin
   Sections: Self, AOC, AOCP, Marked, Odd-Eye, Unstandardized.
   Self Colors: Beige, Black, Blue, Champagne, Chocolate, Lilac, Mink, Russian
     blue, Black-eyed White and Pink-eyed White.
   AOC Colors: Agouti, Amber, Blue Agouti, Cinnamon, Cinnamon Pearl, Fawn, Lynx,
     Pearl, Silver Lilac, Silver Mink.
   AOCP Colors: Himalayan, Siamese, Blue Point Siamese, Merle
   Unstandardized Colors: Tri-color (currently only in Lynx-Beige-White combo),
     Sky Blue, Cocoa..
   Marked types: English Irish, Berkshire, Variegated, Blaze, Dalmation, Hooded,
     Bareback, Capped and Masked.


29. When you say "he" or "she" do you also mean the other sex?
---------------------------
 Usually.
 
  -------EXOTIC RATS------

Genus Cricetomys  AFRICAN GIANT POUCHED RATS
G. gambianus, Senegal to central Sudan, and south to South Africa
G. emini, Sierra Leone to Lake Tanganyika, island of Bioko (Fernando Poo)
 
Head and body length is 240-450 mm and tail length is 365-460 mm. Weights of
1.0-2.8 kg for males and 0.96-1.39 kg for females....
 
        ... These rats dwell in forests and thickets. They are nocturnal but
have been seen foraging during the day, at which time they behave as if they 
were almost blind, sitting on their haunches and sniffing in all directions. 
They can climb well, using the long tail for balancing, and can swim. For 
shelter they often use natural crevices and holes, termite mounds, or hollow 
trees, but they can dig their own burrows, which consist of a long passage 
with side alleys and several chambers, one for sleeping and the others for 
storage. The burrows have two to six openings and are frequently located at 
the base of a tree or among dense vegetation; the entrances are often closed 
that in Zimbabwe many less complex burrows have been found, consisting of 
a straight tunnel, some not more than 1.5 meters long, with a single nesting 
chamber at the end.
        Ajayi stated that these rats are completely omnivorous, feeding on 
vegetables, insects, crabs, snails, and other items but apparently preferring
palm fruits and palm kernels. Ewer stated that the cheek pouches are used to 
carry food and bedding material and that there is regular coprophagy. 
According to Kingdon, these rats store a considerable amount of food, as 
well as many nonedible items, such as coins, metal, and bits of cloth.
        Cricetomys is generally solitary; a captive male and female may be 
kept together, but two mature males may fight to the death. Reproduction 
takes place at various times of the year. In a study of captives, Ajayi 
observed one female to give birth 5 times in 9 months, and he thought that 
probably females could produce 10 litters annually. The gestation period 
was 27-36, usually 30-32, days. Litters numbered 1-5, most commonly 4, 
young. Sexual maturity was attained at about 20 weeks. According to Jones, 
a captive specimen lived for 7 years and 10 months.
        These animals are timid but soon become tame in captivity and make 
delightful pets. They are in great demand as food by the native tribes.
Studies have been made of their potential for domestic production of food. 
In some West African towns, Cricetomys has become a sewer rat and is killed 
along with Rattus by the rat catchers. In contrast, C. gambianus is 
classified as rare in South Africa.
 
Reference:
Novak, R.M. and Paradiso, J.L. 1991. Walker]s Mammals of the World, Vol II. 
The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
 
Giant Rat Cricetomys gambianus
...... Habitat: forest and woodland but occasionally urban areas.
 
Behavioral: Mainly nocturnal but if undisturbed can be diurnal. Digs own 
burrow but also makes use holes, hollow trees and piles of plant debris. 
Surplus food is carried in cheek-pouches to store. When a burrow is occupied 
it is usually closed from the inside. Placid and generally harmless. 
Food: Fruits, roots and seeds (including cultivated crops); occasionally 
insectivorous.
Reproduction: 2-4 young, each weighing about 20 g. are born in summer.
 
Reference:
Stuarts, Chris and Tilde. 1988. Field guide to the mammals of southern 
Africa. New Holland.
 
