#general care

[ratoiogy]

Do you have any advice for new rat owners?

That’s a very broad ask, haha! I think the most helpful advice that I personally wish someone had told me when I first started rat-keeping:

They won’t hate you if you don’t have the energy to let them run around.

Invest in a bigger cage to begin with. Rat math happens Quickly.

Do your own research and don’t implicitly trust what the vet says. Many vets have been out of school for a long time, and are not necessarily up to date on the most recent accepted methods.

You can usually panhandle free rat syringes from your vet. Never be afraid to ask for extra supplies of something for your backup kits. (Metacam, baytril, amox, etc.)

Spend as MUCH time with them as you can. Their lives are short, and it only takes 20 minutes out of your day to brighten up the entirety of theirs.

[shoutyfish]

“bettas only need 1-2 gallon tanks, they dont like swimming and theyre not active” hhHHHH if ur FISH, ur AQUATIC animal, doesnt like SWIMMING, its a SICK FISH

[ratoiogy]

I keep seeing this topic pop up in rat discussions, Facebook pages, etc., so I thought I’d just address it here since it seems to be a popular debate. Most people are taught pretty much from a young age that onions, chocolate, chicken bones, grapes/raisins are bad for dogs. Many people have/had dogs growing up and throughout their lives, so this turned into a blanket statement along the way to mean that ALL animals cannot have those things, without knowing WHY. Many people have taken this as gospel, and will absolutely never feed their rats any of the above things, even going so far as to accuse people of killing their pets if another person chooses to do so. Being protective of your pets is good, but being educated is better! I try to lay out my research as coherently as possible, but feel free to send any questions since the diet debate is tricky! 

Onions (+ A side note on garlic) -- Onions are naturally antifungal and somewhat antibacterial, and occur in many baby foods. When consumed, raw onions can cause anemia, and will quickly kill a small animal. Cooked onions, while slightly better, still contain n-propyl disulphide, the component that causes the death of red blood cells. While a taste of cooked onion will not kill a rat, it may give them an upset stomach, if any side-effects at all. Garlic contains up to five times more n-propyl disulphide, and should be avoided more strongly than onion.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18307506

Chocolate -- The main concern in chocolate is theobromine, something that dogs metabolise slower than humans and rats/mice/hamsters, and it builds up in their system to produce the toxic levels. Rats/mice/hamsters all have proven to metabolise the theobromine at a safer, more normal speed, and dark chocolate has proven to be beneficial in small animals with an upper respiratory infection, acting as a natural bronchodilator.   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0041008X79902850 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1091581810383587

Chicken Bones --  I personally prefer cooked bones, just because they’re slightly more convenient on my end to acquire. However, rats can and will eat raw meat and bone, and will happily accept whatever bone you give them. The main concern with cooked bones and dogs is that dogs will crunch down on it, whereas rats grind it down. Splinters and sharp ends are not usually a concern, and bones can be removed when the rats have shredded the bone down to as small as you trust them with. I don’t have any particular study on this one, just personal preference and experience. 

Grapes/raisins-- From my research, no one really knows exactly what in grapes makes them so toxic to dogs, causing acute renal failure in a 2008 study on dogs. In rats, the resveratrol in the grapes are an antioxidant and promote the healthy growth of red blood cells, as well as offering protection against cardiovascular diseases. If you breed your rats, grapes have also been shown to promote larger sperm counts in males.  https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/135/4/757/4663768 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006295203009584 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2005.tb02744.x

Also a fun blurb on the citrus debate: While yes, d-limonene in citrus skin will cause kidney tumours, diabetes, lethargy, hair loss and in extreme cases, cancer in male rats, it is noted that the study was providing rats with upwards of ~1,650mg/kg per day before results began to show the toxicity. Unless you plan on feeding your rats with nothing but citrus all day everyday, your male rats will not die if they sneak a slice of orange, or if they are given one.  https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/51a9/a107c4bea94b31311f77d446e941fa98a94d.pdf http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/51/13/3512.short

[shoutyfish]

hermit crabs and the truth

hermits are often seen as the perfect pet to teach kids responsibility - perceived as low maintenance, cheap, and easy to care for, and neither are they social so you’ll only have to get one!

well folks every bit of that info is a whopping no!

firstly, understand that 99% of hermit crabs are wild caught. they’re extremely difficult to breed in captivity and you will likely NEVER find a captivity-bred hermit crab in a pet store. this is why hermit crabs are increasingly harder to find at stores, a lot of them have stopped selling them bc buying wild caught animals in bulk is mercifully more money than most chain stores are willing to dish out.

in the wild, hc’s  live in pods of 100 other crabs or more. they are EXTREMELY social animals, and having them alone can lead them to depression, starvation,and lethargy. they need at least one other friend to have. it’s also important to note that it’s perfectly normal for hermits to appear to be “fighting” ie climbing over each other, picking at each other. hermits have poor eyesight and climbing on each other is simply how they get to know each other. this is never a reason to separate them.

