Diet
The Main Diet
There are several types of diets that are available for small animals. The first and most prominent is a “rodent mix” that claims to be sufficient for all pocket pets including hamsters, mice and rats. Mixes are not a good idea for rats because they will often pick out what they like and leave the rest behind, resulting in a not-so-balanced diet. Then there are rodent blocks. This is the easiest and best diet found in pet stores. All the food rats need is packed tightly into a small, processed block that is sold in bulk or packages. The major problem with this type of food is moths. There is a certain type of moth that lays its eggs in these, that can result in a huge breakout of maggot-type worms. To avoid this problem, store rodent blocks in the freezer. A more complicated diet for rats is the homema
de diet that originated from Debbie Ducommun, a former lab technician that is now the founder and president of the Rat Fan Club. This diet is great for rats because everything they need to be healthy is in it. It is also easy to control the weight of your rat through this diet. You can find information on this diet from several places. You can join the club, order the Rat Health Care Booklet (Commonly referred to in our family as “the Rat Bible”), or get Debbie’s book, “Rats! A Fun and Care Book”.
Properties and Safety of Different Foods
These foods may help rats with specific problems.
Antibiotic Properties
banana, garlic, prunes/plums, tea, eggplant, onion, raspberries, yellow mustard
Anti-viral properties
cranberries, onion, prunes/plums, strawberries
Arthritis
clove, ginger, dates, garlic
Dangerous Foods
Foods NEVER to feed your rat
- chocolate–contains stimulants that can cause heart failure or neurological poisoning.
licorice–neurological poisoning - raw beans–anti-nutrients that destroy vitamin A and enzymes rats need to digest proteins and starches. Also may cause red blood cells to clump.
- carbonated drinks–rats can’t burp, causes a significant amount of discomfort and god knows what else.
- raw sweet potato–compounds form cyanide in the stomach.
- bleu cheese –the mold is toxic to rats.
- raw red cabbage–antinutrient that destroys thiamin.
- raw brussel sprouts–antinutrient that destroys thiamin.
- raw artichokes–inhibits protein digestion
- orange juice –can cause kidney cancer in males only.
- green bananas–makes it difficult to digest starches.
- green potato skin and eyes–contains a toxin called solanine.
- rhubarb–contains high levels of oxalates.
Foods to feed with CAUTION–that is, not too often.
- dried corn (often sold as entire cobs in pet and feed stores)–may be carcinogenic. Also watch out for cucumber, radishes, spinach, collards and turnip greens.
- beets–include oxalates, which bind up calcium.
- almonds–include oxalates, which bind up calcium.
- Swiss chard–include oxalates, which bind up calcium.
Treats
In the beginning, treats have a lot to do with encouraging your rat to trust you. A note on trust: if you are trying to encourage your rat to trust you, try and get him to retrieve the food from your hand. There are many types of treats that are good for rats. Rats enjoy cereals, most fruits and vegetables and many other things. Use your common sense, and don’t feed rats anything that is toxic to ANY type of animal. Candy is a very BAD idea, and rats can’t burp, so carbonated drinks can result in death. Please note that all fruits and vegetables must be washed thoroughly to avoid poisoning from pesticides. The following are suggestions.
Good for teaching tricks
Rice Krispies, Cheerios, Total, Small pieces of any fruit or veggie
All around good treats
Strawberries, Grapes, Watermelon, Apple, Carrots (note: too many can cause diarrhea), Peanuts (unsalted. In the shell is fun!)
