One more question about my new rats!!?

Question

Hi there...thanks everyone who answered my last question....all your advice really helped!! so now my NEW question is...what kind of fruit and veggies do rats usually like?? i would like to keep some on hand for treats and things like that...so anymore advice would be great!! thanks so much!!!

Answer 1

just dont ever give

blue cheese contains toxic mold

licorice contains a suspected neurotoxin

raw dry beans or peanuts contain antinutrients, cause red blood cell clumping (note: the peanuts that you buy in stores are almost always roasted so are okay.... frozen beans from veggie mixes are okay because they've been pre-cooked)

raw sweet potato contains cyanide-forming compounds

raw red cabbage and brussel 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 can lead to anemia and an upset stomach

but other than that you can feed them anything you eat!

Answer 2

Fruit and vegetable wise - mine prefer curly kale (great for babies as it's full of vitamins and minerals), sweetcorn (or corn on the cob), broccoli, apple, banana, chick peas, strawberries, carrots etc.  Watery veg like lettuce isn't poisonous (contrary to popular belief), but they hold little nutritional value and can cause diarrhoea, so best avoided.  Oranges are not suitable for male rats as they can cause kidney cancer.

Do you have youngsters/babies?  If they're under 12 weeks, I'd recommend daily curly kale, and you can also give them added protein in the form of puppy food (Naturediet's the best), tinned sardines (in tomato sauce), cooked chicken (and bones), or scrambled eggs/porridge/EMP (egg based bird food) or wholemeal bread dampened with lactol (which is a puppy/kitten milk you can buy from the pet shop).  Once they hit 12 weeks, they can have these less regularly (once a week) as treats too - although they should still have daily veg (so you can continue the curly kale if you like).

There's more info on my site about what I feed my rats - if you need any more help, just shout.

Answer 3

They usually like anything but citrus fruits. I guess they don't like the taste.  Also, if you have more than one rat, you should buy some toothpicks and a can of crickets... they LOVE them and you won't have to worry about diseases that might be in wild ones.

Answer 4

Hmmm my rats really liked fruit and veggie trail mixes. But stuff handy around the house.. well mine would eat almost anything... pea-nut butter, LOVED. As well as bananas, grapes(cut into small pieces) lettuce ,corn, small servings of potato's. Pretty much anything i was eating- I'm a vegetarian- so anything i was ever eating id let them have some as well. Just toss it in the cage- they love anything new that's not just a seed mixture.

congrats on your ratties!!

Answer 5

rats will basically eat any kind of fruit or veggies. my rat loves peach pits. i will cut up a peach and give her the seed that has a ton of peach still left on it. by the next day only the seed is left and it looks like it has been cleaned. my rat also likes banana slices and grapes. as far as veggies she isnt much of a veggie eater. she doesnt have favorite veggies. she takes her time with them, unlike fruit she eats all of it right away. but ur rat may be different. just experiment with different fruits and veggies. found our which is the favorites.

Answer 6

Pretty much anything that you or i would like to eat. Corn,berries,apples,small amounts of high quality seed/nut mixes, small bits of cheese are all fine to give but in moderation and mostly as treats. Bones and such should not be given and lab pellets specifically designed for rats should make up about 80%of the diet while the rest should consist of healthy grains fruits and veggies as well as fresh water daily :) hope this helps

Answer 7

Here are some things i feed my boys and girls.

~Fruits (fresh or frozen) watermelon, blueberries, plums and grapes

~Veggies (fresh or frozen)broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, corn, and lima beans

~Wheat or multigrain bread

~PLAIN popcorn

~Olive oil keeps their coat nice and shiny =]

~Yogurt, my boys love strawberry yogurt

~Dried fruits and veggies