The Scuttling Gourmet
I wrote the 1st edition of The Scuttling Gourmet back in 2002, then the 2nd edition (an update) in 2005. Both of these were fairly simplistic overviews of rat diet.
Edition three in 2010 was an entire re-write, basically a new book reflecting the snowballing of knowledge, understanding and practice over the previous 5 years. In 2015 the 4th edition was published essentially as another print run (we had run out!) I took the opportunity to assess the content and make some minor revisions - primarily to the human cereal section, to bring it bang up to date.
The new book (3rd/4th editions) is a massive 324 pages, and includes a heavy gauge card cover in full colour and a central eight-page spread of colour photographs. It takes an entirely new approach, being split into chapters based on specific aims in feeding rats. These comprise:
- General principles of rat nutrition
- Understanding ingredients: Part one - cereal grains
- Understanding ingredients: Part two - legumes, meat, seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruit and herbs
- Commercially prepared mixes and reviews
- The Shunamite diet and other mixes
- Feeding for reproduction and growth
- Feeding for longevity, well-being and in old age
- Feeding for health: prevention and treatment
- Weight management
- Feeding for vitality and condition
- Feeding for pleasure, interest and enrichment
- Recipes
- Antinutrients and food to feed with caution
The book provides a comprehensive guide to wholesome nutrition for rats, and includes such topics as calorie restriction, scatter feeding, specialised diets to help in the treatment of illness, the soya debate and dietary deficiencies. It contains quotations, anecdotes and information from many sources, as well as representing many hundreds of hours of my own research and reading into the subject and it is well referenced throughout.
I have also indexed these editions, in the hope of making information easier to access in specific situations.
Finding a copy
If you would like to purchase a copy of The Scuttling Gourmet (Edition 4) it is available from me directly, if you can pay by PayPal or bank transfer. The price is £12.00 and P&P is £3.00
The Scuttling Gourmet Edition 4 is also available from Rat Rations and some UK rat clubs.
Articles on rat nutrition
Feeding to support the immune system
The general principles of feeding rats
Feeding a Shunamite type diet
Feeding for pregnancy, lactation and growth
Rat Café - Aiming at Peak condition
Rat Café - Keeping cool
Rat Café - Fatness to fitness
Rat Café - Autumn revelries