Water
There are many types of water feeders for animals on the market, from bottles and dishes to faucet adapters. The only acceptable ones, however, are water bottles. The bottle pictured here is made by Oasis, which can be found in many pet stores, with a shield guard also made by Oasis. The Oasis water bottle is leak free, keeps the water clean and cool, and is easy to fill. When I first got the “big” Oasis water bottle (They come in several sizes), for Lukass and Rizzo, Lukass immediately attacked the bottle and chewed part of it to bits. It still works, of course, but this is where the shield guard comes in handy. As far as the water itself, make sure it is always cool and replace it daily or every other day. There is something concerning water that people never think about, though. There are many toxins in tap water. If you drink tap water, I am certainly not saying “Go out and buy bottled water just for your rats”, but if you have water like Alhambra delivered to your front door, use that for the rats, too. You never know. Always let the water from the tap run for a while, until it is somewhat cooler than it was coming out when you first turned it on. This means the water is coming directly from the source.
on August 6th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
Sometimes I fill a shallow dish with water and I put peas , corn, and staralized rocks for my rats to play in, they get a bath, cool down on a hot day, and they get to search for treats. Is that ok, or should I stop?
on October 20th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
uum ya hi what if my rat keeps puting stuff in its water so it cant drink it like it throws its beding in it so ya then it has no water and it dose the same with its food
Taylor Rose
is this normal or is something wrong with its food and water
on October 24th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
ummm im a little worried about my 4 month old rat. ive bred rats for the last few years and ive never had a problem. but recently a few nights ago my rat ate a gram of weed in my pocket before i noticed. im wondering if theres any need to take it to a vet. he seems fine but he was a little hyper for a day. should i be worried or keep close percautions in the next few days?
on October 26th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
To #2
That’s perfectly normal, they like to hide their food sometimes. It’s not wise to give rats water in a dish normally, they tend to make a mess of it and knock it over. Try using a water bottle.
on November 4th, 2006 at 10:57 am
i think my rat has is getting s tommur. i have 2 other rats and i was wondering if i should put them in a seperte cage.
on November 7th, 2006 at 1:46 am
I was just wondering if advacado is okay for rats.
on December 7th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
i dont feed my rat treats but it nibbles on my fingers… What do i do
on February 9th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
I heard that when they nibble on you, not actually hurting, thats there way of saying”I like you and accept you”
on February 18th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
UR ALL GAY
on February 19th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
First of all, Jonathon that was incredibly rude and derogatory. You should be ashamed of yourself for using the word gay as if it were an insult.
Second of all, If you think owning a rat is ‘gay’ you should know that rats are the most affectionate and intelligent rodents and they make very loving, loyal and fun pets.
Thirdly, my rat has gotten quite fat. He gets a lot of excercise but he eats much more than my other rat. Are there any foods I could be giving him that would help him loose some weight? Should I simply give him less food? I don’t want to starve him, but I want him to be healthy.
on February 23rd, 2007 at 3:12 pm
I was checking the dangerous foods list to see if peanut butter was on it. One of my rats has gotten pretty old and is having trouble feeding himself, so I’ve been hand- and spoon-feeding him a variety of things, and I let him try peanut butter (he liked it). I saw that raw beans were bad for them, and since peanuts are also from the legume family, is there any danger in peanut butter (other than high fat, I mean)?
on February 25th, 2007 at 3:09 am
my rat is very very fat, can she die from being to fat? Another commet i had was what should i do when i give her treats and get ready to open her cage, she has bitten me. what should i do?
on March 1st, 2007 at 12:11 am
hey 2morrow i will be getting a rat i have no experience with rats but i would really try to keep it alive .
is there any tricks that are really easy to teach a rat i really want to have a rat that can do tricks that is why i am going to teach the rat. his name will be butch.
is there any other tips can you send them to me, hey i dont swear so when i say gay it means im sayin that it is happy to be a rat owner.
up with rats down with cats.
wat veges dont rats like.
wat fruits dont rats like.
well friday i will be getting the rat.
regan coombe.
on March 2nd, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Thank you so much for the information about the “Dangerous Foods” I didn’t know half of the foods you had posted were bad for rats. I had a gut feeling about the chocolate but this really put it to rest. Again, thank you
Joanna
on March 3rd, 2007 at 2:17 pm
i like cheese!!!ya baby!!!
on March 6th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
hey its me i got my rats their names r smokey and butch hey i was wondering if anyone wants to chat i will be on this website everyday i would only like to chat about rats i need to no the basics.
on March 22nd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
hey #16
i just got rats too!
if you want to talk, than write back to me on
Friday, March 23, at 5:30 pm
please be there!
i got my rat 2 days ago and she (her name=Baby) isn’t eating or drinking
at least i never see her eat or drink. anyway…
if anyone has some advise for a first time rat owner,
please write onto this website!
