also the problem with waiting a week is that we don't have any housing for the rat besides our bathtub, which it's currently pooping and peeing all over right now, lol...we buy our rats from the local pet-store every week, and she's eaten quite well ever since the first time we tried...is there any particular foods i should feed the rat to keep it alive? it's been eating the bread i've been dropping in...and it has a little homemade water bowl too...