Ratz

Question
QUESTION: hi, i have a female rat. how do i tell if it is fertile and i dont know how old it is? How old is it when it becomes fertile? How old is it when it Is no longer fertile? I also have a male rat. How old can it be when it is fertile? How old is it when it is not fertile any more? how do i tell if it is fertile? And how old do rats ussually live for?


ANSWER:   Rats are fertile from 6 weeks of age up until old age, but should not be bred until at least 4 months.  Rats usually live 2-3 years.  I would not recommend breeding your rats, as it is hard to find homes for the babies and there are enough pet store-bred rats in the world.  If you are planning on breeding, I would recommend you start with quality rats from a reputable breeder and do lots and lots of research.  For more information about breeding rats please visit my website at http://careguide.evergreenrattery.com/breeding.html

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QUESTION: ok, will rats eat all fruits and veggies? and will they drink soy milk?

ANSWER:   Rats will pretty much eat anything, but there are some foods you should avoid giving them.  A list can be found on this page of my website: http://careguide.evergreenrattery.com/unsafe_foods.html

 They will drink soy milk, but it should not be given to rats with tumors (see the bottom of the link I gave you above).

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QUESTION: thanks, but how do you tell if your rat has a tumour?
and are rats dairy intolorent?

Answer
 Most of the time tumors appear on the underside, as mammary tumors are the most common tumors in female rats.  It will look like a small lump, which you may feel before you can see, but will eventually grow so big it will be larger than the rat if not treated.  They are most common in females older than two years of age.  Tumors can also appear almost anywhere, sometimes even inside the body where they cannot be detected until it is too late.

 Rats, like almost all animals, can't digest dairy well and any kind of dairy products (even cheese!) can give them diarrhea.  It's best to avoid dairy altogether.