# Meet our classroom friends Hugo and Tasha



## marcp1956 (Oct 12, 2012)

I teach first and second grade and decided to get a couple rats. Here they are:

The white boy (called Hugo by some and Bruno by others) is a bit shy but less active so I was able to get a couple good shots. He was in a cage to be sold as a feeder rat. I think he is stunning.


















The girl is quite friendly and very hyper. These were the best pictures I could get of her.


















I've made a few mistakes but with the help of this forum and some reading I am hoping all will be well. I purchased the rats from a pets store (oops) and got some nice cedar bedding (second mistake). But I did consider that the cedar might be a little strong by itself so I bought some pine shaving to mix with it. Well I have since learned that neither of these are healthy so I am using recycled paper - nondusty and no ink and also doesn't fight odor too well. I was hoping to have at least one litter, but now am rethinking that. They are 10 weeks old so I had better separate them soon. They both love their wheel, and their favorite foods are chicken, cornbread and cheese (in very small amounts). The grade school kids are really enjoying them and learning right along with me. I know nothing about breeds. The white one seems to be a typical albino lab rat but I have no idea about the girl???


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

They are absolutely beautiful! The little girl may be a self black or Berkshire rat if she has a white belly. I would also consider possibly getting the male neautered so they at least have each other for company . And a tank isnt really good for rats,but I'm not sure on the schools policy. I'm so very glad you are teaching the, rats make wonderful pets


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

They are beautiful.

Yeah seperate them, having a litter is very stressful especially if these are your first rats. Many things can go wrong. Plus at this age she is more prone to issues as she is still growing (good thing is that most male rats don't have interest in mating till around 12 weeks, well I mean, some get interested earlier but its rarer). Though considering they were sold as feeders I think they are younger then that. can you maybe get a picture of them like in your hands? If you can though you can always get Hugo Nutered Or Tasha spayed (Spaying has more benefits but has a higher mortality rate) that way they can be together. Plus to be honest, it would teach the kids about responsibility. 

if they liked the wood shavings you can use Aspen, or Hemp, both are which are safe (Aspen is cheaper and easier to find but tends to be dustier. Hemp is harder to find and more expensive but typically is not dusty).

Chicken is not really a good thing. White chicken may be given as a treat but rats have no Gal bladders or canines and can not digest meat fats, so all meats should be avoided. Since white chicken (the breast) have so little to no fat though it can be given as treat

Yes try to get them a wire cage, it will be lighter and easier to clean and keep them healthier, plus they can climb and the kids can interact with them better. Either way that tank is too small. For tank rats it is 20 gallons for 1 and +10 gallons for there after, so for these guys it would have to be a minimum of 30 gallons (40 gallons is the closest thing you can get though) and Honestly wire cages are much easier to find and are bigger. Plus not as expensive.

Watch out with that wheel. I fear that it might be too small for them as adults and the cross bars can hurt them (metal grids are ok)

Yep Hugo is an Albino (I LOVE albinos, I think he is beautiful) 

Tasha is a Russian Blue Berkshire.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Oh also in the rat world there are no breeds. Only variations. It's not like dogs, cats, or rabbits.


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## marcp1956 (Oct 12, 2012)

Tasha's belly is white. The chicken I have only given once and then in very small pieces - they went crazy over it. (I will stop feeding them chicken.) The cornbread I feed them small pieces several times a day, they enjoy that very much. My wife said she would bake some special for the rats. Cheese is a once a day treat in small portions. Cucumber and red peppers (not hot) are also a few of their favorites as is lettuce. Their main diet is rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, some other various grains, some pieces that look like cat or dog food, with some pellets. I don't know what is in the pellets, but they don't like them very well. It is two rodent mixtures that two different pet store recommend for rats. I will be making my own soon using the information on this forum. I am looking into getting one of the critter nation cages but the shipping damage reports have kind of scared me off. I need to really get on this quick as they are really growing.


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## marcp1956 (Oct 12, 2012)

These are not my first rats. My wife and I had two wonderful girls that lived good full lives - even if we didn't do everything just right. Now I am doing it in front of first and second graders. I need to do it right.

Lightingwolf, the wheel is already getting a little small. I don't think it will be useful much longer. Yesterday, somehow, they disassembled it. The wheel was off the bracket and laying in the middle of the aquarium. Yep, it needs to go soon.


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## skottiesgerl (Oct 3, 2012)

Beautiful babies!


