Hey, hey! We're now listed on www.petfinder.com so that must mean we are cool! I added a Petfinder tab below the adoptable rats tab. It's redundant, but...I wanted to! Maybe I'll take it off again when I'm done being excited. Actually, listing the rats on Petfinder made me come up with some sentences to describe each rat so the majority of our rats have the same description under their main picture on their individual page. That's not confusing. Click rat pictures and look for words, you'll find it eventually.

Additionally, we are now listed on The Rat Fan Club's adoption page. Woot!

Today I added a page under the Questions Answered page about rat introductions. It's not an easy subject to write about because each introduction is different. I've had many rats that we were able to just plop in an existing cage and everyone's fine. I've had others where a rat gets sliced open. I've had rats that slept through the night together in a hammock wake up and remember that one hates the other one.

So the best I can say on this subject is take your time and read before acting.

Today, I added the Questions Answered page under the Education tab. I decided I wanted somewhere to direct people when they have some of the more common questions about rat ownership. My answers are not the last word on the subject, but rather what I understand of it at this time. Most of the time links are included for you to conduct your own research.

I also added a link on the housing page to reviews of the Critter Nation by our adopters.

While I may tweak things or add something down the road, I feel that most things are in place.

Today, I added the adoption application file to the adoption page.

I added wording on the various galleries indicating you can click a picture to get more information.

I finished the adopted rats tab. I added a tab for adopter pictures and a way to send new ones to me. Please try it so I can test it!

I added the boarding information document to the boarding tab.

I updated the About Us tab and added a goofy temp picture of myself until I take one with rat(s) on my shoulders.

I added the Veterinarian tab and the Health tab. I updated the links tab to include books.

I still have to get in and index the pages to optimize them for search engines, but you won't see that part.

So, I'm about done for now! If you see anything I should be aware of or wish I would add something, please use the contact form and let me know.

Updated the Links page.

I added a few foods in the unsafe and caution lists. They're not on Debbie Ducommun's list but the list I found sounded good enough to listen to. I'll post the list here so you can read the reasoning behind it for yourself.

Here is a list of foods and their effect on rats. This is not to be considered a complete listing, just a guideline. Please feed your rats responsibly.

Bitter Almond – Bitter almonds may yield from 6 to 8% of hydrogen cyanide, a deadly substance.

Blue Cheese – Contains Toxic Mold

Fats (from meats) – Rats do not have gall bladders and therefore they do not have the enzymes needed to digest the fat of meat

Green Bananas - Inhibits starch digestion

Green Potato Skin and Eyes - Contains solanine, a toxin

Licorice - Contains a suspected neurotoxin

Orange Juice - May contain d-limonene which can cause kidney cancer in male rats

Poppy Seeds - Can cause neurological damage, or may cause death!

Raw Artichokes – Inhibits protein digestion

Raw Bulk Tofu – May contain bacteria (packaged tofu is safe)

Raw Dry Beans or Peanuts - Contain anti-nutrients, causes red blood cell clumping (note: the peanuts that you buy in stores are almost always roasted so are okay. Frozen beans from veggie mixes are okay because they have been pre-cooked)

Raw Onion - Can lead to anemia and an upset stomach

Raw Red Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts - Contains an anti-nutrient that destroys thiamin

Raw Sweet Potato – Contains cyanide-forming compounds

Rhubarb - Contains high levels of oxalates which bind up calcium

Wild Insects - May carry parasites




Foods to be Used with Caution When Feeding Your Rat

Apples – Apples are fine, except for the seeds. Apple seeds contain a cyanide derivative that is deadly.

Avocados - Avocados are high in fat and are a good treat to feed rats that need to gain weight quickly (make sure the fruit is ripe). However, the pit, rind, skin and leaves of avocados are toxic. The part of the fruit in contact with the pit has a higher concentration of toxins.

Carbonated Drinks – Rats Can’t Burp!

Carob – Contains vitamin A, B vitamins, and lots of protein. Contains vitamin A, B vitamins, and lots of protein. Carob pods have been used to treat diarrhea for centuries. Carob should be taken with plenty of water. Too much Carob will produce the opposite effect and cause constipation.

Chocolate – Contains stimulants that can lead to heart failure or neurological poisoning in high quantities. A very small bit of chocolate is okay and can actually temporarily alleviate respiratory distress.

Dried Corn - Can have high levels of fungal contaminates which can lead to liver cancer. Make sure to inspect commercial seed mixes with dried corn. A little fresh corn is fine.

Iceberg Lettuce - Full of water (which can be good), but has no nutritional value

Peanut Butter – This can cause choking in rats. If you want to give your rats peanut butter, mix it with jam or something liquid to make it less sticky, or spread it in some bread.

Plums – Good source of potassium, Vitamin A and fiber. The pit of the Plum has cyanogens in it, which are bound molecules of sugar and cyanide. When this bond is broken, the cyanide becomes free and able to act. The cyanogens don’t leak at all into the flesh of the fruit, for some reason, but should it ever occur to you to try fermenting Plum pits, or to break them up and roast them as snack food, it might not be such a great idea.