Food & Diet
Rats love to eat and will often eat, not because they are hungry, but just because they enjoy it. Rats are omnivores meaning they will eat both plants and animals so there is a wide variety of foods that you can feed your pet. Below are some of the items you can feed your rat.
Rat Food
There are many commercially available rat foods that will contain almost everything your pet rat will need. Rat food can contain a mix of pellets, fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds, and grains. The drawback is thaat your rat may pick out his favorite pieces and not receive a well balanced diet.
Fresh Food
You should also feed your pet rat fresh healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. You can try sweet potatoes, tomatoes, apples, corn, broccoli and many others.
Table Scraps
Rats love table scraps but you must feed them in moderation. Rats can not burp or vomit so avoid gassy foods. Your pet will eat almost anything and will enjoy being allowed to pick through different types of food. A good rule to follow is if it is good for you, it’s probably good for your rat. And if it is bad for you, it’s probably bad for your rat.
Treats
Rats consider all foods a treat and will appreciate some more than others. Use those special treats for training or special occasions. There are many rat treats available or you can use different foods from around the home. Rats have a very poor gag reflex so choking can be a problem and you will want to avoid certain foods. Avoid feeding sticky foods such as taffy, peanut butter, caramel, rolled fruit snacks and jelly beans. You should also moderate sugary snacks to prevent your rat from becoming fat.
Vitamins & Supplements
Rats usually get all their vitamins from their diet but they can be susceptible to vitamin deficiencies. Commercial vitamin supplements that go in the water bottle are available.
Water
Rats drink a lot of water and should have fresh water available at all times. A stoppered water bottle does a wonderful job of keeping water available.