Geri
on March 22nd, 2007 at 7:33 pm
hey #16
i just got rats too!
if you want to talk, than write back to me on
Friday, March 23, at 5:30 pm
please be there!
i got my rat 2 days ago and she (her name=Baby) isn’t eating or drinking
at least i never see her eat or drink. anyway…
if anyone has some advise for a first time rat owner,
please write onto this website!
I would really appreciate it!
thanks,
Geri
on March 24th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
In reference to my fifth rat who is going on about 7 months old now and is also the first female I have owned. She seems to thoroughly enjoy when I dip my fingers into her water bowl and let her lick the water from them. Well, she has recently started putting her own front feet into the bowl and licking the water from them (not bathing). Is this just coincidental or is it possible that she has come to believe that is how she is supposed to drink? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
on July 18th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Craig, do not give your rat peanut butter on its own! I’ve read that rats can choke in it unless it’s on a cracker of celery or something. I’m not 100% sure if it’s true, but I wouldn’t take the risk.
I have a question myself. My rats really like oatmeal. I’ve read that oatmeal gives rats problems with digesting (making feces hard to pass). Is this true? Also, are older rats lactose intolerant?
on July 20th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
i have a female rat that chews on the bars of her constantly. I have tried giving her wood, but she wont touch it. We also bought her a chew stick with seed around it and she seemed to like it, but the problem is that because if it she was getting to much protien, which was making her hair fall out. I’m not sure what to do. I want to try dog biscuits, but I’m afriad those are also too high in protien. Anyone have a sugesstion?
on July 20th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
i have a female rat that chews on the bars of her cage constantly. I have tried giving her wood, but she wont touch it. We also bought her a chew stick with seed around it and she seemed to like it, but the problem is that because if it she was getting to much protien, which was making her hair fall out. I’m not sure what to do. I want to try dog biscuits, but I’m afriad those are also too high in protien. Anyone have a sugesstion?
on July 26th, 2007 at 10:38 am
hey, i give my rat vege flavoured baby teething rusks. they are super hard to chew so it grinsa down her teeth, plus they are real cheap from the supermarket.. i think i pay about 3 bucks australian for them and there’s about 12 in the pack. not sure wat brands are whereever ur from.. but good luck!
on August 7th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
My Daughter just recently got another little rat and she wants to bite. The other 2 never did try bite us. Is there something we can do to make her feel more secure? Maybe she feels like she’s threatened? They have a chewing cake..
Thank so much I look forward to your answer..
on August 21st, 2007 at 8:52 pm
My boyfriend and I are adopting two lovely male rats in a couple days. We want to be able to feed them a homemade diet, but the nutritionally complete one on rat fan club dot com or what have you seems a bit like a lot of work for two pets. I mean…I can’t buy that much food to go to waste! Is there any other way I can feed my rats a healthy homemade diet without having to buy a grocery list more impressive than my own? I don’t want to short them out of anything they need, are blocks better?
on August 24th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
well blocks are good but making one of those diets on those websites may not go to waste. try sealing the bag very well every time you use it. or get more rats.
on August 29th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
my pet rat rico po0ps alot I KEEP HIM IN A HUGE FERRET CAGE.
