Monday, August 11, 2014

What Kind of Foods Do Pet Rats Like to Eat?

I've had my two pet rats for about a month and a half now and I've been figuring out all of the quirks and what their personalities are like. One of the things I'm still learning about these two is what kind of food they like to eat. They definitely have their preferences...

Gus is wondering if it's time for dinner now. 

Rats are omnivores which means they eat both plants and meat. The best diet a person can feed their pet rat is probably going to be a lab block or pellet purchased from the pet store. My favorite rat pellet food is Oxbow's Regal Rat. Seed Mixes for rats are OK if the rat eats everything in the mixture, which is unlikely. They are probably just going to pick and choose the good stuff out.

Jack and Gus came to me with a big container of seed mix. I have no idea what brand it is, but I haven't fed it to them for a while. I gave it to them when they first came here so they could adjust well. Right now, they have some lab blocks to eat but they are always the last thing left in their food bowl.

Lab blocks - pelleted rat food. 

Most of the time, my rats get a specially prepared meal. I did the same thing for Nibblet. I give them a variety of fruits, vegetables, pasta, grains, beans, cooked meats, dog treats, and more. Yes, dog treats are on that list.

Most recently, they've been nomming on some Bocce's Bakery Truffle Mac & Cheese dog treats. The only ingredients in these dog biscuits are organic barley flour, cheese, nitrate-free turkey bacon, and truffle oil, so they are definitely more than OK for the rats to enjoy too. There are some certain dog treats that they don't seem to like very much.

Nibblet tries a dog treat from Sam's Yams

Jack and Gus seem a little bit picky about their food choices so far. If they had to make a top 10 favorite food choices list, here's what it would include -

  1. Shredded Cheese
  2. Peas
  3. Blueberries
  4. Cooked Pasta
  5. Yogurt
  6. Chicken
  7. Green Beans
  8. Tomatoes
  9. Popcorn
  10. Bananas

Jack thinks these veggies look tasty. 

It's kind of fun preparing their dinner bowls for them! And I always watch them for about 5 minutes or so to see which foods they pick out to eat first. Jack is always the more hungry of the two. Dinner time is definitely their favorite time of day. 

29 comments:

  1. I had no idea you could feed rats all those different foods! What could be cuter than an adorable rat eating popcorn?!

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    1. Haha yep! Next I will have to get some pictures of them eating some of their faves :)

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  2. You boys sure have a yummy sounding menu!!

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  3. I am so surprised to find solid foods on the list (bananas and yogurt) I don't know why, but it surprised me. They are so cute!

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  4. That's an interesting menu card... I had no clue that they like cooked spaghettis :o) probably they are related with Remy of Ratatouille?

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    1. Oh they LOVE pasta! I made ratatouille recently and they seemed to like those vegetables too.

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  5. What a couple of cuties. I was thinking maybe their diet would be something like my human sisfur's two gerbils. But it's similar, but the gerbies need cardboard too. Yup - cardboard. We forget why sisfur said it was necessary, but we save all the toilet paper rolls for them. Interesting post.

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    1. I'm not sure that gerbils actually consume the cardboard, but they sure do like to tear it up and make little nests with it. Maybe I'm wrong though?

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  6. guys....we knead ta haza seer ee iz talk bout # 6 on yur list... !!!

    :)

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    1. MOL! Well, they haven't tried fish yet. You guys would probably scratch me but I just don't like to eat fish <,<

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  7. I love feeding them yogurt, it is so cute watching them eat :)

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  8. Huh, I had no idea rats would eat so many different things. I woulda said "cheese and more cheese" - but then, that's pretty much what Rita would also want to eat if she had her way!

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  9. I figured they would eat fruits, veggies and some type of pellet food. Interesting diet.

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    1. That's a good diet Emma. I am probably just spoiling them anyways.

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  10. That's a question we've never had to ask but its fun learning what they like! Love Dolly

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  11. Our guinea pig (yes, our pups have a guinea pig friend) loves parsley and lettuce. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Oh my gosh. They are just so adorable. I'm really wanting a pair of rats right now.

    Bain grew up with rabbits and chickens at his doggy daycare when he was a puppy. Though stopping by my friend's the other day he was way too interested in the rabbits. Great with the chickens though.

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  13. What fun and how easy to be able to feed them human food and dog treats as well! Less trips to the pet store, right? Even better if you get some of those things from your own garden!

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  14. This was fun to read what Jack and Gus eat. Sounds like you're able to maybe feed them some leftovers from your table, but I bet you need to be careful with serving size (I picture rats wanting to eat a lot. Then again, so does Annie).

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    1. Oh well they would go to town if I let them LOL! I do give them food that I make in moderation, of course. And usually without the sauces/salt/seasoning.

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  15. Wow, that's some variety of foods. I never knew rats were omnivores! Turns out Jack and Gus enjoy lots of the same foods as us. :)

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  16. AHH!!! I want one so bad!!!!
    They are SO SO adorable!
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

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  17. This is inneresting. Tomatoes are toxic is cats but I guess rats are different. I still love Nibblet.

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    1. Are they? I don't think I've heard that before. I'll have to look it up. I love her too :) These mischievous boys make me miss her even more.

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  18. It looks like Gus and Jack's dinner time is fun to watch after being fun to prepare ! Purrs

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  19. The rats get some really great food choices!

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  20. I learned to eat more healthfully after researching what foods were good for my pet rats. Before I got rats I'd never eaten bok choy or kale before! I have little dim sum plates for my rats and I love making tiny meals for them. Great photo of Gus wondering if it's time for dinner now!

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