Ratwise Membership

21/04/2024

What’s that?

According to Jaak Panksepp mammals have several top-drawer emotions but only one of them leads to emotions like motivation, pleasure, joy, and satisfaction. He called this the seeking system.

It’s what drives rats to seek food, water, shelter, warmth, social contact, and a mate. It’s the perfect motivational system that ensures their needs are met. Seeking and finding increases the release of several hormones and neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

Offering opportunities for our rats to forage for food, bedding, objects (like stones, feathers, and little shells), and various water sources will increase their felt well-being and pleasure.

11/02/2024

What is your favourite way of enrichment feeding? Is it the simple scatter feeding? Or homemade foraging toys? Or maybe even varied and new foods!🥗

Let us know in the comments!⬇️

24/01/2024

Meet Michelle, one of our lovely members...

"I love that Ratwise is a group of highly ethical keepers that are all together to support and help each other.
I first got rats after researching them for a year prior, I'd wanted rats for so many years but also wanted to be financially stable enough to give them the very best care. I suffer from 2 chronic pain conditions, and my babies make me get up and keep going even on my bad days.
My advice to new owners is this:
Do your research throughly, have a large vet fund, and always try to save until you can purchase everything you need. Make sure you havd the time to dedicate to them, they need to know you, they need at least an hours freeroam, I like to do longer but they won't mind if you have to skip a day every once in a while. Find an ethical breeder off the NFRS list, stay away from pet stores, backyard breeders, and unethical practice. Even though I researched so long, I still made the mistake of getting hairless rats, but I learned fast on how unethical they are, and now I only rescue or use my breeder. We all have made mistakes, but learning from them is what matters most.
Rats are so much fun, they brux, boggle, which is very amusing yet weird when done from being happy. Females in heat are rather funny at times. They leap about if you touch them and their ears vibrate, the full drama queen comes out! Rats love to climb, jump, solve puzzles, and they especially love a little reward after lol. They give so much love to their cage mates and their humans, and that is the most beautiful thing. If they see you coming to the cage, all will come running to greet you except the lazy ones who peer out from their bed."

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas from everyone at Ratwise! This week, we're having 7 days of fun community activities, so there's never been a better time to join...🎄

05/12/2023

Now let's hear from Adele! 😮

"My favourite thing about Ratwise is the rat-centric approach to rat keeping. Neither my mum nor I can remember why I decided I wanted rats, after keeping a multitude of other small furries. I'd never met a rat, none of my friends had them. But off we went to buy a cage and a load of books (because yes, I'm that old that the Internet wasn't really a thing) and the rest, as they say, is history! My advice for new owners is to definitely research first, and go and see people's different setups if you can. I love that rats will help out another rat in distress."

27/11/2023

Fancy a look into ? Well look no further. The first chapter looks at the ancestral diet of the Brown Rat...

What staple component of our dry rat food do you think was NOT part of their ancestral diet? Answer correctly below, and we'll draw 3 names to win a free PDF from the Ratwise website!

13/11/2023

A lovely video review of from !

If you have a review of the new version that you'd be happy with us sharing, please get in touch!

07/11/2023

An updated version of 🐀

19/09/2023

Are you a trailblazer?

Humans are creatures defined by curiosity, creativity, and enjoyment of challenge. It’s what keeps us on a journey of learning and growth. Most of us can look back over the past 10 years of living and point to changes in our understanding and skills. Maybe you learned to drive? Or became fluent in French? Took on a new job? Or started to raise a child?

My journey into rat nutrition is no exception. So much has been learned over the past 10 years and my understanding has grown. This has culminated in the arrival of The NEW Scuttling Gourmet. A book for 2023! A book that’s ready for the next decade of feeding pet rats. A book that’s full of surprises and challenges.

Don’t get left behind.

Buy your copy of The New Scuttling Gourmet on Amazon now.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Scuttling-Gourmet-wholesome-nutrition/dp/B0CHLC7SYS/

01/09/2023

Curious as to what Ratwise members are like? Well, listen up...

"My favourite thing about Ratwise is how we help each other and hang out. It's possible to both learn a lot and make friends. I just had an odd idea of getting into rats, but I loved how they're like tiny dogs. So smart and caring. I love how I continue to learn more about them. My advice is don't ever stop wanting to learn and do better for them, and be sure to have located multiple vets to go to before it's needed. A fun fact about rats? They're addictive. You gotta play the game like it's pokémon and collect 'em all!"

12/08/2023

Are you ready to discover the incredible world of mushrooms?

They are neither plants nor animals.
They can make their own vitamin D when the sun’s UV rays hit them – just like we do. They’re a Nutrient Powerhouse bringing B-group vitamins, selenium, copper, and antioxidants to the table (and the dish)! Mushrooms contain beta-glucans – a special type of soluble fibre that’s an excellent prebiotic.

