Mom-ninja. Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 So far none of the books I've read on rat care have given specifics for food. Just lists fruits, veggies, and grains. Is there anything in particular that a rat shouldn't eat? For example dogs shouldn't eat grapes. What should I *not* give the rats? What are rat faves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Haven't you watched Charlotte's Web? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAUEOlSpVN4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 We buy rat food at the pet store for day to day feeding. For special treats, our rat likes most anything: bananas, strawberries, blueberries, all kinds of nuts, carrots, bell peppers, squash. Popcorn is her absolute favorite. If we make it she smells it and goes nutso in her cage. She did not like kumquats :tongue_smilie: At the pet store we were told not to give her celery, but I don't remember why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 :bigear::bigear::bigear::lurk5::lurk5::lurk5: It seems we will also be soon rat owners, so listening in here! Any great rat sites? Like that great hermit crab care site? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cave canem Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 your rats may vary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Place frozen (unthawed) peas into a bowl of water. They will stand on the edge and bob for them. They love it, and it is so cute to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Place frozen (unthawed) peas into a bowl of water. They will stand on the edge and bob for them. They love it, and it is so cute to watch. That does sound fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendybird Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 One of our favorite things to do was put the empty(as in not enough for another sandwhich) peanut butter jars in their cage. They would scamper all over it cleaning it bare. Very cute. They also loved instant oatmeal packets. Just put the whole packet in and they would shred the paper and eat, lining their nest with the shreds after they were done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Doesn't the nut butter get all over them? I guess they clean themselves after? We just gave them grapes. They loved them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Haven't you watched Charlotte's Web?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAUEOlSpVN4 My rats are so much cuter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 My daughter says no chocolate or alcohol. (She said she read this online somewhere.) I say, only half jokingly, that our rats are spoiled. Their favorite snacks are carrots, grapes, strawberries, pancakes, corn muffins, bananas. The also got a bite of avocado once! Spoiled rats!! My daughter is in charge of the rats and their care. She has been very responsible with them, we have had them for almost a year now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughing Hen Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 As stated above, no chocolate or alcohol. Also nothing overly sweet, and go easy on the salty stuff. Meats are okay, but vegetarian ratties smell nicer. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 My daughter says no chocolate or alcohol. Now why would I waste chocolate and alcohol on rats? Those are MINE. :lol: So they can eat baked goods? I would not have thought of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 As stated above, no chocolate or alcohol. Also nothing overly sweet, and go easy on the salty stuff. Meats are okay, but vegetarian ratties smell nicer. ;) Welcome to the Hive! I feel honored your first post was my rat thread. :D So are banana chips okay? They do have sugar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughing Hen Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Welcome to the Hive! I feel honored your first post was my rat thread. :D Thanks! Been lurking for years, decided it was time. ;) So are banana chips okay? They do have sugar. Oh, sure! No cotton candy, peanut brittle, etc. - they don't make rattie toothbrushes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Now why would I waste chocolate and alcohol on rats? Those are MINE. :lol: So they can eat baked goods? I would not have thought of that. Yes, who would want to waste those on rats? :lol::lol::lol: They get baked goods with low sugar content for special occasions, not an everyday snack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Rats are omnivores and do need some meat based nutrition. They don't need a lot but a little seafood really helps keep them healthy. Some folks give them occasional bites of dog food (my rat did not like it). I ended up giving her tiny slivers of tuna or shrimp. She really liked cooked shrimp tails from the shrimp I cooked for dinner (wash off all the spices/salts first) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Along with the food pellets from the store, I've always given my rats dinner leftovers. Mostly the vegetables, with bits of meat and bread. They also love mealworms. You can buy live ones from most bigger pet stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Rats are omnivores and do need some meat based nutrition. They don't need a lot but a little seafood really helps keep them healthy. Some folks give them occasional bites of dog food (my rat did not like it). I ended up giving her tiny slivers of tuna or shrimp. She really liked cooked shrimp tails from the shrimp I cooked for dinner (wash off all the spices/salts first) What about cooked eggs? A bit of scrambled eggs? How often? They can eat the shrimp tails? I'd be afraid of choking or puncture like why you shouldn't give dogs chicken bones and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Forgot to add...avoid corn. When we acquired our latest rat (adorable Calliope :)) we were told that corn is very hard for them to digest and to avoid processed pet foods that listed corn as the first ingredienent. We are already buy corn-free food for the dog (way improved behavior w/o corn). