Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So, I feed my rats those rat pellets, and I put vitamin drops in their water. But I really think they need more variety. I hate feeding them the same thing every day.

So, what else can I feed them? Carrots, broccoli, bread, meat scraps, potatos, pasta, and cheese are all things I regularly have around the house. I'm not saying all those are good, just wondering if any of them are acceptable food.

Variety is the spice of life!
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-Irish
Email: animistdragon@sbcglobal.net
AIM: VoodooDragon137
YIM: [same as Email addy]
3.3.1 Ball Pythons

The problem with feeding lots of 'other stuff' is that your rats won't nessecarily get a balanced diet. Thousands (millions? billions?)of rats have been raised on chows, for dozens (hundreds? thousands?)of generations. Lab animal nutrition is better researched than human, take advantage of that.

That said, I do feed a little cabbage once a week for Vitamin C. Just a little or their poops get real soft and get smeared all over.

DeMak

So is cabbage a good treat? I'd like to give them a little treat once a week. I'm sure it's boring in there for them. Same rats to look at, same water, same food, same toys, same igloo . . .
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-Irish
Email: animistdragon@sbcglobal.net
AIM: VoodooDragon137
YIM: [same as Email addy]
3.3.1 Ball Pythons

>>So is cabbage a good treat? I'd like to give them a little treat once a week. I'm sure it's boring in there for them. Same rats to look at, same water, same food, same toys, same igloo . . .

They love cabbage. As far as being bored, you could give them an old atari to play with.

DeMak

>>They love cabbage. As far as being bored, you could give them an old atari to play with.

LOL No Atari. How about an original Nintendo or Sega Game Gear? Hehe.
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-Irish
Email: animistdragon@sbcglobal.net
AIM: VoodooDragon137
YIM: [same as Email addy]
3.3.1 Ball Pythons

Cabbage is very....well, cabbage. Your rats can get digestive upsets if they aren't used to it. So don't just drop it on them. I wouldn't even feed it unless it is a food you normally have in the house to begin with. (spoken like a true cabbage hater) Red raw cabbage destroys thiamin too. And raw beans or peanuts are likely to destroy vit A and digestive enzymes. Obvious other things if you shouldn't eat...like green potatos or anything with the remote chance of mold. (including bleu cheese)
Mine, especially new moms etc get yogurt, pasta (with or without sauces) Cooked meat and veges. Stale breakfast cereals and I tend to give dry rolled oats to fuzzys to start them weaning, or to all them that are doing large litters etc.
Can you tell I do pet rats and feeders?
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Sonya

I give my favorite breeders mealworms or waxworms once in a while..they love em! As for being bored...well, they eat, sleep, and have sex...doesn't sound like a bad life. LOL!

I'm agreeing with most everyone here, and saying that a good quality rat block (Mazuri, Tecklad) NOT HAGEN, or other pet store mixes are 100% nutritionally complete. Rats do not need variety. With that said, I have noticed that my new rat mommies tend not to drink from their water bottles as much, so I like to throw in a few baby carrots, to help with some added nutrition and hydration for the mom and, in turn, the babies.