Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / August 2003

After discussion with a friend about our rats' strange taste for matches,
I thought it might be helpful to provide them with a supplement, in case
they are pandering after a missing mineral.

I chose Vitakraft "Sticks for Rats" ("Kracker" in German) Corn & Fruit,
because they contain various vitamins, Calcium and Phosphorus. I did not
want a salt or mineral block, because all the ones available were for
other small animals, and not rats.

I have just unwrapped the "Sticks", was very surprised to find a thin
piece of wire protruding from the top of the snack. This, I felt, was not
going to be healthy for the rats if they somehow got the end of it in
their mouths - possible even if used to attach the snack to the cage.
Visions of mouth injuries entered my head.

So, I proceeded to remove the offending wire, revealing the wooden stick
inside the snack in the process. What surprised me even more than the
piece of wire was the fact that it was stapled into the wood with a small
metal stable about 8mm long. The visions of injuries suddenly got a lot
worse.

So, I then proceeded to remove the staple. I was then surprised so much
that my heart skipped a beat. It came out of the wood easier than a
skewer out of hot butter. Visions of very sick rats indeed were now so
pronounced that I thought I had been taking LSD or some other psycho-
active drug.

To say I'm not impressed is a masterpiece of understatement.

Rats are very efficient when it comes to eating away at something. If one
of them had hurt themselves on the wire, or swallowed the staple... well,
the obvious consequences do not need to be elaborated on.

The rats like the sticks themselves very much, which is good - but I
wouldn't have wanted them to die in the process.

I also keep birds, and this reckless disregard for pet's safety has
convinced me to steer clear of all vitakraft products in future.

Vitakraft home page (in English): http://www.vitakraft.de/en/ar/ar.htm

By posting this message to a newsgroup, I guess some companies might be
tempted to prosecute me for libel - but since I can clearly demonstrate
the presence of the wire and the staple, I guess such a case would not
hold water.