# Salt licks?



## Secularian

My girls don't have a salt lick in their cage and I began to wonder if they should, so I Googled it and found contradictory information (no suprise there!). So, I decided to pose the question to you rat savvy folks here.

Do rats need salt licks? If not, do they like them? If so, are they bad for them?


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## vegan_bexx

i heard salt dehydrates them, and they dont need alot anyway.
i used a mineral lick in my boys cage for a while, but they showed no interest whatsoever.

im not sure for certain, but i dont think theres any need for a salt lick.


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## Secularian

Yeah, that's what some of the sites I found said. Salt dehydrates them too much. But I found others that said they love it and it won't hurt them. Nothing I've found suggests they need them, though... so I guess it's better not to take the chance.

Besides... I gave them each a piece of Cheeto and they LOVED it. That's more than enough salt for the week, I'd say! Heheh.


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## reachthestars

Rats don't really need those salt licks, and most won't bother even touching them . Better off not spending the money, IMHO.


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## lostbutnotforgot

My girl used to have one but since she only used it as a perch I bought her one of those instead and took the salt wheel out.


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## BlueSkyy

panda gets all his salt by licking my skin :?


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## lilspaz68

salt licks and mineral licks are those things that petstore employees tell you are "must-have's". Rats should get all the salt and minerals from their food and do not need additives at all.


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## ration1802

In all my years of having small animals - the salt licks go untouched.

I'm sure, as lilspaz says, it's a pet shop 'must have' that, no doubt, it designed to bring in that little more profit.

I'd say as long as they have a good diet, they should need one.


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## A1APassion

if you want advise from the experts... "The Rat Lady" would be a great person to get it from

http://www.ratfanclub.org/diet.html

excerpt from this page:
_Rats do not need a salt lick. They get all the salt they need from their diet. Salt licks are only needed by strict herbivores._

side note: I read somewhere that this diet she explains is being modified... I believe Darksong on this board mentioned something to this effect not too long ago. Hopefully she will chime in on this thread.


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## RatGirl4

My girls never touched their salt lick. I really don't think it's neccesary to have one. Plus, they're too salty.


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