# One fat rat and one skinny rat - same cage...



## DogZombie (Nov 16, 2010)

I have two male rats, approx 5 months old who share a cage. One rat (Myers) is a healthy weight, athletic and acrobatic and the other (Loomis) is too heavy and quite clumsy! They eat Mazuri pellets as their main staple. When they free range every day I offer them a teaspoon of Kay-tee mix (the seed stuff) as a treat in a bowl for them to pick at. Daily they get some fresh raw veggies and/or fruit like broccoli, carrots, apples, avocado - what ever I am eating that day.

Any advice or tips to slim down Dr. Loomis without "starving" Myers?


----------



## Snippet (Dec 30, 2010)

Are they fed the lab blocks ad lib? If they are I'd cut down the amount they're fed so their food bowl is empty for a few hours a day. I'd leave the avocado out of their diet unless they need feeding up as it is very fatty.


----------



## karinulph (Jul 19, 2010)

Try leaving out the avacado too. What protein % is the mazuri?
Also if there is any corn in that seed mix take it out! Dried corn has fungi in it that can cause cancer. That mix is unhealthy for them anyways
The carrots and other veggies are fine


----------



## DogZombie (Nov 16, 2010)

I only give them a smidge of avocado. And fat boy gets even less. Avocado is only an occasional treat, not a daily or even weekly thing. 

As for the Kay-tee seed mix they only get a few bites worth every day. It is more of a treat than a meal. And I do remove the corn kernels just in case.

The Mazuri blocks are 23% protein. I know that is high but the only block kind of food I can find in my area is the Mazuri and Kay-tee blocks. I am afraid to buy another block online because I am afraid they won't like it but I will if that is what I have to do to keep them healthy. 

I keep their food dish in the cage full of blocks at all times. I can cut back on that. It seems like Loomis is always eating and I rarely catch Myers eating blocks. I don't want him to LOSE weight while Loomis is on HIS diet.


----------



## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

In order to lower the Protein content of the Mazuri give lots of fresh foods. 

And try taking the skinny rat and feeding him alone with you once day. Try giving him Ensure in the cap, it;s very nutrient rich and I have always used to help fatten up sickly rats.


----------



## DogZombie (Nov 16, 2010)

Okay, I am ordering Oxbow and Harlan to try. Also going to try giving extras like the Ensure to my skinny boy. Also not going to fill the bowl up all the time. Fat-boy just scarfs it all down.


----------

