It is very important that you understand how to care for your rats properly. If you have any questions regarding these articles, please feel free to email us.

http://www.coverattery.com/articles.htm

http://www.rmca.org/Resources/faqs.htm#TOC

http://www.ratbehavior.org/

http://www.skittisheclipse.com/rats/ratinfopacket.html

http://www.ratfanclub.org/single.html

Quarantine

http://www.ratsociety.org/quarantine.html

KRV

http://ratguide.com/health/viruses/kilham_rat_virus.php

SENDAI

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/sendai.htm

SDA

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/sda.htm

SENDAI VIRUS/SDA UPDATE

http://hometown.aol.com/RattLvrr/Update.htm

CAR BACILLUS

http://ratguide.com/health/bacteria/car_bacillus.php

MFI/ELISA PANEL

http://www.radil.missouri.edu/info/diagtesting/services/serology.asp

DO'S & DON'T'S OF SENDAI & SDA QUARANTINE

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/dosanddonts.htm

Nutrition

Nutrition is very important for the longevity of rats. Without proper nutrition rats can become ill very quickly. As a pet rat owner and breeder, I decided to develop my own staple diet. I am a firm believer in holistic medicinal products and the importance of proper nutrition. There are several other types of diets out there including a great staple diet by Debbie Ducommun, called Molassas Mix. A good friend of mine has written a wonderful nutrition article.

I prefer for my adopters to take a strong interest in the nutrition of their rats. Please read over nutritional requirements and proper diets for rats.

My staple diet mix.

1/2 Box Special K
1/2 Box Total Cereal
1lb Unsulphard Dried Fruits (Cranberries, Bananas, Apples, Peaches, Pears, Apricots etc..)
1/2lb Zante Currents
1/2lb Pumpkin Seeds Organic
1lb Hulled Millet Organic
1/2lb Quick Cooking Oats or Rolled Oats
1/2lb Unsalted Raw or Roasted Sunflower Seeds
1lb Oat Groats Whole Raw Organic
1lb Rye Berries Organic
1lb Spelt Berries
1lb Hulled Barley Organic
1/2lb Soy Nuts (I buy organic Soy beans and make my own Soy nuts.**)
1lb Golden Flax Seeds Organic
1/2lb Uncooked Spinach Twist Noodles
1/2lb Uncooked Soy Elbow Noodles

Mix everything up in a large bowl and store in an air tight container or in ziplock bags. This mix lasts me a month for about 50 rats. You can modify the mix as you see fit, like substituting tri-color rotini noodles for the two listed.

I buy my ingredients from local health food stores and from Barry Farms.

IMPORTANT***Along with this mix, feed 25% mix to 75% lab Blocks. Lab blocks should be a nutritional brand such as Harlan Teklad. If you feed strictly the mix, you will have obese rats. These commercial diets are also good to be fed alone. Please do not feed a rat dog food. No matter what brand of dog food you think is good for your rats, it in no way can ever meet their requirements.

** To make Soy Nuts from Raw Soy Beans.

Roasted soy nuts

250g soybeans
1lt water

Directions:

Soak the soybeans in the water during 10 to 24 hours. Drain the soybeans and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake at 340 F (170C) during 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Take care that the beans don't get too brown at the end.