The Rat Fan Club
Book Review: My
Rat
by Debbie “The Rat Lady” Ducommun
This
book was written by Gerd Ludwig of
My
overall comment about this book is that the design, layout and photos are very
good, but are geared toward children, where the writing is geared toward adults, and college-graduates at that (i.e. the use of the
word “impetus” on page 7). There is a
major mismatch between these 2 elements. Also, something I didn’t notice in the
first edition is that almost all the photos are of baby rats. Aside from the
photos of the mother rat with her babies, and maybe a few others, every picture
is of babies. While it’s true that babies are cuter, people need to know what
the adults look like too. Rats don’t stay babies very long!
Here are my detailed comments
about incorrect information and bad advice in the book:
Page 7
1st sentence: “A rat is never alone.” Wild rats are usually
not alone, but I know of cases where a single wild rat appeared to be living in
someone’s back yard, so I’m not sure the statement is true. I suggested adding the word “wild” and by
golly, they did that in the revised edition.
Column 2, paragraph 2: A rat who lives alone but gets at least 4 hours of human attention
a day will not waste away. In the
revised edition they changed it to say “Pet rats need to associate with other
rats or have human companionship four hours daily.”
Page 8
Column 1, bottom: The
statement that pet rats are descended from lab rats is not true. Rats were bred as pets first in
Caption, photo 1: The
statement that the house rat (Rattus rattus) is rarely encountered and endangered is only
true in
Page 9, Column 1, bottom: The
statement that house rats eat seeds and fruits almost
exclusively is not true. They
also eat a lot of insects. The new
edition fixed it.
Page 11
Color: The “house rat” (roof rat) is usually agouti
(brown flecked) not black. Fixed in the new edition.
Reproduction: The gestation
period is 21-23 days. Only fixed for
“house rats”
Page 14
Sidebar: The statement that
“All rats kept as pets are descended from laboratory rats” is not true. See note for page 8.
Page 15
Column 1, bottom paragraph 1:
It isn’t true that rats “in all instances keep their bodies under complete
control.” At times they lose their
balance and fall, or don’t jump far enough, etc. just like other animals. This was fixed in the new edition, but they
added that rats “are masters of long-distance running,” and I disagree with
that.
Column 1, middle paragraph 2:
The statement “Rats can force their bodies through any crack their heads fit
through” is a myth. This is only true
for particularly thin rats, and certainly not for most pet rats.
Page 16, Column 2, toward the
bottom of teeth: The statement “To keep
[their teeth] short they must continually be abraded through gnawing” is a
myth. Rats rub their incisors against each other in an action called bruxing to keep them the proper length and sharpness. And this is only necessary for the incisors,
not the molars. The previous sentence
implies that it is necessary for all the teeth.
The bizarre thing is that on page 77 he correctly explains this by
saying “The rodent teeth…are automatically kept short,
and they sharpen themselves…” The new
edition fixed this, but says bruxing is
“unconscious” and I’m pretty sure rats know when they’re doing it.
Page 17
1st sentence: The
statement “the outer ears open after 2 to 4 days” is not correct. Their ears don’t open until they are 13 days
old. (And I have photos to prove it.)
Tail: The statement that
“Rats’ tails re covered with horny scales that are fused into rings” is not
true. While the scales on their tails are roughly organized into rings, they
are not fused together and are regularly shed as individual scales.
The statement that “The skin
of the tail is characterized by a predetermined breaking point” is not
true. The skin of the lower part of the
tail will break and rip off when pulled, but the location of the rip depends on
the pressure; it is not a predetermined location. Both of these errors were fixed in the new
edition.
Page 18,
Sidebar: The warning “Make sure that the cage dweller never has an opportunity
to look directly into a lamp or spotlight” is pretty silly. Their eyes are
not so sensitive that looking into a bare light bulb will blind them. They will just close their eyelids if the
light is too bright.
Page 20, column 2, paragraph 3: Here the term “house rats” is used for pets,
where earlier in the book it was used for wild roof rats (Rattus rattus).
Very confusing.
This was fixed in the new edition.
Page 21: Strange that squeaks
are left out.
