Overweight Ratties? Edit: Pic's Pg 1

[lilspaz68]

Some rats will keep their heavier shape no matter what you do. Hannah looks fine to me, Oscar could maybe eat more veggies and have a few less blocks LOLOL

If you feed iceberg, watch for any signs of loose poop (can cause diarrhea) and if you do, change it to a more fibrous lettuce like romaine or leaf lettuce instead.

With my fat girls I did it slowly, no sugary/fat treats, more veggies and unlimited blocks...they didn't lose for a long time then once their metabolism kicked in, within months they looked/acted much better. Slow weight loss is better. Have you tried a feather for more active playtime?

 

[Rachael]

And the weights you called "proper", is just the average. They don't have to fit into that exact weight group.

No one said they had too, I'm not concerned by Teddy, as he is only 46 grams over the average. Oscar is 100 grams over & this concerns me & Hannah is 73 grams over which also concerns me.
I'm asking for people opinons, not an argument.
So thank you for your opinion.

No no, wasn't trying to start an arguement there. Was just saying not all rats fit into that group.

 

[lilspaz68]

If you think your rat is obese looking at them, then you can take steps, if its only because of a guideline that you are worried, then don't :wink2:

 

[Rachael]

If you think your rat is obese looking at them, then you can take steps, if its only because of a guideline that you are worried, then don't :wink2:

I would agree with that. I have a few girls not in that group and they are not a blob when they eat and aren't overweight.

 

Some rats will keep their heavier shape no matter what you do. Hannah looks fine to me, Oscar could maybe eat more veggies and have a few less blocks LOLOL

If you feed iceberg, watch for any signs of loose poop (can cause diarrhea) and if you do, change it to a more fibrous lettuce like romaine or leaf lettuce instead.

With my fat girls I did it slowly, no sugary/fat treats, more veggies and unlimited blocks...they didn't lose for a long time then once their metabolism kicked in, within months they looked/acted much better. Slow weight loss is better. Have you tried a feather for more active playtime?

LOL about Oscar, yeah, he is quite the chunkey man.
I tried iceberg last night with Oscar, he never liked it. So instead of just sharing two cups with his 3 brothers, he shared with them and then got another cup besides.
I never feed sugary or fat treats. The get one treat in the morining which is either one multigraini cherrior or one piece of puffed rice/wheat. They always get 2 cups of veggies a day (2 cups between 5 boys, and 2 vups between 4 girls) and they alwasy have unlimited blocks.
& yes I recently got a cat feather toys which they love to play with.

They also get 5+ hours playtime outside the cage everyday, and the boys cage (oscar, teddy & bruno) is a superpet cage (XL) with no ladders, just levels so they have to climb and jump (it has always been this way).

Thanks for all the advice guys

 

[Moon]

Maybe cut out the oatmeal, as it's really not necessary and they should have all their carb requirements filled with the blocks. Beyond that, none of your rats sound massively obese to me. Sometimes bigger rats are just... bigger without being fat, as said before.

You're doing right by your rats, you worry too much :wink:

 

Maybe cut out the oatmeal, as it's really not necessary and they should have all their carb requirements filled with the blocks. Beyond that, none of your rats sound massively obese to me. Sometimes bigger rats are just... bigger without being fat, as said before.

You're doing right by your rats, you worry too much :wink:

Yeah, for the past week I have stoped the oatmeal ..they only get a handful once a week now

Thanks!

 

[Bamboo]

If you're only concerned because of the average weights, I wouldn't worry about. They're all individuals so not all of them are going fit into the "normal" weights. If you really think there is a problem then yeah you should get them to cut back a bit, but don't let them not being the "average" weights be your sole/main motivation for it. *says in Captain Barbossa voice* "The code is more what you'd call "guidelines" then actual rules" :wink:

 

[Rachael]

If you're only concerned because of the average weights, I wouldn't worry about. They're all individuals so not all of them are going fit into the "normal" weights. If you really think there is a problem then yeah you should get them to cut back a bit, but don't let them not being the "average" weights be your sole/main motivation for it. *says in Captain Barbossa voice* "The code is more what you'd call "guidelines" then actual rules" :wink:

:giggle:

 

[Sharlees rattakisses]

Toblerone aka "BIG DADA" weighs 2 pounds. :shock:
I don't consider him over weight because he is very long.

