In the wild rats eat baby mice mostly. They are easier prey than adult mice. Wild rats will also eat the young of other field rodents such as voles.
My hooded rats have always been large enough and strong enough to kill and eat full grown mice but I'm always careful when I let them out of their cages for exercice, so that they never come into contact with wild animals and their parasites. My pet rats are clean! Delousing them means costly vet fees and pharmaceuticals.
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Date: 2010-02-16 07:51 pm (UTC)My hooded rats have always been large enough and strong enough to kill and eat full grown mice but I'm always careful when I let them out of their cages for exercice, so that they never come into contact with wild animals and their parasites. My pet rats are clean! Delousing them means costly vet fees and pharmaceuticals.