Diet


Before we get started we would like to stress that none of us are animal nutritionists. It is also an extremely complex subject but there are some basic rules that apply that we want to bring up. If you want more information, there is some great detailed information available on the internet.

Just like with people, a good diet is important when it comes to rats. It can play a huge role in keeping your rats healthy. Unfortunately a lot of food found in pet stores marketed as “rat food” is actually completely unsuitable and a lot of people are completely unaware of this.

 

Diets not suitable for rats:

Gerbil/hamster/bird etc food
Rats are rats and have their own specific nutritional needs. Don’t feed food formulated for other species!

Grain/seed mixes for rats
Stay away from grain/seed mixes sold in stores even if labeled as “rat food” – The mixes contain too much fat and protein which can be detrimental to your pets' health. The mixes also let rats pick out what they really want and just like when you give a child free reign to choose their diet, they tend to go for the stuff that isn’t healthy, leaving the few things that might be nutritionally ok, behind.

 

Recommended diets for rats:

Rat blocks
In our opinion the best form of base nutrition for your rat is a good quality rat block. There are various brands available. Some are better than others so read the ingredient lists carefully.

The top brands recommended by most rat owners are:
Harlan Teklad (various formulas available): http://www.harlan.com/
Mazuri : https://www.mazuri.com/indexMazuri.asp
Oxbow Regal Rat (formulated for adult rats only):  http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/

They can be hard to find locally but they are readily available online. Although they are complete diets, it is generally recommended that rat blocks make up about 80% of a rat’s diet, with the rest consisting of mostly fresh (preferably organic) veggies, fruits, some nuts, and a few table scraps (e.g. brown rice, scrambled eggs, whole wheat pasta etc).

Homemade diets
There are various formulas out there for homemade diets. While theoretically it’s a good idea, in practice however it can be hard to determine and make sure that the rats get all the nutrients they need. Also just like with the commercial seed/grain mixes, it is important to check that the rats actually eat everything and don’t just pick out certain things.
If there is no possibility for you to purchase rat blocks, Debbie Ducommun’s Homemade Diet might be an option:
http://www.ratfanclub.org/diet.html

 

Dangerous foods:
Although rats can eat most of what we do, there are a few things that you should avoid as it can seriously harm your rat.

The following should never be given to rats:

  • Bleu cheese – Contains toxic mold
  • Licorice - Contains a suspected neurotoxin
  • Raw dry beans or peanuts - Contain antinutrients, cause red blood cell clumping
  • Raw sweet potato - Contains cyanide-forming compounds
  • Raw red cabbage and Brussels sprouts - Contain an antinutrient that destroys thiamin
  • Raw artichokes - Inhibit protein digestion
  • Green bananas - Inhibit starch digestion
  • Green potato skin and eyes - Contain solanine (toxin)
  • Wild insects - Could carry parasites
  • Rhubarb - High levels of oxalates which bind up calcium
  • Raw bulk tofu - Can contain bacteria (packaged tofu is safe)
  • Orange juice - Contains d-limonene which can cause kidney cancer in male rats
  • Raw onion& garlic - Can lead to anemia and an upset stomach

The following should be fed with caution:

  • Carbonated drinks - Rats can't burp!
  • Chocolate - It contains stimulants that can lead to heart failure or neurological poisoning in high quantities. A bit of chocolate is okay and can actually temporarily alleviate respiratory distress
  • Peanut Butter - This can cause choking in rats.  If you want to give your rats some, mix it with jam or something liquid to make it less sticky.
  • Avocados - These are high in fat and are a good treat to feed rats that are in need of "beefing up" (make sure the fruit is ripe).  However, the pit, rind, skin and leaves of avocados are toxic.  The part of the fruit in contact with the pit has a higher concentration of toxins.
  • Cried corn - It can have high levels of fungal contaminates which can lead to liver cancer.  A little fresh corn is fine.

Other things to watch out for:

  • Mold - This can be toxic.  You wouldn't eat a moldy piece of food so of course you'd never give it to your rat.  Remember grains can go moldy too.
  • Chlorinated Tap Water - Chlorine isn't good for us or our rats. 
  • Household Plants - Here's a list of toxic plants: Plants that are poisonous to small pets.  Be sure your poinsettia and holly are out of reach over the holidays. Note: in some cases, some parts of a particular plant are poisonous (eg. foliage) whereas other parts of the fruit are safe (eg. fruit).

 

Treats:
Treats can be an excellent tool to bond with your rats but also to use in training. A lot of treats sold in stores contain mostly sugar such as Yogies. Make sure to feed them sparingly. There are much healthier alternatives out there that rats enjoy just as much and that can be given more often: Cheerios, puffed rice or other cereal, fresh fruit (bananas, blueberries, grapes etc), nuts etc.

 

I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.
-Mahatma Gandhi