All these benefits will help to support your rats' immune function, feed their “good” gut bacteria, and keep them feeling energetic and healthy. Mushrooms' adaptogenic properties may even help rats to manage stressful events.

But some mushrooms like shiitake and maitake are superheroes. They are so potent they are considered medicinal. One of their benefits is being rich in ergosterol (the precursor to vitamin D) and many other sterols. They are even linked to longevity.

And to cap (see what I did there) it all, mushrooms are eco-friendly delights: the champions of sustainability! In the “wild” they're fantastic for the environment, aiding in recycling and maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Rats can eat mushrooms daily, either raw or lightly sauteed. Do you have a mushroom dish that we could share with our rats? Comment below – I’d love to try something new!

09/08/2023

Time to meet the next Ratwise member! Today is Sophie's turn, here is what she has to say...

"My favourite things about Ratwise is the fact it is a safe place to ask questions and the educational conversations that happen as a result. Keep rats is something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a small child in the 70s, but my parents drew the line at mice. Now I’m an adult, and I can do what I like. Lol. My advice is to get the largest cage you have space for. Research as much as you can and find a good friendly breeder who can also offer you support and guidance. I love sharing my food with them. They’re extremely pro zero waste 😂 They also give great facial washes."

28/07/2023

As well as getting from A to B, climbing is used as a means of escape, of reaching food, and an explorative practice.

When studied in a semi-naturalistic setting, rats climbed just to see what was “up there.” Researchers also noted that rats will often choose a harder route – e.g., a climb rather than a scamper – for whatever internal reward this gives.

If you are interested in rat behaviour – check out the Ratwise behavioural series of PDFs in the Ratwise store. https://ratwise-store.mykajabi.com/

18/07/2023

Our next member for you to get to know is Emily!

'The invaluable knowledge and support is my favourite thing about Ratwise. I started keeping rats in March of 2020 after wanting them for years! I absolutely fell in love with them and decided to start rescuing them in 2021 after seeing the rewards of rescuing & rehabilitating other animals. I rescued 14 rats during 2021, and they all lived the rest of their life’s with me until the end of 2022. Make sure you research extensively before deciding to start on your journey; there’s still things I’m learning 3 years into my journey! They love you endlessly, even the ones who don’t show it!'

13/07/2023

What does a rats' microbiome need?

Insoluble fibre – this fibre moves through the gut unchanged. It doesn’t absorb fluid. It’s mostly thought of as a bulking agent that helps the transit of food through the gut. Insoluble fibre increases feelings of fullness and therefore can help with weight loss. Examples: cellulose and lignin. Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains, root vegetables, berries, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

Soluble fibre – this fibre absorbs fluid in the gut forming a gel which slows and reduces the absorption of macronutrients, preventing blood sugar spikes and improving the lipid (fat) profile in the blood. Soluble fibres also tend to be preferred by gut bacteria for fermentation and the production of nutrients. Examples: pectin, gums, psyllium, and beta-glucans. Soluble fibre is found in black beans, butter beans, Brussels sprouts, avocado, sweet potato, and broccoli (and many other fruits and vegetables).

Resistant starch – not fibre but it acts like fibre, so, deserves a mention here. Starch is the main type of carbohydrate in the standard rat (or human) diet. Some starch is resistant to digestion (for several reasons) and passes through the gut unchanged. While that might sound a bit pointless, it turns out that to gut bacteria, resistant starch is the good stuff and can be readily fermented. It, therefore, has all the health benefits of soluble fibre and acts like fibre in the gut – slowing down the digestive processes and decreasing appetite. There are several types of resistant starch – one kind is gelatinised starch that is cooked and cooled (cooked, cooled potatoes or rice, for example).

06/07/2023

Cassandra is next up for our meet the members segment!

"My favourite aspect of Ratwise is the depth of group knowledge. There is always someone who has experienced what I’m questioning, and there’s an inclusivity that is comfortable, nonjudgmental, and very welcoming.

We brought home our first rats in 2020. My daughters actually wanted a hedgehog and a bearded dragon. I told them those pets were 'way too exotic'! Little did I know…… My husband suggested rats, having researched a little about their personality, and said 'they have short life spans, so if it’s terrible, we are only on the hook for a few years.' Now that short life span is the most heartbreaking thing about keeping them. I told my family I was hands off with these pets- that my husband would have to be the responsible one…. And yet here I am, years later, having my heart hooked from the first meeting… with a dedicated rat room in my house. 😂

Find a good exotic vet BEFORE you bring them home. Figure out how much an exam and imaging costs at minimum at this practice and save at least that in a vet fund to start. Familiarize yourself with the Rat Guide online, and know where your 24 h exotic vet is. It could be a couple hours away, but you need to know.

