# The Rat Information Video *now with vid*



## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

I wan't to make a Rattie Information Video for people out there who don't know as much as they should about rats or want to learn more. Go ahead and list fun facts you can think of and/or list important information you think should be in it. Also! Post your favorite pics of your ratties if you wan't them to be used in the movie.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

No matter what color a pet rat is, they're all the same species - The Norway Rat.

Rats can eat almost anything people can!

Rats are very social and like to live with other rats. They also like to spend lots of time with you out of their cage.

Rats are very intelligent and can be trained to come when called, perform tricks, or even use a litter box!





If you want, feel free to use any of the pics in my 'Booze Boys' thread in Meet My Rats.


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## Holly (Dec 31, 2006)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

* Certain foods are toxic to your rat. Since they have no way to release gas, for instance, you must keep them from eating foods/drinks that cause gas or are carbonated.

* Rats should have a "free range play area" outside of their cage. Make sure that the play area is completely rat-proofed. Bathrooms work well for this...just check on what is in the cabinets, because they will find what you have.

* Walking on "cage bars" leads to an illness called "Bumblefoot."

* As a matter of fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea to list all common rat illnesses.


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

Wow what A good idea, can I put it on my myspace?
Please could you do a series?
Basic-everything a new owner needs to know
No 2-ethics, rescue, breeding
Then you could do ones on each thing ie
Play (would need plenty cute clips)


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

Just a tip on bumblefoot. Its obesity, unclean conditions, age and genetics that are the accepted causes of bumblefoot these days. Older rats walk on their entire foot and this puts pressure and creates bumblefoot. Some rats are prone to it genetically and often obese rats will get it because of their weight. Covered wire levels that have urine and feces pooled on them are just as likely to cause bumblefoot then uncovered wire.


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

So far I have this:

Chap 1: Rat Facts

Chap 2: Rat Do's

Chap 3: Rat Don'ts

Chap 4: Breeding- Leave it to the pro's

Chap 5: Adopting


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## Holly (Dec 31, 2006)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

How about a chapter on "rat play?"

------------------

Thx for the info about Bumblefoot. I didn't know that.


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

Sure I can add another chapter. What should I have in it?


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## tattered_teddy_bear (Apr 24, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*



Holly said:


> * Certain foods are toxic to your rat. Since they have no way to release gas, for instance, you must keep them from eating foods/drinks that cause gas or are carbonated.
> 
> * Rats should have a "free range play area" outside of their cage. Make sure that the play area is completely rat-proofed. Bathrooms work well for this...just check on what is in the cabinets, because they will find what you have.
> 
> ...


Bumble foot is said to be caused from dirty floors, not always the bars of the cage.

**edit** sorry lilspaz68 i didn't read down farther! lol


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

Well, I am finished with it!  I will post it once I've uploaded it to youtube


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## tattered_teddy_bear (Apr 24, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

can you put a link to it?


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

*Re: The Rat Information Video*

Here it is-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G44PF8zU8CE


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## Taru (Jun 9, 2007)

Three things:

1. It's GREAT, but you need to spellcheck it...I caught a lot of spelling errors

2. Inbreeding...read below found at curiosityrats.com



> How bad is inbreeding? Well, it is about as bad as it is good. People are often squeamish about it due to our own social norms, but no such norms exist for rats, so we need to approach this from a scientific veiwpoint. Inbreeding is a powerful tool which may become a dangerous one. It strengthens traits present in a line and reveals genes that are carried--both good and bad. This is how new colors come to be discovered, but also how new deformations and disorders occur.
> 
> Random mutations occur in genes very infrequently. Whether good or bad, these genes may stay hidden and vanish from existence as long as the animals in question never reproduce with another animal carrying it. For example, a rat might carry a gene that would produce babies with no eyes. This bizarre gene probably doesn't show up all over the place, but it will likely be carried (not shown) by the offspring of that rat. If one of these offspring are bred back to that original carrier or to another one of the offspring, you may have a litter that contains one or two eyeless rats... Of course, this may happen with "good" traits, too. Most new colors/types either appear or are developed through carefully planned inbreedings (usually in combination with breeding to healthy lines of unrelated rats). In general, inbreeding should be practiced sparingly and with caution, only in combination with outcrossing in order to keep a strong and diverse gene pool.


3. Your "title" for adopting looks like this:
Adoptin
g


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## Taru (Jun 9, 2007)

Also if you want to talk about using pedigrees, here are the reasons to...less inbreeding, more about the quality of rats produced...



> Beware breeders that don't keep good records. It isn't that they don't care about their animals or aren't breeding responsibly or taking care of them, but not keeping records defeats the goals of breeding--to improve rats as a whole, to develop healthier and friendlier lines. How can a breeding program go anywhere without a "map?" When a breeder doesn't keep good records, that tells me that they are not working on a line, but are simply bringing more rats into the world. They might be great rats, healthy and well-socialized, but the breeder lacks direction.
> 
> A pedigree is not a status symbol. It doesn't mean that certain rats are "better" than others. It is a guide, a tool for keeping track of a line and seeing how it has and will develop. A pedigee's most obvious value is one of predicting and planning genetic outcomes. By looking at pedigrees, a breeder can tell what genes his or her rats do carry or could carry. This allows them to find compatible couples and plan lines, not just the next litter, but generations down the line. The heredity predictions go beyond just planning pretty colors. A breeder can look at prefixes, find breeders of ancestors, and keep track of any news about those breeders lines. Do they live long? Have there been aggression problems? What about hereditary disorders? A pedigree allows a breeder to check up on things and know their lines thouroughly--not just colors but the overall rats.
> 
> ...


Again from curiosityrats.com


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## tattered_teddy_bear (Apr 24, 2007)

LOTS of cute picture.
VERY GOOD!!!!

I think you should try togo into detail more

some suggestions (don't be offended just some thoughts):
*rats can be picked up by the BASE of the tail gently of course
*you talked about intro's, but you should mention Proper Quarantine
*maybe talk about good bedding you can use and other types of blocks at local stores and such


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

well I had to remove the video so I can do the changes, which might take me a while because making that much of the video burnt me out 

Thanks for the input


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## tattered_teddy_bear (Apr 24, 2007)

before you start editing how about running by all your info on here then we can add and edit anything before its in video form. =)


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

Well it might be a while until I can edit, seeing as I doubt I will get the time to sit down and do it... =/ But when and if I do, I will check with you guys first.


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

I didnt get to see ;(
How bout instead of spelling mistakes u get someone with a cool voice to do it?


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

I cant Beleive I missed it....I wanted to see that.


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## :Ash: (Feb 25, 2007)

Aw, yeah, I wanted to see it too, you should upload it on youtube when you're done and post the link.


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