hermits are also, frankly, expensive to care for and a lot of work. they require a lot of humidity(they will SUFFOCATE in dry air), a 15gal+ tank, a heating lamp, a basking area, and a varied diet. you’ll also have to keep buying them bigger shells, as they are molting crabs, and forcing them to stay in the same shell you got them in will cause them to outgrow it and, yes, they will die. keeping in mind that natural hermit crab shells are pretty difficult to find - locally, anyway.

this post is not a care sheet nor a guide to caring for hermit crabs. i’ve  given some basic information, but it is NOT the main point of this post.

here is why you probably shouldn’t adopt that hermit with the vibrant pretty shell:

hermits are caught in bulk and then processed into shelters that FORCIBLY crack open their natural brown shells. they’re then thrown naked into tubs with the  shells covered in bright paints that are toxic to a hermit’s skin and stress them out bc bright colors = drawing a predator’s attention. this forces them to move into those harmful shells, and in the meantime they’re being plowed and buried by hundreds of other hermit crabs, many suffocating and unable to eat or drink. 

if you see a hermit crab with an unnaturally colored shell, do NOT purchase it. hermits are one of the most misunderstood and abused aquarium pets on the market.  this is evidenced by the typical 3 months-1 year that they live in captivity vs the FIFTY+ Y E A R S that they live in the wild. even WITH all  the proper care.

speaking of proper care, here are some resources for prospect hermit crab owners: 1 // 2 // molting info 

i know there’s a big discourse on whether you should buy dying/abused animals to save them or leave them be so the store doesn’t make money off of them. i typically stray towards “point out to the employee the animal is dying and get it for free so they dont get money”, but when it comes to hermits, i stay strictly with just don’t buy vibrantly color shelled ones. if you’re going to get one, find one with a natural shell. it’s usually a good indication that the animal was never forced to move under intensely stressful conditions, and will greatly lengthen their life spans.

thx 

[shoutyfish]

general betta fish care / common myths

there's a lot of myths fueled by pet store employees floating around about bettas, so the more this kind of information is spread, the better. as always i encourage everyone whose looking into fishkeeping does THOROUGH research long before getting the fish and do NOT rely on pet store employees to give u accurate information.

MYTHS TO NEVER BELIEVE

"bettas aren't good swimmers or active so they don't need big tanks and are perfectly happy in a little bowl or a flower vase"

"they're super hardy and resilient so don't worry about tank cycling"

"bettas like dirty water so don't worry about cleaning either'

"live and frozen fish food arent good for everyday feeding"

"bettas can't be kept with other fish ever bc they are extremely aggressive and will kill anything with a pulse"

(we're gonna debunk all of these (: )

the first thing that should be in your possession long before adding the fish is the tank. a lot of fishkeepers think 2.5gallons is the minimum, but personally i think 5 gallons is the minimum. 10 gallons works best. to reference, 2.5 is the minimum by AMERICAN standards, which are outdated, so many people choose to go by germany's standards instead because it's proven to be a lot more successful & up-to-date.​​​​​​​ 

a 5 gallon tank is the minimum that i recommend, but 2.5 gallons are ok.

10 gallon tanks work best. the bigger your tank, the more likely your betta will grow to maximum size & beauty, the less likely chance of stunting growth.

also, 10 gallon tanks are much easier to maintain and establish a cycle, and you can even start an albeit small community tank with them. (with tank mates compatible with your betta & small enough to not outgrow a 10gal. but community tanks are a topic for  another day)

properly cycled tanks reduce disease risk & encourage longevity in your betta's lifespan (i will make another post about the nitrogen cycle bc that's a lot)

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

a filter! nothing with a strong flow, though. bettas are not very good swimmers! (tip: when cleaning your tank, never rinse the filter media! it kills beneficial bacteria & basically starts your cycle all over)

a heater - bettas thrive best in 78-82 degrees F.

an aquarium thermometer

water conditioner. i recommend seachem prime - it's the BEST out there and contains helpful nutrients that get rid of bad bacteria & ammonia.

bottled bacteria, if necessary. helps kickstart the cycle of your tank.

pH and ammonia testing kits

gravel syphon for cleaning & maintenance

a net to fish out uneaten food

gravel/substrate. (tip: measure how much u need by laying the bags out across the tank box. it should fit evenly across it long-ways)

decorations!! don't get plastic plants, they can harm ur betta's fins. if ur getting fake deco, try to find silk ones or very soft ones. bettas like to  be divas so make that shit pretty as hell & give them lots of places to hide. marimo moss balls are good for helping tank filtration & super easy to care for if ur interested in live plants!

INTRODUCING YOUR BETTA TO YOUR TANK​​​​​​​ 

acclimation and tank cycling are still CRITICAL to a betta's life and happiness. it's true that they are resilient fish that are easy to take care of, but like any fish, they have vital comfort needs & are still going to get diseases if you don't care for your water quality! 

1. when you first bring home your betta, do your final check on those water parameters. do an ammonia test in the fish's cup water to see just how much of a battle the pet store caretakers made for you.  almost 100% of the time the ammonia levels will be in the danger zone.

