# Egg Shells?



## A.ngelF.eathers

Okay, so, earlier yesterday I heard that rodents can safely consume egg shells, and that it's actually good for them.

BUT, as inclined as I would normally be to research this matter and possibly try it, the information came from a less than trust worthy source: Marc Marrone. 
Now, I don't watch his little nerd fest, it's just on my TV when I wake up and I'm too lazy to change the channel, but I listen to it. It's safe to say he makes me angry in the way he handles his animals, and half the stuff that comes out of his mouth makes me wanna throttle him. 
But, I decided to research it a bit, as I'm always looking for new little things to help my rats out. I didn't really find any information coming from a trustworthy source. So I'm here.
What about rats an eggshells? Are they beneficial to them at all? Would feeding them be dangerous?


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## PipRat

I am NO expert on rats, but I have been doing lots of research and watching TONS of youtube videos. Here's one (and there are others) where a couple rats were given a hardboiled egg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99xk5zuSQI&feature=related


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## A.ngelF.eathers

Hm, interesting. I've watched several videos of rats eating whole boiled eggs now.
I boiled one for them last night and took the shell off, but I still have one left over. Perhaps I'll let Cassius try -Kalabar had a bad tenancy to get choked on a lot of things rats should be able to eat.


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## Kinsey

They should just pull the shell off and eat the egg. :3


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## 1a1a

I give my rats the shells after I've cracked them and taken the contents (such a selfish rat mum). They lick out the insides and leave the shell but think they've found an uber treat in the process


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## A.ngelF.eathers

Well, I took Kalabar out for some freetime while I let Cassius play around with it. He rolled it around for a while, then got fed up. I cracked it for him and he ate shell and all. 
I did end up giving Kalabar a few small piece and he did well with it. Sure did make a mess though xD


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## meekosan

A.ngelF.eathers said:


> Well, I took Kalabar out for some freetime while I let Cassius play around with it. He rolled it around for a while, then got fed up. I cracked it for him and he ate shell and all.
> I did end up giving Kalabar a few small piece and he did well with it. Sure did make a mess though xD


Next time. PICTURES! or it didn't happen.


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## RainbowLove19

I think the biggest thing to watch out for when giving them anything like peanuts in shell, pasta like wacky mac, or eggs with shells on watch them while they eat in and let them eat it in a area thats easy for you to clean up. You do not want the shells all over there cage where they could hurt themselves on even a small cut can become infected.
My rats love hard boiled eggs but I always peel off the shell before hand


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## BigBen

I don't think the shells would be bad for them, but would they actually be good? In order to absorb calcium, people need a certain amount of potassium along with it, or at least that's what the doctor told me after back surgery several years ago. I'm not sure this would apply to rats necessarily, but it's not clear how much of the calcium in the shells they would actually absorb, regardless. (On the other hand, my uncle used to feed his chickens crushed shells as a source of calcium, so who knows?)


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## A.ngelF.eathers

meekosan said:


> Next time. PICTURES! or it didn't happen.


No pictures, but I did get a little video. He doesn't like being on camera though, so, I set up a secret rat cam from above.


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## shawnalaufer

My rats LOVE their monthly hard boiled egg- shell and all.


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