AFRICAN GIANT POUCHED RAT IN CAPTIVITY   Scientific name: two species of 
genus Crietomys.
 
Origin: C. gambianus is found from Senegal to central Sudan and south Africa, 
and C. emini from Sierra Leone to Lake Tanganyika and Fernando Po.
 
        General characteristics: The African Giant Pouched Rat has rather a 
long narrow head, cheek pouches and a scaly tail. The animals are timid, but 
soon become tame when used to their surroundings and make delightful pets. 
The head and body length is 240-250 mm, with a tail length of 365-460 mm. 
Males weigh about 1.5 kg and females up to 1 kg. The fur is short and thin. 
The coloration of the middorsal regions range from dark greyish brown to 
medium greyish, with a tinge of brown or clear reddish brown. The general 
coloration becomes paler on the sides, sides of the face and flanks, ranging 
from grey with a brownish tinge to reddish brown or buff. The conspicuous 
ears are practically naked, the dorsal two thirds are dark greyish and the 
remainder soiled white or cream. Many individuals are mottled grey or 
almost spotted, mainly on the anterior half of the upper parts. This 
mottling may be inconspicuous, many from irregular small spots or blotches 
or may cover almost all of the upper parts. 
In some areas there is a fairly definite, almost white, stripe across the 
back just behind the shoulders.
        Housing: Naturally with such a large rodent, an equally large cage 
is required. I would advise that you attempt to build your own, rather than 
try to buy one, as you will then be able to construct a more suitable cage 
in size and to your own personal needs. It should, ideally, be made of 
either metal or lined with metal, as this rodents is extremely good at 
gnawing through wood.
 
Grouping: Generally solitary, a captive male and female may be kept together, 
but two mature males may fight to death.
Breeding: Gestation period is 27-36 days, each litter numbering 1-5, most 
commonly 4. They are sexually mature at about 20 weeks. Captive life span 
is about 6 years.
Diet: In the wild the African Giant Pouched Rat is completely omnivorous and 
thus they are extremely easy to feed in captivity.
 
Reference:
Henwood, C. 1985. Rodents in Captivity. Ian Henry Publications, Hornchurch
 
Petri Airasvirta
Vanhanlinnankatu 1 F 108
FIN-00900 Helsinki
Finland

For more info on giant rats: 
E-mail: Petri.Airasvirta@pairasv.pp.fi

   FAQ Author Note: Personal research on feeding this species; A good mixure
of fancy rat grain mix (the kind with little or no alfalfa pellets), good
quality lab blocks, Iams puppy or cat food, monkey chow blocks (in limited
quanity, no more then one in a week due to very high protein and fat level),
corn on the cob (dried or fresh), dandilion greens, avacado (they LOVE this!),
dates, prunes, figs, nuts, pumpkin seeds, almost any kind of fruit, most 
vegitables (avoid iceberg lettice or low nutriant vegies), cooked meats (to
avoid samonella, don't feed raw meat), insects (such as crikets, meal worms
and wax worms - Note: Not all giant rats will eat these. It seems to be an
individual taste thing) and low sodium whole grain bread (in limited amounts)
   Fresh water should be made available at all times. They do use water 
bottles.
   Ceramic food dishes work well, but they will horde food in their nests.

   Toys or other enrichment items should be introduced from time to time to
keep them from developing nervous habits from bordom.  I've found wooden
parrot toys to be perfect for the cage.  Avoid plastic since these are rodents
and may chew on them and injest the plastic.  

    Cages should be of the multi level ferret/chinchilla type available. Must
have solid, not wire shelves as GRs feet are sensitive and they don't like
walking on wire..Floor of cage should be solid as well.  Coated, powered wire
is best, since their urine will rust galvenized steel quickly.  Do not bed on
pine or ceder, use aspen (chips or pellets), processed paper animal bedding or
straw pellets (Critter Country Reptile Bedding). 
    Provide with shreaded paper towels (no dyes or purfumes) or clean, white,
non-purfumed/scented tissue for bedding.  Remove soiled bedding as needed.
Clean regularly.  

    (Handling and breeding info coming soon)


