The Right Food

It is important to keep your rat on quality food, rather than opting for the cheapest or easiest food to obtain. Most commercial rat diets are not appropriate food for rats. They're over-processed and nutritionally incomplete. A few brands are available that are nutrionally acceptable.

Harlan Teklad/Native Earth - This is the best commercially available food. Unfortunately, it is not available in retail outlets. It is manufactured for laboratories, and because of that, it is formulated to provide complete, uniform nutrition to rats. Because any sort of nutritonal imbalance would throw off lab tests, each bite of food is uniform. Most rats find these blocks extremely palatable as well. The only way for the average pet rat owner to obtain these blocks is by having it shipped, and it comes in large quantity bags. The average pet owner will find the best value to be ordering a large bag and freezing the excess, which will keep it fresh for months. You can order Native Earth from www.petfooddirect.com, and from some rescues.

Mazuri Rodent Pellets - can be found in many pet stores, such as Pet Supplies Plus, usually in small 4-pound bags. They are quality nutritonally, but are meant for adults and not growing animals. They can be expensive, but are a good alternative to buying large bags of Native Earth if you have nowhere to store the excess Harlan blocks.

Regal Rat from Oxbow - Also a good quality food, that can be expensive and can be difficult to locate. Most veterinarians can order Oxbow products if you cannot find it locally, and you can order it online. Again, this is meant as a food for adult rats and not growing young animals.

LM, Kaytee and seed mixes - are absolutely unacceptable. Do not feed these products to your rats - they are made with low-quality ingredients and are not nutrionally complete. Seed mixes encourage rats to pick out the tasty, high-fat bits such as sunflower seeds and leave the rest, and are also full of filler in the form of alfalfa pellets (which rats do not eat and won't digest if they do, it's all roughage.)

Suebee or Debbie Ducammon's homemade mixes - are acceptable and can be fun to mix and make, but you do need to be sure that you follow the instructions in order to offer your rat a COMPLETE diet. Whenever you're home-making your own food, you have to be sure you are providing your animal with all the elements, minerals, and vitamins that they need. Never ever add vitamin supplements to your pet's water!

Fresh Food - all rats should be offered a variety of fresh food daily, even those who are fed nutritonally complete diets. Fresh food provides a natural form of moisture, vitamins and minerals, while simultaneously adding variety and interest to your rat's life. Good fresh foods include green leafy vegetables, crucifers such as asparagus, broccoli and brussel sprouts, small amounts of tofu and meat, cooked bones (yes, they will not choke on them!) brown rice, cooked eggs, and yoghurt.

Treats - the best treats you can offer your rats are unsweetened cereal such as rice krispies, cheerieos and mini shredded wheat. Plain white popcorn is also good in moderation. Sugary treats such as yoghurt drops and chocolate can be offered in moderation, but are not a good offering on a daily basis. Junk food like potato chips and the like are as unhealthy for your rat as they are for you, and should be avoided. Despite popular mythology, rats can be given soda pop in small amounts, even though they cannot burp, they will not explode. However, it isn't good for them, and should be offered on a very limited basis, if at all.