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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / October 2007pet food i bought in germany
I got my rat whilst we were (and still are) touring europe in our motorhome, he's a husky rat called Branden (he came from Brandenburg, just outside Berlin) I got the same food he was fed at the shop i got him from, he didnt eat much of it, i give him fresh veggies every other day, and also some puppy welping food whilst he was growing the most (he's about 3 and a half months old now, and weighing in at 215 gramms) i got all the rat foods i came accross in the many pet shops we came accross whilst traveling around Germany, even found Reggie Rat in one shop... he didnt like that much... just like my last rats didnt. Appart from one 'total' rat food which was pellets, they all contain mostly small grains and seeds, not the things rats eat, proving these foods are just generic rabbit mixes with different labels. Anyway, at one pet shop in Memingen (south germany) i got a rat food that was differnet, it is all puffed corns (look like sugar puffs, but without the sugar coating) those green and red rough things.. think they are mineral extracts or something, but best of all, there's dried prawns, dried meats (ham and the like, with fat on, all dried) dried bananas and so on. He absolutely loves this food, he'll play with the dried prawns, pull the heads and legs off, then eat the insides, then the heads, and dump the empty shell in his toilet box (which is now called his prawn shell box, as he's never used it for it's origional purpous :) he roots out all the dried meat chunks, takes some dried banana to bed with him for a midnight snack, and even eats the puffed corn things. Problem is, we are now in switzerland, and heading south, and when i opened the bag of food, it ripped (those silly crunchy plastic wrappers that do that) i put the contents into a normal plastic bag, and threw out the origional. Now i've found a rat food he loves, i dont know it's name to see where i can get some more. Does anyone on here know the food i'm talking about? It might have been the pet stores own mix, (can't recall the pet shops name either, something like dietrichs zoo mart, it was just opposite the motorhome stellplatz we were parked on) but i'm sure it was a pre- packaged product, and it was cheaper than the other 'brand' name rat food that is sold everywhere (about 3 euro's for a kilo and a half) Cheers, Gazz... And Branden will thank you if you can put a name to the food he loves too :) > I got my rat whilst we were (and still are) touring europe in our > motorhome, he's a husky rat called Branden (he came from Brandenburg, [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Gazz... And Branden will thank you if you can put a name to the food > he loves too :) Yikes, I would think a food containing meats would be filled with preservatives not to mention very high protein which is not good for rats. I'd stick with a complete balanced meal in a block or pellet.  SignatureJoanne The Rat Shack www.jorats.com Hi, (I just read your message in my guestbook, thanks for signing!) gazz@... wrote: > Anyway, at one pet shop in Memingen (south germany) i got a rat food > that was differnet, it is all puffed corns (look like sugar puffs, but > without the sugar coating) those green and red rough things.. think > they are mineral extracts or something, but best of all, there's dried > prawns, dried meats (ham and the like, with fat on, all dried) dried > bananas and so on. This sounds more like a treat mix than a food mix to me. I know JR Farm sells all kinds of healthy dried treats, both sorted out seperately and in mixed packages. > He absolutely loves this food, he'll play with the dried prawns, pull > the heads and legs off, then eat the insides, then the heads, and dump > the empty shell in his toilet box (which is now called his prawn shell > box, as he's never used it for it's origional purpous :) I'm sure he does! Imagine yourself as a child, getting cakes and cookies for dinner all the time. ;-) But like Joanne already said, a balanced meal would really be better for Banden. Good luck with Branden, and with touring Europe. :-) My rats rarely leave the house, let alone tour all over the continent! (Have you been in my home country The Netherlands yet?) By the way, if and when you get back home, do consider getting Branden a mate as rats are very social animals (but I guess you already know that). - Tale Signature"Oh, Rats!" http://www.taletn.com/rats/ <snips> > I'm sure he does! Imagine yourself as a child, getting cakes and cookies for > dinner all the time. ;-) But like Joanne already said, a balanced meal would [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > consider getting Branden a mate as rats are very social animals (but I guess > you already know that). Hi there, were in holland in august, (took my GF to the theme park that used to be six flags, on flevoland for her birthday) But we didnt have branden then, got him a couple of weeks later when we were heading east, was going to go into poland, but decided against it. i never thought of the food not being balanced, logical really tho, he does eat the corns and those green and red rough things all foods have in them as well, i actually thought this food would be ok for him because of the meat content, rats being carnivores and all that, but of course