Page 23
Paragraph 1: Repeats the myth
that all pet rats are descended from lab rats.
Also repeated again in the second paragraph. Both fixed in the new edition.
The statement “The first rats
used for breeding were albino brown rats living in the wild…” is not
correct. The first domestic rats were
actually solid black, because the mutation that caused the solid black color, as
opposed to the wild brown-flecked agouti color, also modified neurotransmitters
which made these black rats unusually docile.
Wild albino rats would not have carried this same gene and would have
been just as wild as the wild agouti-colored rats. This statement has been removed in the new
edition.
Column 2, Eye Colors: There
is no such color as “dark.” The two dark
eye colors in rats are black and ruby, which is a very dark red that appears
black in most light. Fixed
in the new edition.
Sidebar: Most of this sidebar
is wrong. Because pet rats live indoors,
and don’t need their fur for protection against cold and wet weather, a rat who has rex fur is under no disadvantage. And not all rex rats have thin fur anyway; some have very thick curly
fur. A “naked rat” (usually called a
hairless) is actually more tolerant of heat than a furred rat. And again, because they are pets, their lack
of fur is no disadvantage. They are quite comfortable at normal room
temperatures. Deafness or poor hearing
is not a problem seen in Dumbo rats.
The only true problem that
can be seen in these fancy varieties of rats is with Manx rats, the same with
Manx cats. As long as Manx rats are
properly bred, they are fine, although poor breeding practices can result in spinal
and hip defects. But the tailless characteristic itself is no disadvantage to a
pet rat. In the new edition, they
obviously attempted to correct the original statements, but the result is
confusing.
Page 25, Column 1, Black
Berkshire: The statement “The Berkshire’s fur is monochrome” is confusing. And
the statement “Only the chest, belly and paws are of a different color” is
misleading. All Berkshires have white markings on these areas, never any other
color. So a better way to say it would
be “The Berkshire’s body is one color, while its chest, belly, and paws are
white.” This was fixed in the new
edition.
Page 27, I have never heard
the term “Creamwhite Check” before. I guess it must be a translation from the
German. In English, the term for the
rats with colored points is Siamese or Himalayan. And both photos for this variety here are
wrong. The photos are of silver fawn hooded rats, not Siamese or Himalayans. In the new edition, the silver fawn hooded
is correctly identified, but the caption still wrongly mentions points.
Page 29, I have never heard
the term “Tricolor Check.” This is not a
term used for a rat variety either here in the
Page 32
I’m a little confused about
the advice given in this chapter about housing. Some of it seems contradictory.
For instance, on page 33, Column 1, paragraph 1, it says, “If the daily cage
duties are set up to be toilsome and time-consuming, they often are performed
only perfunctorily.” (This statement appears to be removed from the new
edition.) I don’t know if he is referring to cleaning (which doesn’t
necessarily need to be done daily) but looking at the picture of the ideal habitats
shown, my first thought was, “Yes, they look marvelously fun for the rats, but
what a pain to clean!” I’m also confused
when page 32 says that shelves, boards and particle board are good for elevated
floors in the rat habitat because wood is quickly soaked with pee and chewed up
by rats. (Seems to be fixed in the new edition.)
Then, on page 35, Column 2, it says wood must be laminated or varnished, and
plastic boards are best for elevated floors.
How confusing. Seems like even if the wood is varnished,
rats would quickly chew spots that would start absorbing urine and odor.
On page 43, paragraph 5, it says the boards can be
varnished or covered with foil. Foil? Most rats would
quickly tear up foil.
Column 1, paragraph 3: I’m
confused about what a “cap” is in the boards.
Removed in the new edition.
Column 2, paragraph 3: I disagree that rabbit and guinea pigs cages
can’t be adapted to rats. Most of the ones I’ve seen are tall enough to have 2
levels. This has been removed in the new edition.
Page 34
Sidebar: If a rat knows you, it will recognize your
own scent, and doesn’t need you to wear a shirt that smells of rats. Rats also
recognize their owner’s voice.