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) What not to feed rats: http://www.rattiemattiesrattery.com/foodnonosmore.htm We're in the middle of our fourth year owning rats. They are smart and cute but very short-lived; my vet says that they are "1000 day pets" and he's pretty much right. What we feed our rats: We used to feed rat blocks but the jury is out on them right now and I decided to just wait and see. One local breeder is saying she suspects the high soy content in the most popular brands is shortening rats' lives: http://www.camarattery.com/maindiet.htm So, we're taking a break from those. That, of course, is one breeder's opinion, and not backed up by real research that I know of, and many say the blocks are the best. If you feed rat blocks, go for the Harland ones (http://thegroomedrattery.com/native-earth-4018-rat-food-review) or Regal Rat (http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=1547). I've never tried the Mazuri blocks but hear they are also good: They are both considered "complete food" but I think rats need a little fresh produce to round it out. What I do instead is make a mix that I keep in a big Rubbermaid gallon container. The mix varies a little based on what I have and I've never measured it out (you know, a handful of this, a shake of that) but it contains: Organic puffed cereal (millet, rice, wheat, kamut, etc. -- often a mix). Total flakes or other low- or no-sugar flake that has added vitamins Old fashioned oats (dry of course) Some raisins or other dried fruit (such as blueberries, etc.) A handful of almonds (sparingly...) Some dry pasta (usually whole wheat and organic) Sunflower seeds (in hull or not, low- or no-salt) And a handful or two of these bird foods: http://www.petco.com/product/107968/ZuPreem-AvianMaintenance-FruitBlend-Bird-Diet-for-Large-Birds.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch and http://www.petco.com/product/116437/ZuPreem-AvianMaintenance-NutBlend-Premium-Bird-Diet-for-Medium-And-Large-Birds.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch and http://www.petco.com/product/116438/ZuPreem-AvianMaintenance-VeggieBlend-Premium-Bird-Diet-for-Medium-And-Large-Birds.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch I'll add the ends of the cereal boxes of "good" cereals (Cheerios, not Lucky Charms!) and the ends of things such as a bag of nuts with just a few crumbs left. Whatever... Our rats get a blueberry doggy treat each day. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3089747 Scraps of table food now and then. Not too salty, fat, or sweet. We try to avoid food additives, preservatives, colors, etc. Also, too much protein is not good for them so we go easy on chicken, egg, etc. but they DO get it. A yogurt treat once a week. They love them. Most pet stores carry them and the rats like the fruit flavor better. They are not really healthy food but I figure one a week is sheer pleasure and won't hurt: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3083134 I don't feed the seed-based blends from the pet stores. Often, they've sat around too long and are not fresh. And, often rats will pick out their favorite foods and end up with an unbalanced diet. Plus, many have dried corn, which is a cheap ingredient, but tends to grow mold or alfatoxins. But, a friend of mine had a rat that ate a seed blend and lived to nearly 3. So, I guess it's okay... Yes, they love peanut butter. But be careful because it can choke a rat and a choking takes a long time to clear. Watch the rats with it and please don't assume that a certain rat is "good with it" because as that rat ages, she can become more choky with stuff. They like cooked plain pasta -- again, whole wheat is best, but if you are having white pasta, save them a piece or two. They need fresh produce. We feed our rats bits of bananas, apples, carrots, broccoli, melon, etc. Cooked corn is okay even though dried corn isn't. However, cooked corn lacks a lot of nutrition. Our parakeets like broccoli slaw and the rats get that too. That's easy and you don't need to cut up broccoli to get it! Fresh water daily. I like the water bottles because rats can't poop or pee in them. However, sometimes a bottle fails and the little ball gets stuck (rat can't take a drink) or the bottle leaks everywhere (bedding gets wet and rat can't take a drink) so put up two bottles and chances are one will work just fine. And, they DO love "fishing for peas." Rats cannot burp, so never anything carbonated. They cannot vomit, so never anything that you are