# Rat cookies



## cute-rat (Jun 25, 2008)

Rat cookies, yes you heard me right. Sometimes I like to bake cookies for my rats as I find the regular food doesnâ€™t have enough vitamins and minerals. First I start with 1 cup of flour, and 1 cup of vegetables. I think corn, beans, carrot, celery and lettuce make for really good varieties. Mix them up so the vegies are all coated. Then slowly add milk (for added calcium ) until its all gooey. Then you should add some nuts, I find just the regulars to be good, like penuts and cashews. Then you want to add the secret ingredient, salt!!! Its like a rat valium. I use about Â¼ to Â½ of a cup for the above mix. Depending on the texture I then add egg to stick it all together. Mix it all up with your hands this can be really messy but thatâ€™s half the fun. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes in cookie shapes. And let the rats enjoy. YAYNESS.  they will totally thankyou one day like literally


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

[Hijack]

Cute-rat, you need to research salt and pet rats before you tell everyone to do this...

http://www.nature.com/ncpcardio/jou...l;jsessionid=4247EB13680011421036217DE2B5C982

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/circulationaha;98/23/2621

Excess salt (and yours is beyond excess) can really damage your rats organs (heart, kidney, etc) and lead to their eventual death.

Wikipedia is not my favourite source but they do have it right this time...

_Excess salt consumption has been linked to:

* exercise-induced asthma.[29]
* heartburn[30].
* osteoporosis: One report shows that a high salt diet does reduce bone density in girls.[31]. Yet "While high salt intakes have been associated with detrimental effects on bone health, there are insufficient data to draw firm conclusions." ([32], p3)
* Gastric cancer (Stomach cancer) is associated with high levels of sodium, "but the evidence does not generally relate to foods typically consumed in the UK." ([32], p18) However, in Japan, salt consumption is higher.[33]
* hypertension (high blood pressure): "Since 1994, the evidence of an association between dietary salt intakes and blood pressure has increased. The data have been consistent in various study populations and across the age range in adults." ([32] p3). A large scale study from 2007 has shown that people with high-normal blood pressure who significantly reduced the amount of salt in their diet decreased their chances of developing cardiovascular disease by 25% over the following 10 to 15 years. Their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease decreased by 20%.[34]
* left ventricular hypertrophy (cardiac enlargement): "Evidence suggests that high salt intake causes left ventricular hypertrophy, a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease, independently of blood pressure effects." ([32] p3) "â€¦there is accumulating evidence that high salt intake predicts left ventricular hypertrophy." ([35], p12) Excessive salt (sodium) intake, combined with an inadequate intake of water, can cause hypernatremia. It can exacerbate renal disease.[25]
* edema (BE: oedema): A decrease in salt intake has been suggested to treat edema (fluid retention).[36][25]
* duodenal ulcers and gastric ulcers[37]
* Death. Ingestion of large amounts of salt in a short time (about 1 g per kg of body weight) can be fatal. Salt solutions have been used in China as a traditional suicide method, and deaths have also resulted from attempted use of salt solutions as emetics, forced salt intake, and accidental confusion of salt with sugar in child food.[38]
_

[/Hijack]


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## SamAnthrax (Jan 5, 2008)

Yeah I was going to say. Salt? My babies? No. Thats the reason I'm so against rat food mixes in stores, too many preservatives like salts and sugars.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

1/4 - 1/2 a cup of salt? Far far far too much. Second (third?) all above ^^


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

I hope this recipe will be removed from the forum before people start making it. 1/4 to 1/2 cup salt for 1 cup of flour? Very scary. The rest of the recipe sounds good, I would not give them salt.


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

DO NOT USE THAT RECIPE!!!! All that salt is NOT ok for rats!! 

Here is a better alternative...
1/2 cup oats 
1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
2 tablespoons soy protein powder 
1/4 cup crushed pecans 
1/8 cup vegetable oil 
1/2 cup rice milk 
1/4 cup molasses 
1/4 cup fresh blueberries 

Combine oats, flour, soy powder, and crushed pecans in a medium sized bowl. 
In a separate bowl, combine oil, rice milk, and molasses. 
Pour wet ingredients into the dry mixture. 
Stir until combined. 
Fold in blueberries. 
Lightly grease a cookie sheet. 
Drop dough onto sheet in 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sized cookies. 
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. 
Allow to cool before serving. 