Column 2, paragraph 3: Rats do not “catch cold”, and although they
do get respiratory infections, a draft is not the cause, a bacteria or virus
is. This was fixed in the new
edition.
Page 36
Bedding: Sawdust and wood
pellets shouldn’t be recommended without discussing the type of wood used. This was partially fixed in the new
edition, but doesn’t recommend against pine.
House: I’m wondering why to
steer clear of guinea pig houses? This
was taken out in the new edition.
Page 39
Tubes and Tunnels: The
statement that rodent feet have no traction on smooth surfaces is not
true. Their feet actually are slightly
moist and provide excellent traction on plastic, which can be easily
demonstrated. This error is repeated on
page 40, column 2, under Tubes. These
were both taken out in the new edition.
Hammocks: A cleaning rag is not suitable for a rat
hammock as it will be quickly chewed and frayed into strings that can be
tangled around their legs. Non-woven fabrics, such as fleece are much better
suited to hammocks. Not only was this
taken out of the new edition , it warns against using
rags and towels which can fray!
Digging
Box, paragraph 2: Repeats the myth that rats must gnaw to keep their teeth from
overgrowing. Also, no self-respecting rat would ever chew
on a pumice stone, ever. Both of these fixed in the new edition.
Page 42, paragraph 3: I highly disagree with the statement that a
rat cage must be at least 3 feet tall.
In fact, I recommend longer cages, rather than taller ones,
because rats have a tendency to mostly use the top levels of a cage. If there are more than 2 levels, the lower
levels will be neglected and are wasted space.
Plus, a cage that is too tall can present a falling danger for rats who aren’t quite as agile as they used to be. In the new edition this is fixed and the book
actually gives my advice. Very cool!
Page 47
Column 3, paragraph 1: Softwood bedding contains natural toxins that
have been shown to cause respiratory damage and enlarged livers. This has been changed in the new edition.
Paragraph 3: Repeats the myth
that respiratory disease in rats is caused by a draft of air.
Page 48
I have to say this is one of
the cutest photos I’ve ever seen!
Page 50
Sidebar: Why can’t rats travel in an escape-proof
cage, instead of a box? Fixed in the new edition.
Column 2, Contraceptive
Measures: Breeding can also be prevented
by spaying the females, which has significant health benefits, unlike
neutering. Spaying added in the new edition.
Page 56, Column 2, The Right
Treatment: A well-socialized rat will
have no problems being picked up from above.
Page 58, Column 2, Friendship
Treats: The advice to refrain from
normally giving your rats treats because the rat will consider you subordinate
is silly. It won’t, and even if it did,
why would that matter?
Sidebar: The phrase “Even though” at the beginning of
this sentence should be changed to “When.”
Fixed in new edition.
Page 61, Column 2,
Travel: I highly disagree with the
statement that travel should be avoided except in an emergency. In my experience, most rats love to travel
and enjoy the new experience.
Considering how much emphasis the author places on preventing boredom in
pet rats, I’m really surprised he feels this way about travel. Rats as a
species are very adaptable. This is
fixed in the new edition.
Page 62, Column 2: When introducing rats for the first time, you
should plan for it to take several meetings, and rather than let them fight, it
is best to prevent any fights and try again later. Letting them fight can cause
of the rats to become fearful of the other and reduce the chance of a
successful introduction. Fixed in the new edition.
Page 65, Column 2,
bottom: Repeats the myth that drafts
cause disease.
Column 3, bottom: A rat this shy needs special trust training.
Page 67
Subhead: The statement that rats eat and digest
everything is ridiculous. There are many
things rats won’t eat (especially sour foods), and some, like hay, that they
can’t digest. Totally fixed in the
new edition, in fact, it’s my statement almost word for word!
Column 2, paragraph 1: The
statement “Rodent lab blocks can be too high in fat for a pet’s diet,” is
wrong. The lab blocks are actually quite
low in fat. Fixed
in new edition.
Bottom of the paragraph:
alfalfa hay is not digestible by rats, and when rats are given the cheap seed
mixes that include alfalfa pellets the pellets are usually let behind
uneaten. I actually use alfalfa pellets
as litter in my rat cages! Taken out of new edition.
