Rat Munchies: Healthy Treats for Pet Rats
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Do you have a pet rat? Thinking about getting one? Know someone who has one? Either way, in any sense, rats will enjoy many different treats and foods, but as always, there are some better than others.
First off treats should never encompass more than 10% of a rat's diet because most treats are fatty, which can cause health concerns if the number of treats fed to a rat is extremely excessive.
And, never feed your rat chocolate, caffeine, or dairy.
You want to stick to healthier treats like dried fruits, plain yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, and yogurt treats.
You always want to watch how much and how often you give rats certain treats. As, seeds are fatty for rats, and fresh produce can cause diarrhea. Yogurt, fresh or dried, can, also, affect a rat's stomach causes diarrhea.
My favorite place to find rat treats, is at the grocery store. In the baby food isle and in the organic food section. In both sections you can find organically dried fruits, usually in mixtures such as cranberries and apples.
Petstores supply decent treats for rats. Kaytee makes ‘Healthy Bits,' crunchy treat balls composed of seeds, nuts, millet, and oats. Kaytee, also, creats a line of ‘Healthy Toppings' in flavors such as papaya, banana, and carrots, Yogurt treats such as Kaytee's ‘Yogurt Dips' and Nutriphase's ‘Yogurt Drops' can be fed to rats sparingly.
On occasion, I will buy plain yogurt for my girls. Putting just a tablespoon or so in bowl and letting them have at it. It's truly a treat for them, as they seldom get any.
Fresh fruits and veggies:
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Prunes
Plums
Melon
Apples
Applesauce
Bananas
Grapes
Celery
Broccoli
Squash
Cucumber
Zucchini
Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Peas
Beans
Dried fruits and vegetables:
Carrots
Papaya
Blueberries
Raspberries
Mango
Cherries
Apple
Tomatoes
Pineapple
Raisins
Banana chips
Sweet potato
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Kaytee Healthy Toppings for Small Animals, Pumpkin Seeds & Almonds.
Price: $0.89
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Kaytee Healthy Toppings for Small Animals, Mixed Fruit
Price: $0.89
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Kaytee Carrots Sweet Potatoes Topping
Price: $0.89
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Kaytee Healthy Toppings For Small Animals Papaya
Price: $0.89
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Rat Info
- Rats VS Mice
When deciding upon a pet rodent, make the proper decision between rats and mice. Make sure to know the true differences. - Games and Toys for Your Rat
Find fun games for you and your pet rat(s). - Signs of Illness in Pet Rats
Make sure that you are aware of the signs of illness in your pet rat(s). - Housing Pet Rats
Finding the perfect cage is a must for pet rats. Make sure you know what you're looking for in a cage and accessories - Homemade Rat Diets
Make a healthy, homemade rat diet for your favorit pet. Find out about proper nutrition. What you can and can't feed your rats. - Homemade Rat Recipes
Find out more fun and yummy recipes that you can make for your pet rat(s). - Homemade Rat Treats
Make yummy homemade treats for your beloved pet rat(s). - How to Train Pet Rats
Tips for training your pet rat.
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Comments
They can eat yogurt, but yes it must be plain. Also, remember to only give it in limited supply because it can cause diarrhea.
Okay , Thankyou !
your food list was very helpful as i just recently bought a rat and i wasn't sure what to feed her but i do know now thanks to you. i was wondreing if rats can eat herbs for example mint?
I would not say the list is a staple diet, but treats, so please remember that. Excess of these treats can cause diarrhea and obesity.
I would not suggest herbs such as mint a treat for rats.
thanks for the food list - very helpful as we have only had our rats for two weeks
I'm glad that I could help. Good luck with your rats. But, please remember these are treats and not foods for a regular basis. You can make a healthy homemade diet, that can include some of these treats. I will post that up soon, so keep an eye out.
my baby is obsessed with pizza, so i usually take off most of the cheese and give her some when we get pizza for dinner. Is that ok for her?
I would stay away from the sauce, cheese, and any meats. If you're going to give it pizza, sticj with the crust, an only a little bit.
i tried to give my rat digger [ girl ] a raisin she did not eat it then i tried to give her a little bit of apple suace but that did not work!
not every rat liks the same things. Of my three girls, one of them only eats one papaya treat.
i am trying to give her yogurt bites from pet co but it is not working either
Sometimes it can take time to find out what they like. 2 of my rats eat anything you give them, but that one only like the 1 treat. Try fresh fruits and veggies. My girls love fresh produce. Tonight they had strawberries. Usually, they'll get carrots and blueberries. My girls love fruits over veggies though. Try buying dried fruit treats from the pet store or even the organic, all natural section of the grocery store. Gerber makes an all-natural dried fruit for babies that you can try.
Very informational hub, as always, Whitney! I feel like a lot of people have pets (be it rats or dogs or whatever) and don't know what's safe for them to eat and what their pet will LOVE. I hope lots of rat owners see this hub and benefit from it. :)
Thank you Helena. I do think many people have pets, and the responsible people and the people wanting the best for their pets are usually those constantly looking up what they can give or do for their pet to make their life better.
oh i never thought of that thanks!
is it ok to give her tiny tiny bits of cheese??
I wouldn't suggest it.
you where right, as always digger is getting used to the yogurt bites
That's good. Just keep them to a minimum as an excess can cause diarrhea. Plus they are a little fatty.
ok, will do
Rats can't eat brocolli!
Cheese isn't good for a rat's digestive system. A little slice of cheese a week as a reward after training a rat, for example would be fine though.
How many rats do you have? I have 8
nnn, Ratluvr4evu, ratty- rats can eat broccoli, there's no vitamin or chemical in broccoli that is harmful to rats. I never said that cheese was good for rats, so Im not sure where you came up with that; I would avoid dairy at all costs not even a treat. I have 3 rats currently. I would have more but I'm focusing most of my time with my reptile projects. If I had anymore rats, I would not have time to sufficiently give them the care and attention they need.
you sureknow a lot about a rat. I got mine 4 easter.wat r there names u gave them
Mine are named Zoe, Lexi, and Coe. Rats are great pets good luck with yours.
It's okay to feed your rat chocolate, just try and avoid it, even though dark cholate helps respitory problems, if they don't choke on it. You have to feed it in small bits so it doesn't crowd the rat's mouth and stop its breathing.
I wouldn't recommend feeding any pet chocolate.
working
Krysta says:
8 months ago
I did'nt know that rats could eat yogurt , do they like it alot? So I can't give them flavored yogurt? right ,just plain?