I normally use care fresh beding for him but i just want know is there any
other type of safe bedding i could use for him.
on August 29th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
my pet rat rico
I normally use care fresh beding for him but i just want know is there any
other type of safe bedding i could use for Him.
on September 1st, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Hi Janel, I use recycled newspaper. It is a cat litter and it is called Mews print. It is exactly the same as Yesterday’s news cat litter. It is safe and absorbs very well. It is hard rolled up recycled newspaper. Hope this helps you. Care Fresh is pretty good though. I was using it fo a few years but I find it far too expensive. The Mews print or Yesterday’s News is much cheaper. The bag I have of Mews print is huge and is only around $16.00 and lasts my 1 Ratty around 3 months. Seems to be working very well for us so I hope you like it if you give it a try.
on September 3rd, 2007 at 3:40 am
Weight Loss Hypnosis…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…
on September 5th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
i just got my new rat like 2 weeks ago and she is prego… i think she is gonna have her babies anytime now cuz she made a huge nest for them. she looks so cute and fat hehe,
can’t wait to see what colors the babies are, i might keep one, i havent made up my mind yet… i also have 3 cats and so far they have been pretty good with her, actually kind of scared of her haha!
anyways my question,
i feed my cats science diet dry food and my rat LOVES it for treats, ya think its ok for her to eat?
on September 10th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
My pet rats really like to eat rose petals. I was wondering if this is harmful for them or if it’s an alright treat once in a while.
on September 14th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Hey!
iv got two rats stuart and ruby, Stuart is a girl though, i got told by the pet store it was a boy , but i soon found out it was a girl! my rats get along very good =) ,,
one of the rats is a little over weight ,shall i feed her less or is there a diet i can out him on ? =)
Ella x
on September 20th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
im getting a rat and im not allowed to get two.is it still okay if i get only one and pay a lot of atenntion to it. should i get a boy or girl? i want to name him/her toopy
on September 22nd, 2007 at 3:39 am
Healthy Lifestyle Features…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…
on September 23rd, 2007 at 10:48 pm
Weight Loss Guide…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…
on September 24th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Hey, Cora-lee you should get a girl, they are so nice, plus they look nicer (if you know wut I mean). Plus toopy fits a girl better. Yes I think it is okay to get one rat as long as you give it a lot of attention. Just remember a lot means A LOT so make sure you are totally commited to taking care of a rat. It’s hard work. Oh and I used to have two rats (Maebee and Anya) but Maebee just recently died of pneumonia and I thought it would affect Anya but she didn’t seem to notice and is doing fine. Though this might not be the case with all rats. Also pneumonia is very common in rats and I don’t want that to happen to your rat so I would recommed not using wood chips of shavings. But the fluff stuff and this stuff called corncob would be a lot better to use. I hope this helped and good luck with toopy!
on October 1st, 2007 at 3:31 am
Square Foot Gardening…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…
on October 9th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
i found if you use a wire bottom cage and line it w/cheap carpet from home depot– to protect the rats feet from bumble foot, is the best and its easy to take out and throw in the wash or just toss it. that way you always have a clean floor for your rat(s) without the worry of sinus/upper resp. infections. wire cages are the best for ventilation—they must be cleaned out at least once a week but every 3 to 4 days might be better especially if you have 2 in one cage. i heard if you use corn cob it gets moldy and might not be the best option—-for bedding i would recommend/wash clothes or paper towels with the paper towels though you should change them every couple of days the wash clothes can be changed once a week–but they need to be checked daily for loose thread or holes big enough for your rat to get stuck in–then just either cut it so the hole is gone or replace w/a new one. for cleaning just throw them in the wash. i don’t recommend towels with a mommy rat and new babies.
on October 31st, 2007 at 6:12 am
Cora-lee,
I have a boy, Dewie, and I adore him. Boys tend to be a little more mellow and sweet natured. If you are interested in having a more playful rat you might want to go with a girl, but if you are interested in having a more cuddly rat you might be better off with a boy.
Also, he is my only one and as long as you spend a lot of time with your new friend he or she should be fine. But they are a commitment and need a lot of love and attention so be willing to spend at least 1-2 hours a day with them.
