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New breeder ratties!
Just got these from a lady at the flea market, and only $2 each. There was another seller but he wanted a lot more for his ratties, and they were a bit poorly looking.
1.5 all adults.
I have a female that almsot matches the male in the pretty tan golden color.
Wolfy
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Re: New breeder ratties!
Temporary quarentine until tomorrow. Yes, it would be a bit small.
Although the currant bin looks MUCH smaller in the picture, its actually pretty good. Its a weird camera angle.
Wolfy
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Re: New breeder ratties!
As promised, pictures of the actual q-tank for the ratties.
And here they are IN the q-tank. Normally there wouldn't be this many in one tank, but since they will live together in the breeding colony, and were purchased all together, here they be. They seem terribly happy, with the male(who was raised by a VERY nice lady who loves her ratties) being rather nonchalant, while the females(obvious colony rats, who were overcrowded and unstimulated) are bewildered and checking out the entire pen, dragging torn phone book pages around, carrieing food bits around, and poking at the toliet paper tube full of goodies that they can smell, but not yet open. They'll figure it out.
As you can see the females are beginning to groom, and after about half an hour in the cage are now calming down and exploreing, picking out the best spots. One decided the oatmeal can is the bee's knees, and keeps going into it. The largest female likes the box more, but is dissatified with the interior decorating job I did with bedding and paper! She is rearranging everything. No squabbles, and hopefully soon they will start fattening up and becoming happy rats for breeding.
Since I just realized it sounded wierd to say my breeding rats are a "colony" but then referred to the new females as "colony rats" in a disparageing way, I thought I'd clarify.
MY Colony of breeding rats are in rat racks, but they are not crowded, and are supplied both with objects to chew and play with, but also get their treats stuffed into toliet paper rolls, with the ends tucked in to make them have to work at getting them out. They also are offered mealworms or crickets(depending on individual tastes) and other treats to keep them fat and happy. I want my feeders and breeders to be as happy and content as possible in their lives. Even the big bin of weaned feeders gets toys, treats, enrichment, boxes to hide in and etc. Happy rats are healthy fat clean rats. IMO of course.
Plus having the Q-tank on my table means I get the entertainment value too.
Wolfy
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Re: New breeder ratties!
Looks like a serious Rat Heaven to me! I'm impressed!
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in light, Aleesha
You have 1440 minutes a day... how are you going to spend yours?
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Re: New breeder ratties!
Only if I can feed your babies to my snakes....
Grins.
Wolfy
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Re: New breeder ratties!
Oh what an excellent idea with the toilet paper rolls stuffed with treats! Mind if I steal that one (with all credit to you hon, of course)? Such a simple idea but it gives them something to do and that would cut down on boredom which cuts down on chewing enclosures, starting rattie squabbles, etc. Congrats on the new additions to your rat breeder/feeder colony.
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Re: New breeder ratties!
Of course. AND it is a good recycling use, and LOADS of fun to ask for the empty toliet paper rolls at places, or from your friends. Heehee.
The male is actively breeding the females. Four of the females are getting very glossy and gaining weight, learning to rush about poking into everything. The last female has turned out to be blind(or nearly) and has a tumour under one little arm. Apparently she is quite old, but she rules over the others fairly well, seems to get around fine. So she will hang out and live the good life a while. All of them groom each other, and have stayed very busy taking those strips of phone book paper all over the tank.
OH!! For the ultimate in rattie heaven, put about half a dozen live crickets in one of those rolls, and pinch it shut. NOW you're talking rattie treat. They LOVE crickets. Chocolate for ratties.
Wolfy
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Re: New breeder ratties!
Oh I'll have to try that since I buy crickets regularily for Sprocket the gecko anyways, I'll just buy an extra bunch of larger ones for the rats. I know the love fishing for feeder goldfish though that makes a huge mess LOL and frozen peas are a great summer treat for the colony.
Sorry to read about the older female. Watch that the male doesn't get her preggie as she might not survive it at her advanced age. She'd make a nice den mother for the female feeders though, that's what some of my old retired girls do (that and hang out with the females too young to breed yet). That's likely a mammary tumour, unfortunately common in old female rats, so you may have to euthanize her as they can get huge and I'm sure horribly painful at some point.
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