the meat isnt fresh, it's all cured/dried stuff. i've heard a lot about these rat blocks, but not seen them yet, or i dont think i have, but it sounds like thats the feed i want to get him to like, i dont want him to be a fat rat, so i'll have to persavere with him throwing tantrums when he dosent get his favorite food, and make sure toffee (the dog) eats all hers, as he's been known to nick left overs of her food. i am wondering about his weight, he was 110 grams when we got him, 30th of august. he turned 200 grams about the begining of the 1st week in october, but then stayed there till i got him this new food about a week ago, where he put on 15 grams in 3 days, (tho the scales i use are different ones each time, the analouge ones i have in the van are wildly unaccurate, so i... ahem... take him with me when i go shopping, he has one of those fabric rat carriers, then in the salad isle, when no ones around, i quickly whip him out of his carrier and plonk him on the digital scales (i do put a paper towel down first, and zero the scales to take the weight of the towel) i havent printed a ticket out yet, should do then stick them into his weight book, gotta think of a good fruit to describe him for the printed sticker :) Anyway, should a 3 and a half month old male rat weigh 215 grams? or is he small for his age? i always had female rats before, last one i had was a good 10 years ago now, and they grew to about the size branden is now, but i know branden is still growing. We are considering a mate for him (as in friend, not a female rat.. tho i'm sure he'd prefer a female :) not sure if to get one now, or indeed wait till were back home, which will be middle of december, i'd want to get one of a similar age to him, and really want to go to a rat breeder/fancier, as he came from a pet shop, no choice really as we were in a strange town, and he was a spur of the moment purchace... we had been talking about geting a pet rat for years tho, The cage he has in the van is 54cm long, 28cm deep, and 35cm high, has 2 platforms, a hamster hammock at the top (which he fits just fine.. he has a towel wash mit thing for a sleeping bag too) we really cant fit a larger cage in the van, tho he only really uses the cage for sleepin in, he gets a good 4 to 6 hours play time a night, and the top cage door is always open when were not traveling, and he has the curtian pelmet to scarper accross from there, at home we'll get him as big a cage as we can find, probably one of the ferret tower cages, but the avery looks even better, were getting rid of the Tv in our bedroom to put his cage in it's place, so 2 rats will givve better performances when were watching the rat cage instead of the TV :) but when we get home he'll be even older, so harder to find a similar aged ratty friend, but in the van if he dosent get on with a new rat, were stuck, are there any breeders in switzerland who'd let us allow branden to choose a cage mate, i.e. put branden in a large area, and introduce other rats, the one he gets on with the most, we get, or would that be a bad idea? <snip> > should a 3 and a half month old male rat weigh 215 grams? or > is he small for his age? I have the opposite problem - my two male rats are ten weeks old and weigh in at 335g and 355g! They don't feel fat, just Schwarzeneggery. There's a lot of difference between rats when it comes to size and weight. I think that as long as you can't feel Branden's spine jutting out a lot on his back, and as long as he's healthy-looking (glossy fur, bright eyes, clear nose) and running around I wouldn't worry, personally. <snip> Rosemary Rats are actually omnivores so eat animals and plants. :) My rats are vegetarian, mainly because I don't eat meat. As for Branden's weight, I wouldn't consider him small for his age. He's either spot on or a tad heavier. Either way his weight seems fine. A rat from a rat rescue is another alternative. Either way I'm sure he'd like a friend pretty soon. However, the ages of the rats don't have to be that similar. BTW, how do Branden and your dog get along? Sounds like you're having a great holiday. I'm really jealous! Dewi > Rats are actually omnivores so eat animals and plants. :) My rats are > vegetarian, mainly because I don't eat meat. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Dewi thankyou for putting my mind at rest over his weight, i was getting worried he was either the runt of the litter (he looked the same as the others size wise, he chose us, sam my Gf put her hand in the cage, and branden was the one that wanted to sniff it and be picked up, the others werent interested) or there was something wrong with him stopping him putting on weight, i deliberately got a buck rat as they grow larger than the doe's i had before, guess i'm impatiant and want him to be a nice big rattie asap (strange since all other animals are cuter when they are babies, but rats i rekon get cuter as they get older) I think we've made our minds up, branden is getting a friend, we would really love a blue 'brand' of rat, not fussed which particular type, just one that's as different to him as possible, But all the pet shops we've seen rats in in germany have been husky rats, which i did want anyway, but not 2 of em, plus i'd really like to get brandens friend from a breeder, but i'm not having much luck finding one where we are at the moment, which is about 40kms south east of Zurich, switzerland, We