Page 68
Column 1, paragraph 2: The statement “You can give your rodents
prepared food with meat as a sole food source,” makes no sense. What does this mean? Fixed in new edition.
Column 2, paragraph 2: The statement “With seed foods, remove the
shells and husks,” is ridiculous. Rats
are perfectly able to remove these themselves and will; they won’t eat
them. Taken out of
new edition. However, now it
says raisins are fattening. No more than any other dried fruit.
Paragraph 3: The statement “A
lack of food for even 5 to 6 hours can cause circulatory problems,” is
wrong. I can’t imagine where he got this
idea. Fixed in the
new edition.
Page 69
Column 1, paragraph 2: It is not necessary nor
desirable for fruit to be available in the cage at all times. The statement “A slightly heaping soupspoon
of a balanced commercial diet…” is a bad statement. The amount of food necessary will depend on
the brand of food. Both fixed in the
new edition.
Paragraph 3: The statement “Rats cannot get by without a
supplement of animal-based food,” is wrong. A commercial food will supply all
they need in this regard. This was
taken out in the new edition.
However, the paragraph is confusing because it talks about protein foods
causing allergies, and recommends contacting a vet, but because it then it goes
on to give suggestions for protein treats, it seems as they are the solution to
the allergy.
Page 70
Column 1, paragraph 1: Again,
a repeat of the myth that the rats need to gnaw to wear their teeth down. Taken out of the new
edition.
Column 2, paragraph 2: In my opinion, it is not necessary to empty
the water bottles every day. I only do
so when the bottle needs to be refilled.
Changed in the new edition!
However, it is stated again on page 73.
Sidebar: Although I don’t recommend keeping rats on a
wire floor, this practice will not interfere with the consumption of the cecal pellets, which are eaten directly from the anus. Fixed in the new
edition.
Page 71
Column 1, paragraph 2: Cabbage is perfectly safe for rats to
eat. Fixed in new
edition.
Paragraph 3: There is no reason why pet rats can’t be
given small amounts of leftover human foods.
I do it all the time, and it can be a great source of variety in their
diet. Fixed in new
edition.
Page 72: Column 1, paragraph 4: You almost never see
the cecal droppings, which are eaten directly from
the anus.
Column 2, paragraph 2: “Nursing Sick Animals. Power bars and similar
calorie bombs are only for sick and weak rats.”
For sick rats you want to give powdered soy infant formula, mixed fairly
thick, not something like a power bar.
Column 2, paragraph 10: The dishes certainly can be placed against
the bars of the cage. Pet rats do not
run along the walls of their cage. This
appears to have been moved to page 38, first paragraph, in the new edition.
Page 76, Column 3: The idea
that a rat will only take a few bites of a favored treat and then make it
available to the others is not true. Depending on the size of the treat, the
rat is likely to eat the whole thing.
Page 77, Column 2: Here he correctly explains about how the
length and sharpness of the incisors are maintained by grinding together, but
he does make an error. He says ““The rodent
teeth, which have no roots…” which is incorrect. Rodent incisors do have roots,
they are just open roots, as opposed to the closed roots of most teeth. Also, by saying “rodent teeth” instead of
rodent incisors, he implies that their molars also grow continuously, which
they do not. Both fixed in new
edition.
Page 78, Subhead: The statement “Rats…rarely get sick,” is wrong.
Unfortunately, respiratory disease, heart disease and tumors are very common in
rats, and almost all rats get one of these or some other illness at some point
in their lives. Fixed
in new edition.
Page 79, Column 2, paragraph
3: While I also believe that rats need
plenty to do to keep them from being bored, the statement that boredom makes
them sick has no basis in fact. Fixed in new edition.
Page 80
Column 1, paragraph 2: Urine-marking can be reduced or stopped by
having the rats spayed or neutered. Fixed in new edition.
Photo caption page 80, and Bottom paragraph of Column 1 page 81: I question the benefits of a sand bath for
rats. This is not a natural practice of
rats. Because rats lick groom themselves
more thoroughly than the animals that do require it (gerbils, chinchillas) I
think they might ingest the dust. Plus
they could also inhale it, and considering their tendency toward respiratory
disease, I don’t think this is s a good idea.