I think the rat’s whiskers are fascinating! They create a 3d image around them, help with identifying the air flow from entrance to burrows, the surface of water when swimming, and are as sensitive as a human finger tip. They can 'whisk' at up to 12 sweeps a second. It’s wild!"

21/06/2023

Quoted from The Ratwise Sensing and Perception Series - Whiskers and Whisking:

"Rats interpret their world through the sense of touch, gathering information from millions of nerve endings throughout their skin, but particularly those surrounding sinus hairs, called whiskers.
These nerve endings are often specialised and can sense pressure, velocity (speed and direction), and tension.
Rats can ‘see’ their world through touch, in much the same way a blind human can map a face through touch, the difference being that a rat uses his whiskers and a human, her fingertips.
The ability to make accurate judgements about the immediate environment without relying on sight is a particularly useful skill to have in a species who are at their most active in the semi-dark."

If you are interested in finding out more about the rat's whiskers, check out the PDF in the Ratwise Store: https://ratwise-store.mykajabi.com/offers/v8WpTdrk/checkout

12/06/2023

Choice

All animals need the agency to exercise control over their environment. It has been noted that the perception of control is essential for the mental wellbeing of all pet animals. Choice between options is particularly important for cage animals, like rats, because options provide the opportunity to exercise control and express preference.

Imagine two scenarios.
You have 6 rats in a cage and 1 central hammock amongst lots of ropes, ledges, and toys.
You have 6 rats in a cage and 2 hammocks, a hanging basket, a sputnik, a grass hut and a upturned shoebox on the floor with a door cut in the side (alongside ropes, perches and toys).

In the first scenario if rat 1 doesn’t want to sleep alone, he can join all the other rats who will likely choose to sleep in the hammock. If he wants to sleep alone, he’s probably sleeping on the substrate. Or possibly on a perch if there’s one that’s big enough.

In the second scenario he has 32 options of group combinations that could form around the cage, and 6 places they could sleep, or he could sleep alone and would likely find a bed to do that in. So that is just shy of 200 options for sleeping. Powerful choice.

We can duplicate this with cage litter, bedding, water, food, activities, routes through the cage and so on. For more on choice visit https://shunamiterats.co.uk/

22/05/2023

Snuggling rats are extremely cute!

But physical social connection and interaction are really important elements of staying alive. Rats are social mammals and as such are adapted to a social survival strategy. Connection and interaction enhance and strengthen the bonds between social animals. It is essential that the social group remains cohesive and functional for the social strategy to be successful.

Positive physical contact brings a host of benefits to both the whole group and the individual group member. These could include:
-felt safety,
- decreased stress responses,
- increased mental wellbeing,
- increased resilience,
- staying warm,
- mutual grooming,
- nurturing (care).

Positive social contact stimulates the release of rewarding neurotransmitters like endorphins and oxytocin. This makes it more likely to happen repeatedly.

All of these benefits give rise to many other paybacks for the individual and the social group. Mutual grooming alone is likely to have several benefits:
- pleasure, leading to increased bonding,
- relaxation, which reduces stress,
enhanced coat condition,
- reinforcement of various hierarchies within the group, leading to a reduction in social stress.

14/05/2023

Next up in our 'meet the members' segment is Kate...

" The advice side of things is my favourite thing about Ratwise. My flat mate and I got a pair as students. Some years later, my then husband and I went to look at them in a pet shop (I know) after our hamster died. He wasn’t convinced as he grew up on a farm but as soon as one peed on him he was taken. We brought home 2 ‘boys’ but 3 weeks later we came downstairs one morning to 8 rats. That was around 2005 or 2006, and I’ve not been without them since. My biggest piece of advice is to do your research! And don’t decide to breed ‘because babies are cute’ - it can be heartbreaking and very expensive if things go wrong. A fun fact about rats is that they use their tails for thermoregulation, as well as balance. "

11/05/2023

" Most fear learning takes place during adolescence (regardless of species) under social and environmental influences. This period – when fear is readily learned and committed to long-term memory – is often referred to as the sensitive or critical period. It occurs at different ages in different species – always coinciding with adolescence. In rats, it begins around 5 weeks of age.
Sensitivity is often at its height at the beginning and end of the adolescent period. Indeed, one source described adolescence as “an extreme form of general sensitivity!” Great description. During this period, sensory perception, emotional learning, and fear learning are all at their most vulnerable. "

Taken from the Ratwise Emotion Series - Fear pdf. New Ratwise members get 3 pdfs of their choice free on joining.
https://ratwise.co.uk/what-we-do-at-ratwise/
Or it can be purchased here: https://ratwise-store.mykajabi.com/

05/05/2023

Meet our next Ratwise member! This is Melissa...