plan to go in to the alps for a little while, so rat breeders will be non existant i rekon, I've been searching the net for rat breeders near where we are, but can't seem to find any, and rat rescues seem to be very limited outside america it seems (our dog is from a rescue centre, our souvineer from a holiday in wales :) Toffee gets on quite well with branden, she's actually wary of him, but she's getting used to him, just he likes to try and climb up her legs and tail, and she dosent like that, nor him making a nest in her butt hairs when she's laying down :) understandable i guess, shouldent admit this, but he tries the same with me when he gets in our sleeping bag. Branden knows no fear tho, and he will chase toffee around, but just lately toffee has been getting very playfull with him, she plays 'peekaboo' with him, he's on the bed, she's at the end, and she'll keep popping up, lick him quickly, then pop back down, he goes to the edge to see where she is, and pop...lick... and hide again :) she also likes rooting him out from behind our pillows, she's very gentle doing this, uses only her nose/muzzle, not her paws which she uses if we hide doggy treats for her, so she knows he's a friend and not food, Branden seems to enjoy the new places we take him every few days, i'll let him explore flower tubs, grass, big rocks, those wooden pole fences etc, as long as i'm sure they are safe for him, i.e. no birds in the sky, or any other animals around, back in the warmer weather he even went swimming in a fountian, i actually put him on the side to have a drink, and he decided to dive in, then he spent a good 10 minutes swimming from one side to the other with me and sam at opposite sides, thats when we bought the wash mitten towel thingies that he now uses as a ratty sleeping bag, i thought thye were just normal face flanels, just the right size to dry a rat off with who'd been swimming in the towns fountian, but turned out they were doubled over and sewn along 3 sides, now he wont go to bed unless there's a clean ratty sleeping bag on his hammock. Gazz, Sam, Toffee and Branden <snip> > As for Branden's weight, I wouldn't consider him small for his age. > He's either spot on or a tad heavier. Either way his weight seems > fine. This is why I'm worried about my two little beggars being 335g and 355g when they're only two weeks old! They're already bigger than the females we used to keep, and growing constantly. <snip> Rosemary > <snip> > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Rosemary You mean ten weeks right? It does seem rather big but they could be longer and larger then your average rat. SignatureJoanne The Rat Shack www.jorats.com >> <snip> >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > You mean ten weeks right? It does seem rather big but they could be > longer and larger then your average rat. Yes, I mean ten weeks! Thanks for pointing that out :-) Sometimes my fingers just start auto-typing a word and if I don't go back to check I get all kinds of weird words in my posts. They are rather big - at full stretch, from nose to rump they're nine inches long, and their tails are eight inches long. I never know quite how to measure body length, cause there's such a difference between their length when they're stretching and when they're sitting eating a piece of food. They're just huge. I wonder how big they'll get! Rosemary >>> <snip> >>> [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Rosemary ahhhh, i see... 10 weeks. in that case, those are good sized for their age rats. beauty. it's a fun time in a rat's life. > <snip> > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Rosemary The breeder may be able to tell you if your rats are unusually heavy and how big her rats get. The other things is that they could just be going through a growth spurt. Dewi Dewi wrote: >> > As for Branden's weight, I wouldn't consider him small for his age. >> > He's either spot on or a tad heavier. Either way his weight seems [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > and how big her rats get. The other things is that they could just be > going through a growth spurt. Thanks. I did get in touch with the breeder to ask if they were too big, and if I should put them on a restricted diet, but she said that they didn't need to have their food intake restricted, and I should just feed them every day with the amount they'll eat in 24 hours. She didn't seem shocked when I said how big they were, so maybe it's just a family thing, like you said. I'm not sure if it is a growth spurt; they seem to be consistently putting on an ounce a week now. They did go through a phase for about a week where they had podgy tummies on them, and I worried they were getting too fat and thought maybe I should put them on a diet, but they lost their tummies and turned the fat into muscle. By the way, you probably guessed, but I meant ten weeks, not two weeks :-) They look to me like fully grown rats already, but then of course I'm used to females. These are the parents, apparently. They don't look that big, but I'm assuming they were quite young when these photos were taken. http://www.carregrats.co.uk/seren.html http://www.carregrats.co.uk/khrysomallos.html Rosemary > >> This is why I'm worried about my two little beggars being 335g and > >> 355g when they're only two weeks old! They're already bigger than the > >> females we used to