 

If you're only concerned because of the average weights, I wouldn't worry about. They're all individuals so not all of them are going fit into the "normal" weights. If you really think there is a problem then yeah you should get them to cut back a bit, but don't let them not being the "average" weights be your sole/main motivation for it. *says in Captain Barbossa voice* "The code is more what you'd call "guidelines" then actual rules" :wink:

Thanks.
I feel the only one right now that I'm worried about is Oscar.
I have changed thier diet a little bit, they now eat Extrusion and Oxbow mixed together, and they have about 2-3 cups of veggies per day.
I have also started to let them free roam in my kitchen and living room area which provides them with lots of room to explore.

 

[SQ]

I have quite a few obese rats :emb:
They are all around two years or older ... they were a good weight but all had to go on meds for quite awhile for respir issues (meds are mixed with strawberry quic and olive oil and baby cereal). Meds plus less activity as they aged did it ... so more broccoli etc and no peas for awhile ... I guess
Lunar is now the size of a large kitten or small cat

 

I have quite a few obese rats :emb:
They are all around two years or older ... they were a good weight but all had to go on meds for quite awhile for respir issues (meds are mixed with strawberry quic and olive oil and baby cereal). Meds plus less activity as they aged did it ... so more broccoli etc and no peas for awhile ... I guess
Lunar is now the size of a large kitten or small cat

I have one (Toby) who is on long term meds and I find he is gaining weight, although he os not obese yet, he will be if he keeps gaining.
Why no peas?

 

[rodentmama]

See that's the trick, when they are sick and won't take meds. Audio gained weight because I'd have to give him some pb bread when I gave Spike his meds in a pb sandwich or he'd steal it. But now Spike is gone and I have to get the weight off these guys. They also got less exercise as the stress of conflict in the cage was too much for Spike and I separated it. I'm trying to get them out for more free run time but it isn't always easy.

Mine don't much like veggies but I think I'll have to start offering just veggies as fresh food from now on. I just fear for their little hearts.

 

pb is not good for rats, they could choke very easily on it.
If you offer veggies, and don't give into giving them anything better, they will eat them.

Try:
Kale
Baby Greens
Romanine
Peas
Corn
Cucumber
Broccoli
Shreded Carrot

 

[rodentmama]

Peanut butter was all that Spike would eat when he was sick So just a thin spread on whole wheat bread, not enough to choke, or diluted in warm ensure. Mine will eat corn and peas as well as sweet potato. But they won't touch raw greens, carrots, berries or anything like that which is stupid. They can run hot or cold with melons. Sometimes they eat them and sometimes not. I'm used to giving them plain yogurt and soy milk but what I might do is make it into a "dressing" for the greens and see if it helps them get eaten.

 

Peanut butter was all that Spike would eat when he was sick So just a thin spread on whole wheat bread, not enough to choke, or diluted in warm ensure. Mine will eat corn and peas as well as sweet potato. But they won't touch raw greens, carrots, berries or anything like that which is stupid. They can run hot or cold with melons. Sometimes they eat them and sometimes not. I'm used to giving them plain yogurt and soy milk but what I might do is make it into a "dressing" for the greens and see if it helps them get eaten.

Oh okay
Be careful when giving dairy, all rats are lactose intolerent.
Have you tried baby carrots shredded? mine wont eat regular carrot's peiord, or baby carrots whole ..only shredded.
Also try putting some flax seed oil over raw vaggies, just a little bit,
Cooked veggies don't have very many nutrient's as cooking them takes the nutrients out of them.

 

[rodentmama]

Thanks, I'll try the shredded idea. Mine get yogurt every day as the bacteria in it have broken down the lactose and it boosts immunity. I can't drink milk either so the "milk" they get is soy or almond mostly.

I've changed up their food and made the yogurt, almond milk, olive oil and omega oil blend into a "salad dressing". So for supper last night they had a frozen veggie blend, some shredded boston lettuce and their "dressing". A lot of the snow peas got left on the condo floor but the lettuce was gone.

This morning I gave them cooked oatmeal with some raspberries and blueberries and some more "dressing". I used to give a dollop of yogurt and then a fair splash of the milk but now just a little drizzle to see if they can lose some weight. I'm trying to get them out more for exercise as well. They can be lazy though. On the couch they will all eventually gravitate to the top of the dog cage and snooze in a rat pile.

I would never feed a rat pb just for the sake of it. But I often have it for breakfast on my ezekial bread and will treat the bubbies as I walk by the condo. That is how I found out that Spike liked pb and because he would eat other things if pb was on it I gave him a fair amount in his last couple of weeks. No more pb for the rest of the crew now though! They are quite rolly polly.