# Live food



## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

I was just wondering if anyone has ever given their rat live food to eat? I have tubs of locusts, waxworms and morio worms hanging about almost all the time for my beardie, and sometimes I'll offer one of my rats a little waxworm for a treat. They go crazy for them, it's really funny how they eat the things too, hold them in their little hands and nibbling them down like its a delicacy! 

The only thing I'm extra careful about is the morio worms, if they get one of those I always take its head off first, as I've heard horror stories from reptile owners of the worms eating their way out of reptile bellies. I don't know if it's even possible with rats, but I wouldn't take the chance. A friend of mine said that he often puts a locust or cricket in their cage and that the rats get great fun out of hunting and catching them. They're very protein rich (and waxworms are REALLY fattening) so you have to be careful, but it's cute sometimes to see them nomming down the bugs, disgusting as it sounds!


----------



## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

I managed to get a video of Toby with his first ever superworm! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1gGEgoph7U&feature=youtu.be Only rats can make bug eating look adorable.


----------



## Sidurah (Sep 28, 2011)

I have no idea, but he looks so happy!


----------



## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

I have done the whole crickets, superworms, and meal worms route. Haven't done it with this generation of ratties though- hmm, might have to treat them on World Rat Day (04/04/12)!!!!
http://ratwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/03/get-ready-for-world-rat-day.html


----------



## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

He did enjoy it very much! My beardie is still giving the rat cage the evil eye from her viv though. She's like Joey in Friends. Spy doesn't share food! 

In regards to World Rat Day, I've actually printed off a few pamphlets to try to raise awareness of rats as pets and therapy companions in my area. I was told it's the best place to start in trying to get them recognised as therapy animals, so I've got my starting point ^^


----------



## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

Babs said:


> In regards to World Rat Day, I've actually printed off a few pamphlets to try to raise awareness of rats as pets and therapy companions in my area. I was told it's the best place to start in trying to get them recognised as therapy animals, so I've got my starting point ^^


THATS FREAKING AWESOME!!! 
Did you create the pamphlets yourself or did you find a link to them somewhere?


----------



## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

Haha, thank you! I made them myself. They're fairly simplistic, just a few paragraphs of information on rats, why they make great pets and some common "rat myths" debunked, plus some pictures and stories and a bit about why I'm trying to raise awareness on them and why the 4th of April is a good day for that. I'll take some pictures of the pamphlets tomorrow if you'd like to see them


----------



## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

I would LOVE to see them! Duh! hahaha


----------



## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

Here you go! Better late than never ^^ I accidentally put "World rat Week" instead of day, and then my printer jammed so I couldn't print more. It was all very frustrating! But here's the front page anyway, and when I fix up the rest I'll post more!


----------



## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

shawnalaufer said:


> THATS FREAKING AWESOME!!!
> Did you create the pamphlets yourself or did you find a link to them somewhere?


I'll second that, I hope it goes well for you, Babs!


----------



## Ruairidh (Aug 29, 2011)

All last summer, I fed my girls garden slugs, which they loved. I'm planning on doing it again this summer, as soon as the weather clears enough for slugs to happen.


----------



## Elyse (Dec 2, 2011)

He is going to town on that worm!! I'll have to get some for my girls


----------



## Lycrisa (Mar 10, 2012)

All my mice get mealworms now, they absolutely love them. Apparently they make for nice, shiny coats and healthy eyes. *looks at bug* I'd never eat them though.


----------



## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

From what I've heard, mealworms taste horrible.

But I guess pets can't get enough of them.


----------



## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

Hmm, slugs. I'm so used to hearing that slugs are evil for dogs to touch that I never considered them for my rats. I'll have to check that out, cause we get tons of slugs in our garden all year round. Big evil green things that MUST DIE. 

Today I was cleaning out All The Pets (capitals necessary) and since my boys cage is beside the lizard's vivarium in my bedroom, I put the box of superworms down on top of it without thinking. A few minutes later while I had my head in the viv scrubbing down the wood, I heard a crash, and looked back to see that Toby and Scrabble had formed a team effort to shove the box of mealworms off the top of their cage and onto the floor, where the lid had come off and worms now wriggled free on my bedroom floor. Since there was only about five max left in the tub anyway, I just commended them for their effort and let them out to clean up the mess they made. It was a mealworm bloodbath, but the rats definitely enjoyed it!


----------



## halfmoon (Mar 29, 2010)

We get a lot of stink bugs (shield bugs) around here. Whenever I find one in my room, I'll catch it and throw it to one of my rats. They love nomming down on them. The only downside is the smell.  A couple of times during their free time, I've seen them jump and catch a bug mid-air. It's hilariously entertaining. I'm going to look into the mealworms being good for their coats. God knows my boys could use it...


----------



## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

halfmoon said:


> We get a lot of stink bugs (shield bugs) around here. Whenever I find one in my room, I'll catch it and throw it to one of my rats. They love nomming down on them. The only downside is the smell.  A couple of times during their free time, I've seen them jump and catch a bug mid-air. It's hilariously entertaining. I'm going to look into the mealworms being good for their coats. God knows my boys could use it...


We've got stinkbugs here in Malaysia too, but I don't think I'd let my rats eat one.


----------



## halfmoon (Mar 29, 2010)

They aren't poisonous. They just taste and smell horrible. ;D I guess it's an acquired taste...


----------



## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

Yep, the smell is what I'm worried about lol


----------



## halfmoon (Mar 29, 2010)

They always get a good wipe down with warm water and a little baby shampoo after they get one. It definitely lingers on them, but they love them so much I can't say no.


----------



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

Babs said:


> Big evil green things that MUST DIE.


^THISSSS^ xD
Imma look into slugs too. I hate salting them D: but if my rats can have them... >_>


----------

