"kilikini" > wrote in message
. com...
> I've had pet rats for almost 2.5 years now; they scratch and groom a lot,
> too. I feed my rats whatever part of what I'm eating. I will make a meal
> with the rats in mind - not kidding! The little furballs don't care for
> meat at all, but they love beans, corn, peas, potatoes, rice, pasta,
> cheese, cereal and of course, candy. (Which I give them as a treat about
> once a month. Tootsie rolls to be exact. And I don't even have to unwrap
> them. Somehow they know how to do it on their own.)
>
Now who'da thought of Toosie rolls for rats? That must be funny to watch
them unwrap them. Their little hands are almost prehensile so I can see
that! Do they eat the whole thing? I do give the little girls peas, snow
peas (they love!), green beans, fresh corn in tiny amounts, a piece of raw
pasta once (read not to give cooked? Seems the opposite to me but it was a
very small piece), apple pieces, a grape once but they don't like raisins,
but I never thought about some of the other things you wrote. Thanks!
> I've tried feeding them pellets (an expensive waste), they won't eat them
> and I've tried feeding them cat food which they don't eat, either and they
> don't eat bread. So, I feed my little critters people food. As long as
> there isn't any meat in their food, they go to town.
>
> My husband says I'm making them fat, but heck, they're healthy, they're
> alive and Mickey has got to be at least 3.5 years old, now. They only
> live to be 3-4. So, whatever I'm doing seems to be working.
>
I've read that most mice only live to 2 or maybe three years, so you and Lee
(enigma) are amazing care givers to have them live so well for so long.
> What I was told was to keep rodents on a low protein diet. It works for
> my rats. Good luck!
>
I've read that too, about the low protein diet. I'm learning, and they're
fun. I only have them because someone was giving them away on a local
freecycle group, and I was afraid someone with snakes would snatch them up
for dinner. Not many resources so I'm glad you and others helped, even if it
is OT.
)
> kili
>