If you want to make a good rat treat check out things like dog treats and make sure the ingredients are good in it. My rats love this, I swap the spinach with romane lettuce instead. 

Spinach Bagels
Dogs like breakfast, too! 3 cups whole wheat flour 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1 cup frozen chopped spinach 
1 teaspoon vegetable oil 
1 cup water (more if needed) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. 
Stir in spinach. 
Stir in oil and water, enough to make a pliable dough. 
Roll bits of dough into balls about 1-2 inches in diameter. 
Poke a hole through each ball with the end of a wooden spoon. 
Bake on an oiled cookie sheet (don't skip the oiling! They will stick!) for 45-50 minutes. 
Serve to your canine brunch guests with peanut butter or tofutti cream "cheese". 

Here is a website that is awesome for making treats. As I said watch the ingredients to make sure it's ok, or substitute other things. 
http://www.yummyfordogs.org/


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## cute-rat (Jun 25, 2008)

I think we are all going to just agree to disagree. Ive been keeping rats for many many years and never had any problems. My cute babies have always lived the recomended age for rats. Ive also bred lots aswell. You guys think you know about everything but i really do have experience with this one.


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

cute-rat said:


> I think we are all going to just agree to disagree. Ive been keeping rats for many many years and never had any problems. My cute babies have always lived the recomended age for rats. Ive also bred lots aswell. You guys think you know about everything but i really do have experience with this one.


Yes because what lilspaz68 wrote along with other documentation that salt consumption is bad means it's a disagreement.... no!! It means what your feeding is unhealthy! It's not like we are arguing over what type of lettuce might be better, what everyone is saying here is that salt consumption in rodents is linked to all sorts of bad things!! Just because your rats didn't have these things happen to them doesn't mean it didn't shorten their lives (and you just didn't know how much longer they could have lived) or that it's healthy. That much salt for a human is unhealthy so why would you assume it's ok for rats?? Anyone can breed a rat, anyone can make a "rat diet" however not everyone is an expert at things!! How many companies out there make bad rat blocks believing they are doing the right thing! 

I really hope this thread is removed before someone feeds this to their rats and theirs die!!


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## zoe9 (Oct 3, 2007)

Oh I wouldnâ€™t worry Steph. Iâ€™d be surprised if anyone is going to follow cute-rats advise. 

(No offense intended cute-rat.)

I do have to say though, you are an interesting one.

From what Iâ€™ve seen in your posts you keep lone rats (and always have) you bathe your rat every day, and you feed him a diet with an obscene amount of salt in it.

Youâ€™d be hard pressed to find anyone on this forum who agrees with any of the above things, but despite this you are still convinced what you are doing is right and everyone else is wrong. Does that seem reasonable to you?

Not only that, but you are dismissing both the concerns of others and the information they are providing (such as the links Lilspaz gave above) and posting advise which is in direct opposition to what anyone else is posting. Itâ€™s fine for you to state your opinion, but I think you need to be a bit careful telling people rats need a bath every day and salt-laden cookies are super healthy as though these things are proven facts because theyâ€™re not.

I donâ€™t mean to be rude and Iâ€™m not trying to start a fight. Iâ€™m just trying to understand where youâ€™re coming from.

I have no problem admitting Iâ€™m wrong and I will listen to others opinions and give them the consideration they deserve. 

Unfortunately it doesnâ€™t seem like you are willing to do the same, and if you care about your rat, which I assume you do, it just doesnâ€™t make sense to me because surely you want what is best for your rat.

Just sayingâ€¦


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## cute-rat (Jun 25, 2008)

Looks like you have done your research. If you want to start a debate about my other practices maybe its an idea to start a new thread or pm me. This topic is about rat cookies, can we pls keep it that way.

I will take all your advice on board. I do find though when i lower or reduce the salt content of food the rats ive kept in the past an what i got now get really anktious also when it comes to choice, they will choose foods with a higher salt content than not. This is my findings what do yous all think?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Salt is tasty, we will all agree, but like a choice for a child, sandwich or a chocolate bar, the child will pick the chocolate bar. We have to be the ones to restrict the rats diet...too much protein can also damage their organs and shorten their life dramatically.

