# My Rat drank alcohol, help!



## Candyman5OS (Sep 4, 2015)

So I hat my pet rats on the table with me and I walked out to use the bathroom, well when I came back Sansa was in my cup drinking away. Im not sure how much she drank or what but the amount in my cup isnt that low. What should I do?

It was a mix drink, Crown Royal and Cherry Pepsi.


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## Fraido (Oct 1, 2014)

My suggestion would be to just monitor her for now.


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## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

Just monitor. the sugar might be more cause for concern than the alcohol. look up symptoms of too much sugar in rats and keep an eye on her in case she begins to have them. i wouldn't worry too much about the alcohol unless it was a pretty strong mixed drink.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Actually, the carbonation in the soda might be an issue as rats don't burp up the excess gas easily... but if the drink was pretty much flat it's no big deal.

Our Fuzzy Rat was a lush... she loved tequila and Yukon Jack and even beer. She would go from one person to the next licking out the bottom of shot glasses after people drank them and suck up spilled beer from the floor. She actually got quite congenial when intoxicated.

In college I knew an alcohol researcher that worked with rats. He told me that rats metabolize alcohol more rapidly then humans and there are few if any ill effects. Lastly he remarked that rats are excellent social drinkers and tend to be more playful and outgoing when inebriated. 

I suspect that rats have evolved to metabolize alcohol because they would find spoiled foods or liquids in the wild that most likely are being broken down by yeasts. Still not all rats enjoy drinking given a choice. 

I will add that after a certain all night party where Fuzzy Rat followed the tequila bottle around all night and sucked up a large beer spill she woke up with the ugliest rat hangover anyone has ever seen... she actually snapped at me! First and only time ever! To her credit, she was the last one standing at 4:00 AM which may be unfair as she had more feet and a lower center of gravity than the rest of the people at the party... but she was grooming the people that had passed out and still climbing the curtains when I packed it in... In any case, I let her sleep in until about 1:00 PM and after that she was perfectly fine...

So basically, I'd try and limit your rats drinking to a small cap half full... like a few drops at a time... and don't use and carbonated or soda mixers... Pretty much only flat drinks. Pace it over time and make sure Sansa doesn't get too drunk or you will have a really hung over rat to deal with the next day...

I've never heard of a rat drinking itself sick... but I suspect it's possible and likely something to be avoided.

Best luck.


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