Fixed in new edition, using my words!
Page 82,
Column 1, paragraph 2: Seems like this section should be about
bathing, not water games.
Column 2, paragraph 4: There is no reason why soap can’t be used to
clean a rat cage. Fixed
in new edition.
Page 83, Sidebar: The recommendation to lift a rat by its hind
legs and pat it on the back is a good recipe for broken legs! The rat must be firmly held by the body. Fixed in new edition.
Page 84, Column 1: Wild rats in the wild rarely
live beyond the age of 1 year due to predation, injury and disease. Fixed in new edition by
adding my own words.
Page 85
Section 4: Repeats the myth that a draft causes
respiratory disease in rats. Modified in new edition.
Section 6: Again the myth
that gnawing keeps the teeth short. Should insert the word “helps.” The new edition added “helps” but changed it
to keeping the teeth clean, rather than short.
Not necessary.
Page 86
Column 2, paragraph 2: There
is no way that the lack of intermediate floors in a cage will make rats
sick! Fixed in new
edition.
Paragraph 4: Lack of
materials to gnaw will not make rats sick, and it is unlikely that leftovers
from human food will, unless they are spoiled.
Fixed in new edition.
Page 87:
Beathing problems are also commonly caused by congestive heart
failure in older rats. Heart failure
added in new edition!
A small amount of red
discharge from the eyes or nose can be normal.
It’s not a symptom unless it is an excessive amount. New edition added “copious.”
Hair loss can also be caused
by barbering, another rat nibbling off fur.
Barbering added in new edition.
It is very rare for any kind
of food to cause a rat to have a hard abdomen.
This symptom is most likely to be caused by a cancer in the abdomen, or
a genetic problem of the intestines.
Rat do not get ear mites in
the same way dogs, cats and rabbits do, and this cannot cause a loss of
balance. Removed in
new edition.
The symptom of “Tumors”
should actually be “Lumps” since they aren’t always tumors. New edition added “and Other
Enlargements.”
Page 88
Photo caption: Separating a sick rat is not necessary to
prevent contagion, and can actually cause harm by stressing the sick rat. By the time symptoms are seen, the other rats
have already been exposed.
Column 1, paragraph 1:
“isolate it from the colony.” See note
above. Repeated on
page 89, paragraph 3.
“if
not well in one day, consult a vet.” A
lethargic rat should be treated immediately, or it could die.
Paragraph
2: Drafts and dry or damp air do not
cause respiratory infections in rats. And it is wrong to refer to rats getting
colds because it should not be confused with the human cold. Modified in new edition.
Column 2, paragraph 2,
Symptoms: Fails to distinguish between mycoplasma
symptoms and a secondary infection.
Column 2, Treatment: The idea that a “mild cold” can be treated
with a heat lamp is dangerous and not helpful.
Removed in new edition.
Page 89, Column 2, paragraph
1: It isn’t true that treatment for parasites is “almost always prolonged.”
Lice and mites can be eliminated with one treatment of selamectin
or moxidectin.
Page 89
Column 1: Bumblefoot occurs
in males and females with about the same frequency, and it does not form an abscess. Rats with bumblefoot
don’t always limp. The part about limping removed from new edition.
Column 2, paragraph 1: Parasites are not caused or increased by
improper living conditions, they are caused by
exposure to infested rats. Fixed in new edition.
Symptoms: There is only one parasite, the rat mange
mite, that causes scabs on the ears, and they are very rare. Fixed in new edition.
Page 90
Column 1, paragraph 1: It is useless to separate rats with parasites
from the group, as they all have already been exposed, and separation is
stressful and can be harmful. All the
animals must be treated anyway.
Paragraph 2: It is extremely rare for roundworms to cause
any problems in rats. Fixed
in new edition.
Column 2, paragraph 1: It would be more accurate to say “lumps”
rather than “swellings.” Fixed in new edition.
