Rat Food

You would quite naturally want the best kind of food for your pet rat.



Rats are not fussy eaters and it is not very difficult to feed a pet rat. However, there are some diets which are specifically made for rats—diets which rats enjoy the most. Your rat also needs diet supplements so that its nutritional needs are met.



Although there are many commercial foods that are available in the market, homemade meals are the best pet rat foods. When you are feeding your pet rat homemade diet, it is important to give them a variety of supplements so that they get variety as well as proper nutrition.

Rat Diet

There may be a nutritional imbalance in both homemade meals and commercially available meals; therefore, a combination of two can be a good solution to any nutritional problem.



Though rats are not picky about their food, they often leave out the portions of their meal that they don’t like. It is difficult for the rats to do this when they are eating commercially made pellets or food blocks. Loose mixes are a much better deal than pellets. However, your pet rat may not take a fancy to the commercially available mixes.
A pet rat nutrition should be low in fat and calories. Therefore, foods that are suitable for other rodents like hamsters and gerbils may not be suitable for rats. The alfalfa contained in the other rodents’ diets cannot be digested by rats.

For rats, fresh fruits and vegetables are a good diet option. However, they should be given very small portions otherwise they may have a stomach upset. You can give them fruits that are rich in vitamin C. Fruits like cherries, strawberries, melons, apples, bananas, grapes and plums can be fed to rats. Vegetables like squash, bok choy, parsley, sweet potato, carrots, broccoli and peas can be given.

Rats are omnivores and can be given lean meats and cooked liver. Apart from that, whole wheat breads and pastas, cooked beans, brown rice, mealworms, breakfast cereals (preferably unsweetened) and meal leftovers can also be given to your pet rat. Small biscuits for dogs can be given as treats to rats so that their teeth remain sharp.

Meal leftovers can be given to rats; however, these should not be too fatty or sugary. As special treats, rats can be given whole nuts, without removing their shell, sunflower seeds and chips. Fatty foods like chocolate, raw vegetables, soft drinks and caffeinated drinks should not be given to pet rats.