# Do Rats eat everything they chew?



## Cashew1992 (May 18, 2012)

I know this may sound silly but after owning gerbils for over a year now i'm curious about rat behaviours. 

If a rat was to chew up material or even wooden objects would it try to eat it or just chew it up?


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## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

I wonder that myself.


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## PitterPatter (Feb 28, 2012)

I don't think mine do... there's always shredded pieces all about the cage...


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I don't think they do. My rats have chewed on countless things they weren't supposed to chew on before, and they usually spit it back out. I've had them chew on a plastic bag and plastic strings before, and they spit that back out.


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## heidis (May 21, 2012)

I have read somewhere that they have some sort of membrane behind their teeth to prevent swallowing what they are chewing on...I'm not sure what this membrane is called though.

Thank goodness though! If my rats ate everything they chewed on I would be in trouble! They always find exactly what you _don't_ want them to chew on.


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

heidis said:


> They always find exactly what you _don't_ want them to chew on.


http://dawnfrost.deviantart.com/art/Challenge-accepted-253865928

;D

I ran across that last night and found it to be hilarious, and very direct to what you've said xD


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## ilymorgannn (May 7, 2012)

They don't eat everything they chew. The fleece in my rat cages constantly have holes and tears in them, but they almost always leave the scraps behind.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

Nope although mine make a habit of fine dining on rubber, paper and plaster, little weirdos.


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## Cashew1992 (May 18, 2012)

Ahaha Thank you all so much  This has been really helpful


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

You might like to know that rats have two flaps of skin in their mouths, behind the incisors and in front of the molars, that prevent them from swallowing anything that is not food. That's how they can gnaw on concrete and not get indigestion, lol!


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## Goffik (Mar 18, 2012)

My two pick flakes of paint off of the wall which then then sit and consume. I have idea what possesses them to do so. It surely can't have any nutritional value whatsoever, and doesn't look like anything I feed them. Weird.


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