Page 91
Stomach and intestinal
ailments: Since this whole section is
supposed to be about the most common illnesses in rats, this subhead shouldn’t
even be in here, since stomach and intestinal ailments are rare in rats. Worms
are rarely a problem. They never get hairballs in their stomach almost never
swallow foreign objects large enough to cause a problem. I’ve never heard of problems from a rat
eating plastic. The part about plastic
removed in the new edition.
Discharge from Nose and
Eyes: Rat tears always contain the red
pigment porphyrin, it doesn’t turn red when the rat is sick. Various problems can cause the eyes to water,
resulting in an increased production and deposition of the pigment. Fixed in new edition.
Ear Infections
Lumping together bacterial
infections inside the ear with a mite infestation of the outer ear is very
confusing. They are totally different
problems and do not cause the same symptoms.
Checklist, bottom
section: It is absolutely not true that
rats and humans can exchange colds and flus. The only possible transmission is strep throat from human to rat. Fixed in new edition.
Page 92
Column 1, paragraph 1: An
inner ear infection does not cause a rat to stagger; it causes their head to
tilt to one side, and if it’s really bad they can roll.
Tooth problems: Excessive growth of the incisors only occurs
when the teeth are unable to grind together.
The teeth don’t just overgrow.
Providing material to gnaw on will not prevent a problem of the teeth
overgrowing. Fixed in new edition!
Column 2
Wounds and injuries: It is very rare for an abscess to cause the
rat to feel unwell or in pain. The only
usual symptom is a lump. The statement
that even apparently harmless bite wounds must be treated by a vet is
untrue. Most wounds and injuries, even a
broken leg, will usually heal quite well and quickly on their own. A laceration a half inch long will be healed
by the next day!
Treatment: Putting alcohol on a wound is a good way to
get bitten by a rat! Ouch!
Caring for
Sick Rats: Incorrect information
repeated here about separating sick rats, avoiding drafts, treating with a heat
lamp. In the new edition, they kept the part about
isolation and drafts, and added “Don’t use heating pads, heat lamps, or other
warmers,” which is even more wrong than treating with a heat lamp. You want to use a heating pad when a rat is
having trouble maintaining their body temperature!
Page 93
Homeopathy: This requires
special training, for instance, you cannot touch the little globules with your
hand.
Page 94
Column 2, paragraph 2: One of the joys of pet rats is letting them
lick your hand. This is not harmful, as long as the hands are washed
afterwards. Modified
in new edition.
Column 3, bottom: It is extremely rare to see any problem with
a rat’s molars. That is that last thing
that should be considered when a rat refuses to eat. Fixed in new edition.
Page 95, Column 3, paragraph
2: The incorrect info about separating a
sick rat to prevent contagion is repeated here.
Page 99, Column 2: Too bad
there isn’t a picture of a climbing tree in the book.
Page 103
Checklist
Rather than “wire mesh
running wheels” I think he means those made from bars. There is one brand of wheel made of
quarter-inch mesh which is perfectly safe.
Fixed in new edition.
Plastic running balls are
just fine for rats if they are large enough.
Fixed in new edition.
Again, I’ve never heard of
harm to a rat from chewing plastic. Fixed in new edition.
Wire mesh food balls: This is not a likely danger at all. Fixed in new edition.
Plastic running tubes: again,
their feet are moist and have plenty of traction on smooth plastic. Fixed in new edition.
Page 104, Column 2, paragraph
2: Hamster tubes are unsuitable for rats
not because of their smooth surface, but because they are too narrow. Deleted from new
edition.
Page 106, Column 2, under
sidebar: a 12-inch wheel is fine for smaller rats. Fixed in new edition, however it goes
on to say that most cages won’t have enough room for a large wheel, which is
certainly not true.
Page 107
Column 1, Wood: This first sentence is really confusing. It appears to be fixed in the new edition,
but the very explanation shows why it was not good to recommend shelves made of
wood earlier in the book.
Plastic: Myth that it is too
slippery for traction repeated,; also that rats will
swallow plastic. Fixed
in new edition.
Column 2, Textiles: Linen is not appropriate as it easily ravels
into threads that can get tangled around a rat’s leg. Fixed in new edition.