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## Capistrono (Apr 12, 2010)

I would avoid cornbread, as bread has been known to expand in rats' throats and choke them. You can try toasting it, so it becomes more crispy like a cracker. That would make it safer.

That being said, both of those rats are gorgeous! I thank you for being very open minded and taking the advice that is given to you. Everyone starts somewhere, and I'm sure these babies will have a wonderful life with you and your students.


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## marcp1956 (Oct 12, 2012)

They would not like giving up their cornbread - I will toast it. Must keep the little ones happy.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Or just leave it out for a day. my guys LOVE stale bread, even with fresh bread I've never had any issues.

yeah I would throw away that mixture quickly. Sunflower seeds, oats, and pumpkin seeds along with other nuts and seeds are fine, but Store bought seed mixtures are often missing in many nutrients (Make sure they get Plenty of herbs like Cilantro and Parsley as rats need a lot of Vitamin K) and often have been sitting on the shelf for weeks.

you can still feed them it as a treat, just make sure that it is the white meat only and maybe once a week max. It's just the Meat Fat part of it. I've heard that a lot of rats also like Insects like meal worms and cooked fish. you can see if they like that instead.

Yep, she's a Russian Blue berkshire then


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## Run Computers (Oct 14, 2012)

Aww they are almost twins of my two, only smaller. Very cute!


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## marcp1956 (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks Run Computers, do you have any pics?


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

Very cute rats and what a wonderful teacher to add living lessons to your classroom. While you've decided against breeding you've opened the door to compassion, empathy, and a number of other valuable life lessons. Kudos to you! Lucky little students. Might be fun to teach them about rat vision...have them look through something heavy opaque then lead into a discussion of all of the other senses rats use..just like them. My daughters have autism and, while only 3 and 5 yrs old, they have been fascinated with the idea that rats use all of their other acute senses to navigate the world. They relate to the fact that our rats have deficits, like them, and "superhero" strengths...again, like them. Kudos to you!


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## Run Computers (Oct 14, 2012)

marcp1956 said:


> Thanks Run Computers, do you have any pics?


Sure, this is the only pic I've taken so far. Just adopted them the other day.


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## Capistrono (Apr 12, 2010)

marcp1956 said:


> They would not like giving up their cornbread - I will toast it. Must keep the little ones happy.


Of course, rats require lots and lots of treats.  I wish I had you as my teacher when I was in first grade, I woulda never left had there been rats.


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## marcp1956 (Oct 12, 2012)

Gal5150, Great ideas, thanks! I love new ideas.
Runs Computers, they do look a lot like mine. You have good taste. Or perhaps they do?
Capistrono, I think we enjoy giving the treats even more than they enjoy receiving them.


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## RatGirl06 (Oct 19, 2012)

What a cute pair. I got my first rat in the first grade when our classroom rat had a litter.


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## CapnKennedy (Sep 30, 2012)

That's so cool that you're doing rats as class pets! I'm sure that will help disprove that rats are "gross" with them as well as teach them responsibility. Hugo is so cute and Tasha is really pretty! Good luck on finding a cage and with their diet! 
Good luck!


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## marcp1956 (Oct 12, 2012)

I am learning what to do and not to do. I just figured out, when hand feeding, it is not wise to let them take the food and run. (I know, this should have been obvious.) Because of this, when I put my hand in the cage they want to grab what they think to be food (my finger). They aren't aggressive enough to really bite, but enough to teach me to change my feeding technique. I don't want a child bit. They are a riot to have in class, and a bit more work than I anticipated. Well worth the time though. Also, the cost is getting a bit high. I should have bought two females from a know rat breeder. Live and learn. I am bring Hugo into the vet to "get fixed" for $75 which I think is quite fair but a bit pricey for a $5 feeder rat. This is also worth it, we are all too close to him to exchange him for a female and I've changed my mind on having a litter. Oh, concerning the cage, I decided to go with a single critter nation with lower scatter guards: http://www.petstreetmall.com/Critter-Nation-Rat-Cage/8515/3439/details.html I think that will work out well for our classroom friends and seems to be as reasonable as I've found so far. I just hope it comes undamaged.


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## Run Computers (Oct 14, 2012)

Good choice on the cage, the rats will be happy and so will you, when it comes time to clean it..If it does have any damage, just call the 1800 number and they send the part free..no shipping charges.


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## marcp1956 (Oct 12, 2012)

I hope so. I really was wanting to get the double but I think the single will be just fine for two rats.


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## Run Computers (Oct 14, 2012)

It will be just fine, lots of room. You can always add another level later if you get more furballs.


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