[ladylady]

I got my order from the rat warehouse today.
Poppy is MAD for there choc drops-she not shy if it means getting another!
Great training tool but how many is to many?

 

[Vixie]

I'd say one normal sized chocolate chip is enough for a month or two..xD

Chocolate isn't deadly unless given in mass amounts, but it's still good to be careful.

 

[ladylady]

The other stuff I got was yogurt drops-how many are too many of them?

 

[reachthestars]

Chocolate should be fed in moderation ( a bite or two every now and then) and no more than probably 3 yoggies a day, although it certainly won't kill them to have more (you'll just have fatties )

 

[ladylady]

Thanks both of you that helps

Heres what the lady whos sells them says:
Yes, the darker cream drops are the yogies. The yogies are no healthier than choc drops, they are all equally naughty (the choc drops are doggie choc and don't contain real cocoa anyway). How many is too many is a subjective question as some people believe any at all of those is too many, some feel one a day is ok. As long as you don't overdo things and feed them a healthy diet and exercise them, use your good judgement and keep your rats happy and healthy you are doing fine! You just have to bear in mind that those types of treats are higher in fat and sugar so it might be an idea to alternate with healthy treats, it also prevents rats from getting bored with their treats.

Sabby

 

[DonnaK]

It should say on the packets how many are acceptable. The yoghurt drops that we buy tend to say not more than 1-2 a day. I don't know about the chocolate drops as I've never bought them.

 

[OnlyOno]

i give picasso a chunk of dark chocolate, probably a bit smaller than a normal chocolate chip for cookies, about once every week or two. dark chocolate is a really good bronchiodilator, which makes breathing easier for them. when i first got picasso she had a week's worth of sneezing which went away with chocolate and steam from my morning showers. her sneezing was mostly caused by stress from being brought home, etc (it was a 30 min carride in a cage far too small for her, etc), so the chocolate was a nice relief. in rats with chronic myco problems, chocolate can definitely help them feel better, but meds will do all the dirty wok.

 

[Night]

Well, I wouldn't go by what the package says, at least not for treats. Sometimes companies will tell you to feed more than you should, since then you end up buying more of their product sooner Know what I mean?

 

[ladylady]

They would be reported to trading standards for that

 

[DonnaK]

They would be reported to trading standards for that

I would think they would get into trouble for that, too. Still, worth heeding the advice, I guess.

We don't have to worry too much with our rats as they seem to like receiving the treats more than eating them. I would say they probably only eat about half of what we give them and bury the other half, which get thrown away when I clean out the cage :lol: Though, there are some rats out there that would probably eat them until you stopped giving them...

 

[OnlyOno]

haha yeah, remember those automatic dog feeders? worst idea ever for dogs who LOVE to eat. i'm sure that rats would be the same way, although rumor has it that cats and rodents know when to stop eating. i don't know, i always thought rats acted more like little dogs...

 

[DonnaK]

They still sell those at Petsmart, I noticed them the other day. Apart from the overeating issue, I'd be worried about the food not being fresh for the pets that didn't wolf it down so quick.

I think it depends on the rat for eating habits. Both our girls are quite particular and keep themselves in shape; I just have to watch how many "human food" treats I give them, as those rarely get put aside. I have no doubt that there are rats that will eat everything you put in front of them, though.

 

[twitch]

I have no doubt that there are rats that will eat everything you put in front of them, though.

Heck yeah! i have one that is a absolute gorbie! oddly enough its my fatty spider... she's not soo big on the staple diet. she'll eat it but too excess. but with human food and the supper (the good bits of table scraps at the end of the day) she sits at the bowl or runs with a HUGE peice and munches down. but then i have Iedani too. she'll take verything you give her but she hides it more then she she eats it. she'll eat it when you stop giving treats but i have smart rats in there too. Twx will take treats from you but she'd much rather just steal from Iedani's horde. She's a very sweet little girl but she really prefers rat companship then human. maybe she thinks iedani is just putting some aside for her eh? *chuckles*

 

[Lise]

My rats do not get more than 1 yogie per day. They really are not very good for them.

If you need to give more small treats, buy some dehydrated baby fruit/veggies. And toddler fruit puffs. etc. They work well and are healthy.

 

[ladylady]

Yeah ive got loads of dried fruit which i think tastes great but there not interested. ive just been breaking them up so one drop makes 4 treats-they will do anything for them! There getting really confident now. They climbing on me when i open the cage