2. this is why acclimation is so very critical. start small and take your time. empty out a bit of the cup water, add a bit of your tank water. empty out a bit more of the cup water, add a bit more of your tank water - with about 3-5 minutes in between takes. keep doing this until you have replaced most if not all of the filthy pet store cup water. (WARNING: WATCH FOR SIGNS OF SHOCK WHILE YOU ARE DOING THIS. CLAMPED FINS, THE "SHAKES", FLOATING ON ITS SIDE, ETC ARE ALL SIGNS THAT YOU NEED TO ABSOLUTELY SLOW DOWN & LEAVE THE FISH ALONE FOR A COUPLE HOURS.)

3. now float your betta. you can put them in a bag if it's easier, otherwise you can just hold the cup in the tank. let the temperature adjust & let your lil guy/gal get their first glimpses of their new home. do this for a minimum of 10 minutes

4. gently tip the cup into the water & let the beast free! continue watching for signs of shock and keep a close eye on them & your water parameters for the first couple days.

FEEDING

frozen  or live brine shrimp, bloodworms, & mosquito larvae are betta favorites. when handling frozen food always rinse it out before putting it in the tank - most of the time the food is frozen in water that becomes really gross and murky. dried bloodworms also work very well. for flakes and pellets, i always recommend Omega One betta buffet flakes/pellets because their food is all natural and contains no additives/"meals" (tip: don't buy any food that lists something followed by the word  "meal" in the ingredients; it's basically heavily processed food).

do NOT overfeed. honestly underfeeding is better than overfeeding. you should feed your betta once a day with as much food as they can eat in about 2 minutes. have them fast one day a week to clear their digestive system. their stomachs are smaller than their eyeballs, so really, DON'T overfeed. it can cause a lot of incurable issues AND mess with your water quality

remove any uneaten food, or if you have bottomfeeders in your tank let them have at it

bettas will literally eat six #12s, 7 medium fries and a large shake if you let them. dont let those big black eyes trick you lmao

if you have a very young betta (5-10 weeks old) feed them twice a day instead of just once. brine shrimp eggs are especially tasty for fry but if your lil guy is big enough, they can eat regular frozen brine shrimp. meaty products filled with protein help  them grow the best. (bettas are full grown at 11 weeks, here is a size chart to determine your adolescent betta's age)

COMPATIBLE TANK MATES

note that even if it worked out for everyone and you've gotten 800 recommendations, things can STILL go wrong when keeping bettas with other fish.  ALWAYS be prepared for an emergency move. also note that sometimes things can work perfectly fine for the  first couple months and then go to shit within a couple seconds, especially when pairing young bettas with other fish. young bettas develop, you know, hormones at some point and start getting supa territorial.

also, please make sure you have the proper tank size to keep any of these fish together. i've included their adult sizes & my recommended tank size if you were to keep nothing but the betta and this species in the tank. this WILL vary.

clown plecos - 4" full grown - algae eaters - 20 gallon tank size min.

pygmy corydoras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (you will need 6 or more of these) - 15 gallon tank size min.

ember tetras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (again, 6+) - 15 gallon tank size min.

rasboras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (again, 6+) - 15 gallon tank size min.

mystery snails - 2" full grown - plant-safe snail, doesn't reproduce asexually - 5 gallon tank min.

ghost shrimp - 1.5" full grown - social shrimp (3-4 of these, any more can lead to breeding) - 10 gallon tank min.

feeder guppies - 1" full grown - normal, can live in schools but not necessary - 10 gallon tank min (larger recommended for schools)

corydoras - 2.5" full grown est. - algae eaters - 15 gallon tank min.

and there are many, many more but these are what has, to me, at least, been the least problematic tank mates for bettas. all of these fish have something about them that would deter an aggressive betta's attention, such as the armor plating on clown plecos & dull colors of the pygmy corydoras and feeder guppies.

okay, so i think this covers all the basics! if you guys have any questions, please ask! and if you have anything to add, please do! thanks for reading & happy fishkeeping xxx

[grub-garden]

General caregiving guide: Vriskas

Typical Stature: Vriskas range anywhere from 2-2.5 feet tall with heavily variable weights and muscle build

Diet: vriskas eat bugs like there's no tomorrow, though they enjoy just about any food you give them.

Temperament: vriskas are the most 'confrontational' of the troll types. They deliberately take steps to frustrate and antagonize their caretakers if they feel they aren't getting what they want. Namely: attention. Vriskas thrive in the spotlight no matter why that light is on them.

Preferred Environment: Vriskas thrive when around other trolls, though it's important that the trolls they are around have a good sense of self worth and importance otherwise they tend to get steamrolled and goded into misbehaving when they wouldn't normally. So their ideal environments involve lots of other people/trolls but with enough one on one time with their caretakers that their attention needs are met

Enrichment: vriskas love playing complicated games of pretend with other trolls, or really anyone who will join them. Dice games are a favorite of vriskas as well as they can be quite the dice goblins. New shiny and interesting dice are excellent enrichment. [The eight sideds are their favorites]

Lifespan: 88 years to 888 no in-between.

Caretaking Tips: setting firm boundaries and making your vriska aware of them is a must. They will push the rules wherever they can and once you cut them slack it's over. However this should go without saying but physical dicapline is never a step you should be taking with any troll ever.

[fimshospitals]

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