not sure of the freshness of. If they eat something "bad" they won't eat it again (or so I read...). So if you give them a moldy strawberry and it makes them feel sick, they will avoid all strawberries. Be warned, they do fart. A 10 ounce rat can clear a room for 20 minutes with one well-orchestrated toot. Avoid salted foods, fatty foods, additives, colors, and anything too processed. Too much protein is bad. Oh, and they don't do well with dairy. Maybe a smidge now and then but not a big ol' hunk of cheddar. Sometimes when I eat a yogurt I give the rats my "empty" container or dish and let them lick it clean. Maybe once a week. And sick rats often will eat real whipped cream (not Cool Whip) out of a squirt can when they will eat nothing else. Oh, I know this is a food thread, but sometimes newer rat owners don't know: 1) Don't use pine or cedar (aka "softwood") bedding. Use a hardwood, pellet or paper bedding. And if one of your rats is wheezy or sneezy, try a different one because sometimes dust from one type bugs a rat but the next type is okay. 2) Try to not use a glass aquarium with a cage topper. Rats that hang out or sleep on the bottom level often don't get really fresh air. Go for a cage that has wire sides at all levels. Try to avoid mesh floors due to a bumblefoot infection risk. Look for either plastic floors or line the mesh floors with newspaper (unless your rats move it around too much) or cut a piece of plastic to fit (tie it down if needed). 3) Rats are very social and need other rat buddies 24/7. Get at least a pair of rats. Better yet, get three or four if your cage is large enough. http://www.ratclub.org/cgi-bin/cage3.cgi I've rattled on way too long. I can't believe you read this much... Edited July 21, 2012 by Bassoonaroo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 What about cooked eggs? A bit of scrambled eggs? How often? They can eat the shrimp tails? I'd be afraid of choking or puncture like why you shouldn't give dogs chicken bones and such. I never tried eggs but I don't see why not. Yes, she gnaws on the shrimp tails like a dog does on a bone. She doesn't always consume the whole thing. I have never had a problem with her choking, she is a picky (and delicate) eater. :lol: The shrimp tail idea came from my vet. There is something in shrimp (iron or b12 or niacin) that is a good supplement for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 One of the best websites is http://www.ratfanclub.org/. She also has a Yahoo Group. From her website regarding foods that rats should avoid: Generally, if you would eat a food, you can give it to your rats. Here are some exceptions and notables: raw dry beans or peanuts—contains antinutrients that destroy vitamin A and enzymes needed to digest protein and starches, and causes red blood cells to clump. Roasted peanuts are fine. raw sweet potato—contains compounds that form cyanide in the stomach. Canned sweet potato is cooked and is fine. green bananas—inhibits starch-digesting enzymes green potato skin and eyes—contain solanine, a toxin wild insects—can carry internal parasites and diseases raw bulk tofu—can contain bacteria; packaged raw tofu is safe orange juice—forbidden for male rats only, d-limonene in the skin oil, which gets into the orange juice during squeezing, can cause kidney damage and kidney cancer due to a protein that only male rats have in their kidneys. Pieces of the orange fruit are okay if you wash the orange-skin oil off of it after peeling it. My rattie girls LOVE: hard-boiled eggs (occasionally; crack but leave the shell on) blueberries chicken cheerios sunflower seeds grapes green beans raisins, craisins, and dates oats coconut oil (just a little dollop and they go CRAZY for it) seaweed (especially Nori) broccoli Dubia roaches (I breed these for my rats and reptiles) Superworms (I breed these for my rats and reptiles) I also keep Ox-Bow Regal Rat blocks in the cage at all times. Mine do not like strawberries. Personally, I don't feed cheese. I know it's one of those stereotypical rat foods but I've never read anything good about it. Their big treat about once a week is a carob chip dog cookie from the pet store. I buy them in bulk and they get one after I do their big cage clean every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Bassoonaroo, Just wanted to say that you. are. awesome. All excellent information. I love other ratty moms who are just as "neurotic" about their care as I am. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmulcahy Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Place frozen (unthawed) peas into a bowl of water. They will stand on the edge and bob for them. They love it, and it is so cute to watch. We tried this last night with our pet rat, Maurice. He did not know what to do. He walked around in the bowl of water, grabbed a pea, and munched away. He did enjoy the pea:D I am curious as to what type of bowl you used. Maybe that made the difference:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Just a note on chocolate, for what it's worth. If you have a rat in respiratory distress, you can give it a nibble of very dark chocolate and it will help to ease the breathing until you can make it to a vet or get some meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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