# Vita Drops?



## Hannibal (Aug 9, 2008)

I have always added the Oasis vita drops for rats mice hamsters and gerbils to my rats water. I also give them a mixture of the kaytee and mazuri lab blocks, along with fuits and veggies. I was wondering if: A, the drops actually work, B: if its necessary, and C: If there could be any negative side effects to doing this? My rats usually live about three years, and the only health problem I have ever had with them are respitory infections, which they usually had when I purchased them, due to the fact that where I live it is almost impossible to find breeders with mycoplasmosis resistant stock and I don't have the money to order rats from other places where breeders actually do breed them to be resistant.


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

They don't need them if they are fed the proper diet! Kaytee is EVIL and should NEVER be used!!


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## AlxBlack17 (Dec 3, 2007)

Vita drops don't work because the vitamins suspended in the water are in very small amounts and the break down when exposed to light and air.


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## Suzuks (Jun 25, 2008)

I just bought these too - but I dump my ratties water every day so I was wondering - is it better to just feed them a drop a day? Cause they'll eat it directly off of the dropper. I read on the label that it's not something they can overdose on or anything - so at least that's good.


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## Hannibal (Aug 9, 2008)

To the Kaytee remark, What makes it them evil, and what would be an acceptable alternative brand?


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## SamAnthrax (Jan 5, 2008)

Kaytee adds in a preservative to most of their foods called Ethyoxcin (i think I spelled it wrong) and its been shown to cause a lot of health problems such as liver issues in pets.

This is why I don't like them.


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## Hannibal (Aug 9, 2008)

good to know. I immediately took out the Kaytee and replaced with the Mazuri. I wished we had more then just the two brands though, everything else is a seed mix. Its like telling dog owners their only choices are science diet or Iams.


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## SamAnthrax (Jan 5, 2008)

You should look at the suebees guide food. 

My rat mix consists of:

Nutro Ultra weight management dog food
Oats
Sunflower seeds
dry whole wheat pasta
cut up timothy hay
dried banana bits
cheerios
and whatever else i throw in.


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## AlxBlack17 (Dec 3, 2007)

SamAnthrax said:


> ) You should look at the suebees guide food.
> 
> My rat mix consists of
> 
> ...


You should take out the timothy hay, rats can't digest it. Its like a person eating paper, they don't get any nutritional value from it.


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## Hannibal (Aug 9, 2008)

That sounds good, but I always heard blocks were preferable to mixes as the rat will just pick out what it likes in the mixes and leave the rest. Also mixes seem to dirty the bedding faster then the blocks.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Hannibal said:


> That sounds good, but I always heard blocks were preferable to mixes as the rat will just pick out what it likes in the mixes and leave the rest. Also mixes seem to dirty the bedding faster then the blocks.


Mixes, as in the ones bought in pet stores aren't very good. Many rats will choose what they wish and leave bits.


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## drowningxinxair (Aug 10, 2008)

[/quote]You should take out the timothy hay, rats can't digest it. Its like a person eating paper, they don't get any nutritional value from it.[/quote]

I believe that's alfalfa hay, not timothy...


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## AlxBlack17 (Dec 3, 2007)

You should take out the timothy hay, rats can't digest it. Its like a person eating paper, they don't get any nutritional value from it.[/quote]

I believe that's alfalfa hay, not timothy...[/quote]Hay is hay. Their digestive systems aren't adapted to digesting that sort of food. To digest hay and get any nutrition from it, the animal has to have a specialized digestive system like cows, sheep, rabbits and guinea pigs have.


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