The BRODENTS! Rodent Enthusiast Thread!

[The Lost Gremlin]

Thank you! ^-^ Are you talking about feeding mealworms and crickets to rats? Is that a thing? Never thought you could do that... o.o lol

Yeah, my step-brother once said that it's great enrichment for them, especially if you throw in a few crickets or hoppers - they apparently love chasing the little critters lol. I just wasn't sure if it was totally 100% safe.
Thinking about it I guess there shouldn't be a problem since the shop-bought bugs are captive-bred and parasite-free... but a second opinion is always worth getting X3

[PeachFuzz]

My mice love mealworms and crickets^^ I know most hamsters do too =D Rats, mice, and hamsters are all omnivores after all.

[darkvoodoo]

mealworms are a big hit for my rats and mice

[Morganizer]

Huh. Interesting. I guess you learn something new everyday. Lol

[Keriae]

Mealworms are great! Orion loves them but I'm yet to try with Hercules c:
I didn't use them all though (I bought a normal sized tub) so try one of the smaller ones first c: they also have the massive mealworms in, I think.

[The Lost Gremlin]

Haha I'm sure my boys will adore them. They love anything meaty (but to be fair I've never had a rat that didn't like the odd bit of chicken or turkey XD ) so I'm sure they'll enjoy something wriggly.

I've got a few spare tubs lying around that I can modify into a mealworm keep if I do have a few spares, but I think I will just go for the smallest box they have. If they have the micro mealies then I'll get those, otherwise my lads can make do with a few big ones and I'll make them last a week or two.
And if they don't have worms then I'll try some small hoppers or crickets, and they can have those once or twice a week. I'm sure my Badger would love bouncing after them... provided they don't escape c:

[Keriae]

The big ones are the size of the dried out ones you get in large bags of bird food, if that helps c: like, really fat! If they do like them you could always look into breeding your own!
If you end up getting one of the boxes (the smallest are those little round tubs) then it'll last a while! I had one of the boxes and it lasted for ages; I ended up taking it to the farm with me and giving it to the meerkats c:

[The Lost Gremlin]

Welp, as per usual P@H had a miserable selection of livefoods... but I managed to snag the last box of standard mealworms.
Jojo is a blood-thirty beast, Badger and Earl couldn't care less and Busby is terrified of them. It was worth trying but I don't think it's worth breeding them or buying anymore for just one boy uvu They can just stick to their bones and chicken lol

Whilst I was at P@H I also picked up a brilliant little edible 3-way tunnel made from this super tough, rough material that'd be great for their teeth and claws, some new treats (since they apparently no longer sell yoghurt/milk/choc drops) and a ton of cardboard and a giant box from something my mum bought today - that's at least 3 months of enrichment and toys right there!

I also fell in love today... they had, what my mum calls, 'sewer rats' instore today; one solid black, two black hoods, one black capped (all boy ratties) and several brown and champagne girls. They also had a pair of boys in the adoption section; one hooded black, one black variegated <3
I'm so tempted to go back tomorrow to pick up two more... but I shouldn't. It'd mean either buying a new cage for the new babies until I can introduce them or separating the two levels of the one I already have. And although my boys only really use their top floor, they seem to like the extra space.

[Keriae]

You can always get yoghurt/chocolate/milk drops from your local supermarket c:
I know which tunnels you mean! I'm thinking about getting a couple of Orion and Hercules, do tell me if it's any good!

[The Lost Gremlin]

I've checked all the local shops I regularly go to... unfortunately they're a bit bad for stocking yogies too. Which is a pain. I'll keep checking back though. Sometimes I strike it lucky XD

Will do XD Those tunnels do look amazing; I've been dying to I get my hands on something like that... plus because its so rough it'll file their claws down. Saves me the trial of having to scrub down the mossy brick I found outside XD


And my mum and sister have convinced me. Tomorrow we're going back for the rats and a Furet Plus cage (I can't bear to cut my current boy's two-storey cage space uvu). I hate my family for encouraging me lol