Everything that Moves: I assume the rubber mentioned here would be
hard rubber, as soft rubber would not be suitable. Repeats an earlier false
warning against mesh balls, and warns against wool balls. Why?
Does he mean yarn?
Page 108
Column 1, Freestyle
Wrestling: Rats play more gently than
kittens and puppies and use their teeth gently.
To forbid a child playing this game with a rat is a shame. If the rat uses its teeth too hard, the human
just needs to squeak and the rat will play more gently. Modified in new edition.
Column 2, paragraph 1: Forbidding people to take a rat shopping or
on a stroll is just too restrictive and removes one of the great joys of pet
rats. Many pet rats ride their owner’s shoulder, or in a sweatshirt hood or
pocket, or in a snuggle pouch safely. At the very most, suggesting the rat wear a
harness, and the owner bring along a carrier for emergencies, and suggestion
common sense will allow rats and their owners this fun activity. Fixed in new edition.
A Heart for Old-Timers
A rat who gets out of breath
is sick, not just old, and needs treatment for respiratory and/or heart
disease. Fixed in
new edition.
Page 112, Subhead: Rats can
reach sexual maturity at 5-6 weeks, not 8 weeks. Fixed in new edition.
Page 113
Paragraph 1: says rats can
mate at 7-8 weeks, should be 5-6 weeks.
He does explain this in paragraph 2.
If paragraph 1 is talking about wild rats, it should say so. Fixed in new edition.
Paragraph 2: The average litter size of 8 is for wild
rats, for domestic rats it is 12. Fixed in new edition.
Column 2, bottom: Saying “Without purchasers these young
animals will end up in an animal shelter or will simply be let go,” is a poor
statement. It almost sounds like he is
suggesting that everyone will, or should, do this. Fixed in new edition.
Page 114, Column 1: Repeats
the error that sexual maturity occurs at 7-8 weeks. Although it’s not recommended to let rats
mate at this age, amazingly if they do get pregnant, most take excellent care
of their babies. Fixed
in new edition.
Page 115
Column 1, paragraph 1: The statement “If the female is no longer
receptive, a vaginal plug forms…” is wrong.
The vaginal plug is composed of male ejaculate, and has nothing to do
with whether or not the female is still receptive. Fixed in new edition.
Column 2: The gestation period of rats is actually
21-23 days. Fixed
in new edition.
“her
teats swell” This is an error I missed
in the first edition. There is no
noticeable change in the mammary glands or nipples of a pregnant rat.
Page 116, Sidebar: A male rat can be neutered at 6 weeks of age,
and older than 18 months if necessary.
I’ve never heard of a neutered male being potent for longer than 4 weeks
after the surgery. The last sentence
neglects the fact that spaying a female rat significantly reduces her chance of
getting mammary tumors, pituitary tumors, and diseases of the reproductive
tract. Fixed in new
edition.
Page 117
Column 1, paragraph 1: The average litter for domestic rats is
12. The statement “But breeders stop
using animals that have already given birth 6 or 7 times,” cannot be made with
any certainty. Some breeders stop
breeding them sooner, some later. Fixed in new edition.
Paragraph 3: It is much more common for the birth to occur
during the day. In the wild, this is
when the mother would be safely in her burrow.
Fixed in new edition.
Column 2, paragraph 1: The error of the average litter size repeated
again. Fixed in new edition.
Paragraph 2: It is very wrong to recommend not touching
the babies for a week. Rats who are handled from birth make much better pets, and it is
a myth that the mother will harm the babies if they are touched. Fixed in new edition!
Page 118
Column 2, paragraph 2: Mother rats will
nurse their babies for 6 weeks, not just 3 weeks. And rats have 6 pairs of nipples, 3 clustered
on the chest and 3 clustered on the abdomen, not 8 pairs. Fixed in new edition.
Page 120
Column 2, paragraph 1: There is no need to separate the sexes at 4
weeks. They don’t have to be separated
until 5 weeks of age, as they can’t become sexually active any sooner than this. Fixed in new edition.
