2 Responses for "Need a little info about hairless rats?"

1. taylor lautner March 14th, 2010 at 1:11 pm 1

   Best Answer – Chosen by Voters 1. I prefer recycled paper bedding, ie Care Fresh. I'm not fond of the paper smell, but it is good at absorbing and makes good nesting material. My other choices are soft corn cob – the cheap stuff is usually hard, but the softer stuff is spongy and digestible. Keep the hammock or use old towels/rags to make several of your own hammocks, as well as a soda or cereal box (or your Kleenex box) for the floor level so that they can choose whether they want to sleep on the floor or up high. Different rats have different preferences for sleeping areas – they shouldn't really need to sleep in the litter.2. I never fed oils because they can cause the runs. I just supplemented with the usual daily greens and fruits and also offered a little cooked oatmeal (after it's cooled) twice a week. It's not necessary, but I did a quick rub-down with baby oil once every two weeks. If you want to do this, then warm it up in your hands and apply very modestly – don't soak them. Rats are pretty good about creating their own oils, so you may not need to do this at all if your house isn't too dry.Hairless rats really don't require anything different from other rats – as long as you keep them out of a draft and offer a lot of bedding, they're still pretty good at regulating their own temperatures, especially with buddies to curl up with, and I've never witness skin problems (in fact, I've seen more rescued rats with fur that had dandruff or mites, than hairless rats). They do get scraped up a little more often, so you will need to have a tube of triple antibiotic ointment on hand for those occasions. Keep the nozzle clean and always use Germ-x or something similar on your hands before tending to a wound. Source(s): Former president of Rat Assoc of SW MO, longtime owner of rats

2. justin bieber March 14th, 2010 at 1:11 pm 2

   1. Whatever you like is best! I personally use aspen or hardwood stove pellets. You will want plenty of hammocks 2. Doesn't matter what kind. It does not cause the runs unless it's in very large doses. Bread soaked in olive oil is GREAT for the skin, and makes furred rat's coat's shine! Source(s): ADDED- Olive oil also cuts the buck grease down!