Pics from the rat room...

Good lord, what next LOL. Okay rats chew because they are rats. Rodents chew...simple fact of life...always have always will. They chew whatever they can reach because that's pretty much what a rat does. Sure they should never be left without water but that doesn't encourage or discourage bottle chewing. That's a broad assumption and a basically useless observation as it's unprovable. Giving them things to chew on is fine, no problem at all but it won't stop them if they want to chew something...they'll chew it...why...because they are rodents. No rocket science there.

Where did you get your information that rats cannot deal with intestinal gasses? While it's true that a rat cannot burp or vomit only lab rats that are in sealed germ free lab environments never develop the gut bacteria that allows gasses or gass producing foods to be dealt with. You really need to check your facts on that one. Or perhaps you keep your rat collection in a level 5 containment lab LOL

As well due to the way rats are designed in that a flap covers the esophagus leading into the stomach (which is why they cannot burp or vomit) rats are by nature careful testers. A dab of hot sauce will be carefully tried by the rat, it will be found to be something that do not want to eat and thereafter avoided. Rats are very smart that way. Remember they survive where we humans fail to even thrive.

Your broad statements are unwarranted and incorrect. If they work for your collection that's just dandy but it would be better to state it that way than your usual abrupt "do it MY way" posts.