Paragraph 2: Female rats do not stop growing until 6
months, and males not until at least 8 months.
Fixed in new edition.
Page 121, Column 1, paragraph
2: Rats handled from birth will be much
more trusting. Fixed
in new edition.
Page 122, Column 1, paragraph
4: Rats can become sexually mature at
5-6 weeks., so babies should be separated by gender at
5 weeks. Fixed in
new edition.
Page 123
Column 1, paragraph 2: I have never seen any scientific proof that
female rats can store sperm. As far as I
can see, this is a myth. Fixed in new edition.
Column 3, paragraph 3: Baby rats start sampling solid food shortly
after they turn 2 weeks old, and if allowed by humans, they will nurse for 6
weeks. Fixed in new
edition.
Page 125
Column 1, paragraph 2: The statement “From the outside it is
difficult to judge how serious these conflicts are,” is not true. An experienced rat keeper will have no
problem determining this. Perhaps it
should say, “From the outside it can be difficult…” Fixed in new edition.
Column 2, paragraph 1: I don’t know if I missed this in the first
edition. A nursing mother will always
fiercely attack any new rat, not just “behave coldly toward” it.
Page 126
Column 1, Cause: A rat may still be fearful, shy, or
distrustful even if the owner has already tried to win its trust. Fixed in new edition.
Remedy: The suggestion to take out the house and
hiding places is cruel, and will stress the fearful rat even more. Trust training can be done without this
drastic step. I suggest a slightly
different form of trust training using soft food on a spoon which is very
effective. Fixed in
new edition.
Column 2, Cause of
Biting: Many male rats bite due to too
much testosterone, and the only way to stop them is to have them neutered. The new edition adds a sentence about
neutering at the end of the remedy.
Remedy: I do not recommend the sock over the hand
thing. A rat can still bite you quite well though the sock if it really wants
to. The new edition adds a heavy
glove under the sock! I do not
recommend the glove method either.
Page 129
Column 1, paragraph 2: There is no way a rat is going to eat a pill
smuggled in food! Fixed
in new edition.
Checklist
I believe the statement
“Intolerance of other pack members on the part of the old and weak animals” is
backwards. This sounds
like the old and weak members are intolerant, but occasionally it is the other
way around—but only very rarely, so this doesn’t belong on a list of common
behavioral problems. The new edition
changed it to “Intolerance of old and weak animals by younger, stronger ones,”
which is more clear, but it still rarely happens.
Restlessness is most commonly
caused by respiratory distress, not parasites.
Sort of fixed in the new edition. Uses the word “nervousness” instead of restlessness.
The sound of the contented
grinding to sharpen teeth is different than the sound of agitated tooth
chattering. Fixed
in new edition.
Page 132
Sidebar: “Walking the path of love”? Why not just say she is in heat? Fixed in new edition.
Column 2
The statement that “Many rats
live to be 5 or 6 years old” is wrong.
This is rare, so it should say “A few rats live to be 5 or 6.” Fixed in new edition.
Physical signs of age:
General: Sunken
sides is a symptom of respiratory disease, not old age. The phrase “Thoracic flank respiration” is
confusing. Thoracic refers to the
chest. The flank is the area between the
ribs and the hip. Flank breathing is normal, but chest breathing is not normal,
not a sign of aging, but is a sign of respiratory and/or heart disease. Modified in new edition, but sunken sides is
still a symptoms of diease,
not old age.
Unkempt fur is a sign of
disease, not old age.
Teeth: Here’s that myth again. Overgrown teeth are only caused by a medical
problem, such as malocclusion (strange that he never uses this term), tooth
abscess or jaw disease. Overgrown teeth are not caused by lack of hard
food. Modified in new
edition, which says “Old rats may cease bruxing.” I have never seen this happen. Overgrown teeth is
caused by disease, not old age.
Page 133, Column 2, paragraph
3: Loss of appetite or lowered fluid
intake are symptoms of disease, not old age.
Page 134
Column 1, paragraph 5: I
would not even put a climbing rope in an old rat’s cage.
Column 2, paragraph 3: A sick rat should not be euthanized
without attempting medical treatment first.
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