Rat…fat?

Ok, so, my lovely wuverly cuddly boy, Harry, is very, well…robust.

I’m concerned now, no matter what I try, I can’t get him to do exercise. None of my rats like using a wheel, and no matter how much free-range time I give them, he just doesn’t want to do anything. long ago changed their diet to a more natural and fibre-full diet (for the sake of my rat Bubba-who has Myco). It hasn’t had any effect, in fact, he has gotten much bigger!

He also has a permanent sniffle, which I would like to get checked out, but I am currently at college, so low on cash-hand, and I only want to go to the vet if I know its something to truly be concerned about. I kinow that sounds terrible, but I truly do love my rats and put all my spare money into giving them the best care possible. I got them to help me through depression, and they have saved my life!

Rats-first!

So, any tips on weight-loss and rat-sniffles?

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5 Responses to “Rat…fat?”
  1. Rachel N says:

    Your rat may be sick. They are prone to lung ailments. Usually when animals have a breathing problem they become lethargic and inactive. They’re great pets. Too bad they don’t live as long as dogs and cats.

  2. gjdemonno1 says:

    hi hunz!
    i have 2 ratties and i love em to bits! im sure you do too! does your rat seem worried about the sneezing? if yes take him to the vet. if not ask a friend who knows something about rats or just go to your local pet shop and ask there.
    to get fitter:
    buy: rat ball to roll around in
    ladder
    thick bird rope
    rabbit run
    or from a DIY store: rope
    bamboo sticks
    lots of rolls of cardboard ( you could get them for free from a carpet shop)
    pieces of cardboard
    chicken wire
    Fit them all together to make a run that has laods of toys, tennis balls, ladders, ropes , carboard box mazes and hidden ( healthy) treats. if his area looks more interesting he will explore more.

    And/or:
    try to feed him less meat.
    only fill his bowl up with what he will eat and no spare

    get him a friend. if he has another rat to play with that will wake him up ( especially a younger one)
    when he is in his cage hide his food so he has to look for it.
    it could be that he isnt moving very much because he is sick in which case it would be best to take him to a vet.

    sorry that was sooo long.
    when you’re considering whether to take him to a vet or not, remember that if somthing happened and you hadnt taken him to a vet you would feel really bad even if it wasnt your fault.
    good luck! and have fun!
    xxx C xxx

  3. ferrisulf says:

    There are rat diet foods at some pet stores. Used that for my little babies!

    If you want the rat to lose weight, don’t let them eat ANY seeds or nuts. Both those things are high in fat. Fat fat FAT! Once I got my boys off seeds and nuts, they slimmed down a bit. ^^

    Whatever you do, you have GOT to make sure your rat isn’t obese. My very first rat was an obese rat. He ended up having diabetes from it and then a stroke. After the stroke, he was paralyzed except for his head, and constantly “cried” in pain. I put him down the same day. You may think I’m being a bit harsh by telling you this, but I’m not. This is a very serious thing.

    The sniffles is most likely a respiratory infection. It’s often a chronic condition in rats. I’d get it checked out as soon as you can so it doesn’t turn into pneumonia or something worse.

  4. CollegeGal2010 says:

    I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but, you really should take Harry to the vet. His sniffles are not a good sign. And his lethargy may be due to the sniffles. When you take Harry to the vet, everything could be fine and then the vet could reccomend a special diet for him to help him get back to a healthier size!

    Don’t wait to take him to the vet, you don’t wan’t Harry to suffer.

    I hope everything goes well for you and little Harry!

  5. Rattgirl says:

    My rat is a bit chubby as well. Make sure you are not overfeeding your rat. Stay away from any fatty food for him, and try feeding him broccoli–it prevents tumors. And overweight rats are in great risk of tumors. My rat will only run around if i put her on the ground and follow her around, she loves the thrill of being on the floor. And as for your rats sniffling–most rats sneeze every once in a while, but if it seems to be more than usual, it may be seriuos. Signs of a lung problem are discharge from the eyes and nose, Slowness and snoring. Make sure your rat’s cage is in a place that doesn’t get drafts or is too hot or cold, because it could cause a lung problem. hope this helped!

    And you really should take your rat to the vet–My rat had a lung infection and when i took her to the vet they prescribed some meds that cleared everything all up. it cost around $60 or so.