# Flavored water / homemade chew toys?



## TinaCrank (Dec 31, 2009)

I have two quick questions.

I was wondering if its at all beneficial to put a bit of fresh juice / tea in the rats water (everything being natural and non sweetened, of course) and diluting it to the point where its barely a hint of? (Maybe add some nutritional value through water?)

And, i'm running a bit low on cash, and was wondering if anyone had any ideas for home made chew toys.

Thanks


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## Nekopan (Mar 18, 2010)

I would avoid adding anything to the water. It could cause them to stop drinking, or they might refuse to drink anything but the flavoured water. Juice will only add sugar which should be avoided in the diet as much as possible.

For chew toys we give toilet/paper towel rolls stuffed with treats, cardboard boxes (usually cut into houses), scrap paper, tissue boxes and occassionally full toilet paper rolls to pull apart.


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## Nienor (May 1, 2010)

My rats love peppermint tee. They don't even really like sugar free juices from the supermarket. But they love home made juice.
If you want to offer them something like this, make sure you dilute it properly and you still over clear water. So you will need a seperate dish.

I have branches from hazel in ther domicil so they can gnaw as much as they want. I also give them egg carton or little boxes from light bulbs with treats wrapped up in tissues or boxes from chesse with treats in them. They love to open them.

I also give them walnuts sometimes. It is good work to get to the nice tasty parts  but they love it.

I would be very careful with toilet rolls, rats might get stuck when trying to squeeze into one. If they can't get out on their one and no-one is there to cut them out they might die due to shock and less ability to breath. It is better to cut it open on one side so a rat could get out on its own.


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## TinaCrank (Dec 31, 2009)

its not dangerous for them to chew on cardboard boxes/toliet paper rolls?


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## Nienor (May 1, 2010)

No, normal cardboard is ok for them. If there would be things like staples inside it would be dangerous.
Rats also only gnaw on them and don't swallow pieces if they do not want because in their mounth there is a skin (Inflexum pellitum) so they can close their throat to not swallow up anything they don't want to.


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## TinaCrank (Dec 31, 2009)

My boyfriend was concerned about cardboard boxes with ink on them (such as cereal boxes and other food boxes) Would this be a problem at all?


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

TinaCrank said:


> My boyfriend was concerned about cardboard boxes with ink on them (such as cereal boxes and other food boxes) Would this be a problem at all?


No


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