I used to feed Suebee's Mix along with lab blocks, and I ended up with some chunky rats. I switched them "painfully" to all lab blocks, veggies and a bit of fruit and protein, and my newest generations are happier, more active, leaner rats that seem to be much healthier overall. The older generation still living are still quite chunky, I could never get them to lose the weight since they grew fast when they were very young. On this lab block diet I took in some 26 month old neglected nakie girls, and they both lived 'til 3 years old which is quite amazing for nakies. 8O 

Rats are very prone to renal issues, and you may not even notice it. With aging our rats kidneys stop functioning as well, and the kidneys aren't able to flush the toxins as well as they used to (cedar and pine long-term use damage the kidneys so renal failure could be even earlier with those rats). The rat to compensate starts to drink more and more to help flush out the kidneys. Eventually that doesn't work anymore. Salt pushes that whole situation along, which is why we try to limit it in their diet.

I looked up a sedative effect with salt and could only find a reference to epsom salt baths and humans.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

lilspaz68 said:


> I looked up a sedative effect with salt and could only find a reference to epsom salt baths and humans.


Ditto. I found nothing partaining to a 'natural valium' either when I researched it


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

Have you guys ever thought that perhaps the valium effect is because the rats organs are too busy processing this overdose of bad that yes they get the sedating effects! It would be the same thing for me if I ate anything with glutten in it, my body isn't made to process that and if I do eat it not only does it make me sick in weird ways that no one would ever think of (like my fingernails not growing as thick, headaches, my hair gets thinner, ect) , I get super tired. Yes your rats have this effect after eating these cookies, they have this effect because their body is too busy trying to process the poison out of them to be able to give the rat engery to do much more!!


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## kilas_rattery (Jul 25, 2008)

:!: 1/2 cup of salt?! That's way too much to be feeding rats!


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## kilas_rattery (Jul 25, 2008)

lovinmyworm said:


> Have you guys ever thought that perhaps the valium effect is because the rats organs are too busy processing this overdose of bad that yes they get the sedating effects! It would be the same thing for me if I ate anything with glutten in it, my body isn't made to process that and if I do eat it not only does it make me sick in weird ways that no one would ever think of (like my fingernails not growing as thick, headaches, my hair gets thinner, ect) , I get super tired. Yes your rats have this effect after eating these cookies, they have this effect because their body is too busy trying to process the poison out of them to be able to give the rat engery to do much more!!


I think you're right on this one... If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

You said that they favored the cookies with the higher salt content. That's because their taste buds have been desensitized to the amounts of salt and need an even higher amount to get the same taste. This works the same with people.

NO SALT for your rats everyone!!!!!!!!!!!! They get salt plenty through treats and natural foods.


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## sneezeee (Jul 9, 2008)

Hi Loveinmyworm.

Thanks for cookie advice.I shall make some tomorrow and eat them my self   far to good for ratties :twisted: :twisted:


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

sneezeee they are a little blah for human's, but hey if you want to go right ahead!! My boys thought they were getting some yummy cookies one day, then they were all like "mommy whats wrong with these things". Poor kids!!


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## kilas_rattery (Jul 25, 2008)

lovinmyworm said:


> sneezeee they are a little blah for human's, but hey if you want to go right ahead!! My boys thought they were getting some yummy cookies one day, then they were all like "mommy whats wrong with these things". Poor kids!!


LOL that is just too funny!


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

i have a cookie recipe for rats too. its of course on the other computer that's about a 20 min drive from me right now but when i get back to it i'll post the recipe. it has peanut butter as a main ingredient though so people allergic to that would not be able to make it but the rats love it. its just peanut butter, flour, baking powder and milk/soy milk. its still a treat though and i wouldn't give them much each day. because it makes a lot i recommend putting a small amount in a air tight container for use and the rest can be frozen. otherwise you end up with moldy cookies... not fun. also, anything other then tin can and will be eaten through by the determined cookie thief! ink gave us an excellent demostration of that.... :lol:

you know, actually i'm going to make a sticky for rat treat recipes. i'm sure we would all like to try out some good recipes to treat our babes with. i'll post my recipe there.


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