"My favourite thing about Ratwise is that its acommunity of people who are passionate about the best care for their rats. I first got rats because i was longing to have pets again and looking for a good pet to have in a small apartment who would also enjoy having a relationship with me. Rats are a great pet for people who have meaningful time to spend with them on a daily basis and a good-sized vet fund! Rats are very curious and intelligent and need stimulation to be fulfilled and satisfied. Rats shouldn't be thought of as a starter pet who doesn't require much energy and time. Rats are great for people who really want to have a strong relationship with their pets. Also, determining if you have a rat savvy vet nearby before getting rats will help you tremendously. I love to tell people that rats are empathetic."

02/05/2023

Rats need 10-12ml of water per 100g of body weight per day when fed a mixed dry diet. The amount varies depending on environmental temperature and humidity. However, the biggest influence on how much they drink is feeding fresh food, which can be up to 96% water! A rat cage set up should always include at least two water sources in case of spillage or malfunction.

Wild rats often prefer living around water and will burrow into the banks of rivers and streams. They are good swimmers, and in coastal areas will dive for shellfish as a primary food source. Pet rats often have to learn to enjoy water and will benefit from access to open water sources such as a crock attached to the cage bars as well as their water bottle.

Given the opportunity, many pet rats will learn to engage and have fun with water, and some may even swim. Fishing for peas in a shallow tray is one way of opening their world to water play. Some rats will use still or running water for bathing and showering. All water play should be voluntary as some rats will actively avoid open water sources.

28/04/2023

Alongside discovering what makes our rats tick, we will be sharing how our members feel about Ratwise! First up is..... Hayley.

"My favourite thing about Ratwise is that it's such a friendly and supportive group with lots of experience and knowledge. I started keeping rats when I was 11, I wanted a hamster, but my aunt told me to instead get a rat as they are more intelligent, so we did. From then on, I loved them. My advice to anyone who wants to start keeping rats is to do a lot of research and be aware it's a long-term commitment that alters your life. You will never stop learning; its not always easy but so worth it. My favourite fact about rats is that they communicate with you and tell you exactly what they want and what they don't."

24/04/2023

Piecing together the ancestral life and diet of the rat is like doing a complicated jigsaw puzzle at a rate of one piece a day. There are clues everywhere – each jigsaw piece – but you kinda have to wait until the next one finds you. So, why bother?

Can we put that question on the shelf for later and ask another one? Who told us that rats should eat a high grain, high carb diet? I mean originally – who decided that? The early laboratories? The pet trade?

I have never heard it questioned before (other than at Ratwise), so I am guessing most of us think it is rat’s truth. I certainly did – until I didn’t.

I believe ancestral diet tells us a different truth. That it’s impossible that rats evolved over their 2.7 million years to eat what we feed them today. Want to know why?

And if you’d like a FREE pdf called When to Supplement Rats, then follow this link and create a free account on the Ratwise store to pick up your downloadable pdf. This link will also be attached to a story and made into a highlight.

https://ratwise-store.mykajabi.com/offers/4ctW6shH

21/04/2023

The holistic rat? Well, I created this model to visually tell the Ratwise story. We are enchanted with the detail of the rat, who they are, where they came from, how they experience the world, and the impact they make on it. And we do it all elbow deep in science, but with a generous sprinkle of fairy dust because if rats are anything, they’re joyful. From the detail of protein in the urine (it’s not just a sign of kidney disease) to the vast expanses of grasslands in Northeast China, where Rattus norvegicus (the brown rat) first emerged 2.7 million years ago, we are following where they take us. Reverse Pied Piper, I’d call it, but they’re too decent to lead us all off to be drowned. Instead, we bound and scurry along behind them, learning. Enjoying them. Enjoying each other. Social rats. Emotional rats. Balanced rats. Sensory rats. Microbial rats. Ancestral rats. Energetic rats.

Ready to learn their secrets?
Ready for a challenge?
Watch this space….

19/04/2023

Welcome to Ratwise!

Follow us to learn and discover more about the pet rat and our mutual relationship.

On this account (and our Instagram), we explore and enjoy the pet rat - what makes them tick, our mutual relationship, and more!

The Ratwise membership community is currently housed over on Facebook, a group you can access once you join. There are lots of members-only resources like informational PDFs and videos, Zoom calls, fun events and challenges, as well as a place to give and get thoughtful and science-based advice.

Go to the link in our bio to find out more!

02/09/2021

Brilliant news - this could be real progress for reducing numbers 💜
https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/ratlas-a-new-rodent-brain-atlas-set-to-revolutionize-neuroscience-352231

The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) have announced the launch of Ratlas, an atlas of the rat brain that has been developed to revolutionise and support vital experiments on the health and disorders of brain function.