keep, and growing constantly. wow, maybe they're crossed with cats :) Branden is 225 grams today, weighed on my little plastic scales in the van (dont think any shops open on sundays here, so can't go and weigh him the usual way, and we are having a lazy day in the van today, making it more adventurous for branden) He's outgrown both toilet roll inners and kitchen roll inners, i have a couple of plastic peanut cans he fits just right, cut bottom out and he's going in and out of them now, and got a couple of 1.5 litre pop bottles for big tubes up on the pelmet he runs along from the top of his cage (his cage is mounted on a shelf on the wall, so it's at eye height for us, and i can fit under it when sitting on the sofa... sam lays under it in bed, which is fine untill he decides to play the 'throw all the food/floor covering/toys out and try to get them into sams snoring mouth game :) Think i'll get some good photo's of him and put a new part to my website up whilst i've got net access today. >> >> This is why I'm worried about my two little beggars being 335g and >> >> 355g when they're only [ten] weeks old! They're already bigger >> >> than the females we used to keep, and growing constantly. > > wow, maybe they're crossed with cats :) Now _that_'s a scary thought! I'm coming to the conclusion that they're just inherently immense, I think. :-) > Branden is 225 grams today, weighed on my little plastic scales in the > van (dont think any shops open on sundays here, so can't go and weigh > him the usual way, and we are having a lazy day in the van today, > making it more adventurous for branden) I've forgotten what you said he weight last time; I take it he's slowly growing bigger? > He's outgrown both toilet roll inners and kitchen roll inners, i have > a couple of plastic peanut cans he fits just right, cut bottom out and [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > 'throw all the food/floor covering/toys out and try to get them into > sams snoring mouth game :) Ha! That's brilliant :-) Ours are particularly keen on the slide-down- the-chest-and-stomach game (underneath clothing, of course!) so I have lots of vertical scratches on me at the moment. It oesn't seem to matter how often I clip their claws, they just sharpen them again - and of course cutting their claws just makes them scrabble more :-) > Think i'll get some good photo's of him and put a new part to my > website up whilst i've got net access today. Yay, rat pics! Rosemary On Oct 28, 11:07 pm, Rosemary <mentally_subnor...@hotmail.com> I'm not sure if it is a growth spurt; they seem to be > consistently putting on an ounce a week now. I've weighed the boys fairly consistently from about 8 weeks old, and it seems that they put on an ounce a week (4grams a day) for quite a few weeks. This is what they weighed at 10 weeks. Apollo - 325gms, 11.5 oz Samson - 325gms, 11.5oz Zeus - 300gms, 10.75oz Hercules - 290 or so 10.25>< Atlas - 275gms, 9.75oz By 13 weeks they were:- Apollo - 400gms ^75 Samson - 400gms ^75 Zeus - 350gms ^50 Hercules - 325gms ^35 Atlas - 350gms ^75 Between 13 and 19 weeks, the weight gain slowed down. 19weeks Apollo - 425 (-25) Samson - 425 (+15) Zeus - 325 (-50) Altas - 400 (+40) Hercules - 375 steady Must be about time to weigh them all again. :s cheers, M&m >> I'm not sure if it is a growth spurt; they seem to be >> consistently putting on an ounce a week now. [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Must be about time to weigh them all again. :s Brilliant, thanks for those figures! I guess my boys aren't freakishly abnormal, then - they only weigh 10g and 30g more than your Samson and Apollo did at the same age. :-) Love the names, by the way - my family's pets when I was a kid were called things like Persephone, Apollo, Hercules, Megara, Ptolemy, and, er, Punk. Rosemary >> <snip> >> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Dewi i'm coming into this post late so i may have missed something but two week-old rats sometimes haven't even opened their eyes yet and are not eating solid food. is this post claiming that two week old rats are the weight of fully grown rats? are these some of those giant amazon rats or something? > i'm coming into this post late so i may have missed something but two > week-old rats sometimes haven't even opened their eyes yet and are not > eating solid food. is this post claiming that two week old rats are the > weight of fully grown rats? > > are these some of those giant amazon rats or something? *LOL* No, it was a typo. In fact they are ten weeks old, not two: Rosemary wrote: > Joanne wrote: >> You mean ten weeks right? It does seem rather big but they could be [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > fingers just start auto-typing a word and if I don't go back to check I > get all kinds of weird words in my posts. - Tale Signature"Oh, Rats!" http://www.taletn.com/rats/ >I got my rat whilst we were (and still are) touring europe in our > motorhome, he's a husky rat called Branden (he came from Brandenburg, [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Gazz... And Branden will thank you if you can put a name to the food > he loves too :) Just poking my nose into this thread to say what a wonderful holiday touring around Europe in a motorhome! I'd love to do the same one day, touring Canada and America. Happy travels :o) Tracey |
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