In response to Janel’s rat Rico. . .
I use Kaytee’s Soft-sorbent for my rat’s bedding. I like it A LOT better than Carefresh because it doesn’t get nearly as dusty so it’s better for his respiratory system along with being much more comfy. I’ve tried many different brands and that one is by far my favorite.
on November 12th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Hi,
I have been feeding my rats a little bowl full of oats, like the oats we have for cereal, and some carrot, and of course water. Is this a good diet or should I have something other? Please give me some advice.
Thanks, from a rat fan, Erin
on November 12th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
ive had my ratts for over 2 years now, and heffe was already around for two years when i got him, should i be worried about him, hes getting old
on November 13th, 2007 at 2:03 am
If you are looking for a good food block, I would recommend Oxbow. They make specially balanced blocks for all kinds of animals, including rats. My vet recommended it and the boys love it.
We still use the mix for a treat and a change, but when they smell the Oxbow, they go crazy and munch away (I have to feed them after play time so that they don’t run and hide in the cage while munching).
They also like it when I treat them to the kitten food that I feed to my hedgehog (Royal Canin - Baby cat 34).
For treats, to go along with the “do not feed them” list, I have found that if you like it and will eat it, they will probably like it and eat it. I test out all of their treats before giving it to them.
on November 15th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Dog Care Tips…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…
on November 22nd, 2007 at 7:14 pm
i adopted my rat, rather it adopted me, chewed thru my wall, and i couldn’t get rid of it so i started feeding it, to keep it from eating my birds. she doesn’t stay in a cage, and she doesn’t interact, but she is so samrt she goes under the house to go to the bathroom. she’s real pretty and sleek. she had a baby, and he’s adopted me too, he’s quite playful and has even tried to sneak into bed with me at night. they stay hidden during the day. i never thought i would have a wild rat for a pet, but it’s turned out ok.
on November 26th, 2007 at 7:15 am
i got 2 new girl dumbo rats yesterday and they both semed fine in the shop but once i toke them home 1 seems very scaried and as i put my hand near her she goes 2 bit well i think . also how do i teach it tricks and can my cat give them heart attacks
on December 1st, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Muscle And Fitness…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…
on December 2nd, 2007 at 5:15 am
I have a c&c cage because I was planning on getting a guinea pig but I decided a rat would be much better, the grids are 1cmx1cm and I know it cant fit through the holes but could it climb over the top. I go to school for 6 hours will it be ok with that. I can only get one. do they like music or mirrors.an dcan I just lay down a fleece blanket for bedding?do rats smell?one last question is, is it ok to buy a rat from a store like petco?
on December 8th, 2007 at 8:20 am
Mutual Funds and Market Research…
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting…
on January 3rd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I noticed my one pet rat is nibbling on their “waste”…. Is this to abnormal that I should get in contact with a vet?
on January 7th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
bvvvvvvvvvvvvv
on January 7th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
i am getting a pet mouse
on January 13th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I recently got a rat, (getting a second one today) and i bought food that contains cracked corn, is that bad for them? it also has peanuts, should i switch foods? plus my husband and i fed it some orange, i saw that orange juice is bad for them but is the orange as well?
on January 13th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
i just got 2 rats but 1 is not eating much and is under weight wat doo i do?
on January 29th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Well, my amateur web page for my amateur rattery is begun. Take a look, make suggestions, don’t spare feelings! It’s a site meant for public viewing, not really a place to advertise my personal views so if something seems not commonly acceptable or distasteful for the typical rat fancier I would choose to remove it from the site.
Rats are very unpopular pets in Maine, all things considered. I think a lot of Maniacs are just not comfortable with the internet. I know there is a lot of ignorance within the pet store and Animal shelter community though they would prefer to be doing it better from what I’ve seen and who I’ve talked to. I’ve got a lot of plans to poll local veterinary clinics and post them if they are “up to snuff” on their rat care. I will be applying in March to become a volunteer at the local humane society and will try to involve them more in the pet rat community.
