Plastic

[azz08]

Hey guys

I'm at the stage of breeding my rats to feed my two pythons
The female is jue very soon

I woke up the other morning and I notice the rat has eaten quite alot of her hide
Now she's started on her lid as well

I know rats and mice eat any thing but I was just wondering what courses my rat to start eating her hide and the lid of the enclosure

Also does this mean her babies are a waste now course they will contain plastic in them, or can I still feed them to my pythons with out them harming them.

Cheers

 

[Banjo]

Sounds like your rats are very smart, saving themselves lol. Maybe if you change things so they cannot have any plastic to eat, let them pass all the plastic they should be fine to feed to your snakes. As for the diet and why they are eating the plastic hopefully someone else can help out.

 

[azz08]

Okay cheers banjo

 

[saximus]

Rats like to gnaw on stuff to grind their teeth down (their teeth never stop growing like with rabbits) that's why they're eating the plastic. It makes it tricky when you're making your own houses cause you can't leave any holes or edges exposed or they go for it. Try getting some of those flavoured chews from a pet shop and throw one or two of them in. Or even if you live near some bush get some gum tree branches (only small like the thickness of your thumb).

 

[azz08]

Aww I see
What ever I put in there for there hide, they bloody chew
They can go with out lol
I'll get some branches and see what happens then

I don't mind them eating any thing
I'm more worried about feeding the babies to my pythons

 

[marteed]

It may also be that she is tryin to get nesting material to make a nest. What does she have? I have mine in old boxes, then I just chucked in some paper towel and went and bought some cheap polar fleece blankets and cut them up (bad part is they need a weekly wash.
If it is that she is wanting to gnaw at something you can also chuck in some uncooked pasta

 

[TigerCoastal]

they dont actually "eat" it, its like sax said, they are chewing to wear their teeth down, they chew it and let it fall away. Mine demolish everything that i give them for hides (ice cream containers, butter containers, milk cartons, big cardboard tubes), but have found it takes them longer if i give them a "chew toy". My chew toy is just an offcut of wood that i find laying around, drill a hole in one end and hang from the lid of the tub with wire. Gives them something to play with and wear their teeth down at the same time. If they need a little encouragement to chew on it, peanut butter, honey, jam dabbed on the wood will help

 

[azz08]

I have paper, cardboard tubes, saw dust, shoebox, and now I have put wood in there
Ill see how it goes now

Aww I assume they eat what ever they chew
I never see the the plastic on the floor so I assume it has been eaten.

 

[Bez84]

In all my rat tubs i wire in a small scrap piece of timber, the rats chew this and nothing else, when they have chewed it all i just replace it.

 

[Indysmum]

like people have said, between gnawing for teeth, and making of nest. If you love your snake then you need to look after their food source obviously (not saying you not). Which includes keeping a hide and nesting material..if they are happy, they will produce better pinkies
It can also be from boredom also, can try a bird treat (they are in supermarket) and has a hanger. If you have wire top tub, this might work well for you. Theres also ones for rats/pigges in a block, but no hanger attached. It could give her something more fun to chew on