Rat problems!?

Question

my rat eats way to much he eats like a litlle bowl (serving) each day hes really fat and should i start feeding him less? i mean he runs on his wheel quite a bit but hes still really fat!

Answer 1

BRAVO! Ur the first girl i know who likes rats.But that rat is obeise and is eating way to much give him less food and feed him vegetables

Answer 2

he can run on a wheel so  he's not fat he's just a big rat that loves to eat .

Answer 3

hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmm...well i guess you could do that or you could buy diet food!

Answer 4

Don't feed him less of his basic diet. Just lessen the treats (if any).

Males are naturally a bit on the chubby side, many owners call them ''squishy''. :)

I always have food available for my rats (Mazuri lab blocks & Regal Rat kibble) for them to eat at their leisure. They also get a daily treat of oatmeal/fruit/veggies/cereal. They're all at a healthy weight.

If you're used to seeing/owning female rats, then a male will seem rather large in comparison.

Anyways, what are you feeding him, as that may factor into his weight loss/gain.

Answer 5

My girls were on the squishy side. I was feeding them the actual rat diet and also giving them fruits and vegetables. I was told the rat diet is to high in protein which can make them fat so I got them a vegetarian type dog food for older dogs. The protein is very low in it. They wouldnt eat the lab blocks which is why I got this. I substitute with lots of fruits and vegetables and some dog bones for them and they are at a decent weight now and actually healther than they have ever been since I switch foods. Rats in old age will also gain alot of weight or lose alot of weight.

Answer 6

You should always have high quality lab blocks down for him. What you might do is ensure that he has fresh vegetables every day which have bulk but are less caloric. Avoid fruit which is high in sugar and of course things like nuts, seeds, yogurt drops etc.

You definitely should not take all food out of the cage however. Weight issues are generally the result of treats and rats, like humans, will prefer foods high in fat and sugar. (If you are getting the loose food, switch to blocks. Rats will pick out the fattening bits and leave the greenies behind.)

Also, give him additional out of cage time so that he burns up more calories running around exploring.

Answer 7

YES.

Rodents who eat too much food or too many treats are prone to getting diabetes which can lead to them having breathing problems.  If you don't want to be rushing your rat to a vet because he's stopped breathing, then I would recommend feeding him less.

It's good he exercises.  This will help your cause.  If you simply feed him a little bit each day, then he'll keep himself healthy.  

I don't know the precise amount to feed a rat, especially if it varies from species (you should look into that).  So I recommend researching a few reliable websites and comparing the serving size until you feel confident you won't be over feeding or under feeding your rat.