Wish me luck, I haven’t posted any rat care information on my site because there is so much of it on the websites from the west coast that I feel intimidated. I linked to the sites I like best for now but I’m spending hours researching to feel comfortable adding info like that.
If you have any tips at all they are always welcome. I’d love to link to your site with permission,if you have a logo I’ll use that.
Missie
Bits’ of Maine Rattery
on February 18th, 2008 at 2:48 am
boy muscle…
Anyways, let’s chat a bit on the protein blend of Muscle Milk, which…
on March 14th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
i have a few rats and my girl (lil mama),fittingly, just had 13 babies. anyone in chicago want a pet rat when they wean???
on March 15th, 2008 at 12:58 am
OkI have three Pet rats and I have had one Albino rat(cosmo) for about Five months when I bought him I got a Twin(wonda) and they we sold together to me. But When I had them two for a month she got pregnant then she had pre mature birth and Died….. R.I.P Wonda. And she had food stuck in her mouth. I was confused. Now I still have cosmo and hes doing great except for the whole Sneezing thing. I have Pine Shaving for bedding and all and they seem to be fine with it. I have two boy rats and one Girl. Cosmo, Link, and Missii. All in Seperete tanks. Now the Female(Missii) is a Medium feeder Rat and Cosmo is a Fancy Rat but I have no Idea what Link is but he is a tad bit bigger then Cosmo and cosmo is about a Pond and a half so yeah. Thanks
on March 15th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Hi I’m Molly and this goes out to Mr. Jonathon , real nice letter why don’t you go buy one and then tell me what you think cause I think they are cool and yeah keep your butt out of here.
on March 16th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I’m getting a rat soon. I am thinking of getting two, because I heard that they need to be in social groups. Will two males fight? Should I get two females?
on March 20th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
you should definately get more than one, rats love company and human company is not enough for them, always keep them in single sex pairs, but bucks are no more likely to fight than does, the best way to ensure they get on is buy them both at the same time from the same enclosure! They like to play fight so dont get too worried if you see a little rough and tumble every now and then just keep an eye that none of your ratties are getting injured! hope i helped?
on March 20th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I have an almost 4 month old male rat that I have had got about 3 months now, his name is Maxwell. I love the little guy to death and he seems to really be attached to me. My friends have had rats for years and said it was alright to give him peanut butter and we often share a spoonful…. is it really that bad for him? He didn’t seem to have any problems with it. Also, while not tired in a way I would take to be sickly… he seems content to curl up on my neck or under my shirt and sleep. He is awake in spurts where he will crawl around me and investigate things, then he naps and then he’s awake again. What is a normal amount of sleep for a young rat? Thank you!
on April 9th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I just got a rat last night, I named him Taffy! But he is so hyper and i really dont know how to calm him down! I also have a hamster but I WILL NEVER EVER PUT MY HAMSTER ANEAR MY RAT BEACUSE MY RAT WILL EAT MY HAMSTER:(
on June 3rd, 2008 at 11:18 am
I dnt know why you retards have rats as pets…ther are freken discusting…the only reson i have then is because its snake food,period.rite now i have 2 females and they both gave birth a dozen..hahahahah..they will die pretty soon.
on June 3rd, 2008 at 10:58 pm
I have had rats as pets for over 10 years, and I have fed them chocolate chip cookies…only once in a while…but it never caused any problems, they all lived to be 5-6.
Another food group that can cause irritation is too much protein, such as eggs…some rats “break out” in red bumps and will itch their skin so much they make themselves bleed. My mothers rat cannot have the luxury of scrambled eggs because he starts to itch : (
on June 4th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Hey everybody check out this awesome rat video!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=red+tail+video&hl=en&sitesearch=#q=red%20tail%20boa%20video&hl=en&sitesearch=video.google.com
on July 16th, 2008 at 11:36 am
I was wondering if i could give my rats canned corn and green beans