Hello and welcome to the fun world of RATS :biggrin2:. Be careful that you don't get addicted and soon have to get two of your own
.
First off, since Oscar is all alone and doesn't have a rat buddy, then you should spend a lot of time with him, as much as possible. It's as easy as putting down an old blanket over your bed and letting him run around on it while you are laying down on your bed watching television or reading a book. Lone ratties really thrive on human companionship, since they lack another rat as a companion.
You can learn how to "play" with Oscar by using toys (even free ones right in your house!), here:
http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm
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Since Oscar is new to your house, you will expect some sneezing from him. This is called "new home sneezes" and it is nothing to worry about. However, if the sneezing continues for over a week with red stuff (porphryin) around his eyes and nose and he "wheezes" when he breathes, this is called a common "URI" (upper respiratory infection). Once a rat is showing those signs, he needs to be brought to the vet ASAP because a simple URI, turns into a bad URI, turns into pheumonia (sp?), which could lead to a death. Rats go downhill very quickly, so at the first signs of any illness, the rat should be brought to the vet for treatment.
You can read about rat illness here:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Signs_of_Illness_In_Your_Rat
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As for food, I am not sure what "rat museli" is (since you are in NZ), but I am assuming it is a packaged rat food mixture? Rat food mixtures aren't the best for rats, but since he is used to this type of food, then it is best he stays on it. The best food for rats is a homemade grain mixture (cereals, pastas, oats, nuts, ect) while feeding along-side a high quality dog food or lab block.
You can read about homemade grain mixtures and learn what foods rats CANNOT have, here:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Homemade-Rat-Diets
Let me know if your friend would be interested in a list of ingredients for this type of mixture, I'd be happy to find out where she can find these things in NZ
.
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As for fresh foods, is there a way for you to call your friend and ask her what types of fresh foods she was feeding him, how often, and how much?
If not, it is best to start off slowly, as to not upset his system if hasn't ever had certain types of food before.
Rats love:
plain (not seasoned) cooked meat (and the bones if there are any!).
veggies & fruits (see safe food list link above).
baby foods.
cooked rice.
cooked (not instant) oatmeal.
apple sauce.
scrambled eggs (crush up the shells while cooking the egg for added "crunch").
bread (wheat, white, ect) dipped in olive oil.
soy milk or rice milk (can be mixed in with the eggs, oatmeal, and rice).
Remember, rats will eat anything that we eat. Just be sure the food isn't spicy/seasoned and isn't on the "forbidden foods list" for rats
.
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There are lots of odd words out there for rats. Such as, "bruxing", "eye boggling", "rodentist", ect.
You can learn the "rattie lingo", here:
http://www.dapper.com.au/dictionary.htm
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This is a great side with lots of FAQ's:
http://wererat.net/rathelp/
** Some information on some of those sites are a bit out-dated, so ask me about something if you have any questions.
If there is anything else that you'd like to know, don't be afraid to ask :biggrin2:!
