Pet Habitat South Africa

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13 Jun 2014

Feeding Your Rat Quality Food

Posted By : Guest

Filed Under : Nutrition | Rats and Mice

Rats make excellent pets; they are wonderfully social both with other rats, and their owners. In fact, many families that opt for hamsters, which are largely antisocial are actually looking for the qualities of rats. However, rats have been misunderstood in popular imagination for years. And truly, there is a vast difference between the rats you find in pet shops and the feral ones in the streets.

These pets are growing in popularity though, due to their charming ways (and their ability to keep themselves cleaner than other pets of the same size). With their winning ways, it is possible to fall in love with a rat before knowing exactly how to care for her. The key is to ensure you treat your rat like any other pet. This means providing a clean and safe home, as well as plenty of food. Nutrition is key for any pet’s health and happiness, and rats are no different.

Rat Feeding Basics

Rats are scavengers – those rumours are true. They love digging through their food bowl to find that special treat. It really does not need to be anything remarkable at all, just the act of foraging appeals to rats. However, what goes into the food bowl is crucial. Rats are not the same as hamsters and gerbils. These animals require similar diets, but they are not identical. It is important to realise this when shopping for your rat’s daily diet. There are plenty of foods which claim to provide a nutritionally complete diet for rats, along with gerbils and hamsters. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case.

One of the key differences between rats and other small animals is the amount of animal protein that they require. Gerbils and hamsters are also omnivores, but rats tend to need a lot more in the way of animal fats. If you ignore this, your pet will simply not have everything it needs for a healthy life.

Opt for a food which has been prepared especially for rats to be certain that your pets are getting everything they need. Until you know your rat well, it is always better to put more food in his bowl and throw some away, than to starve your pet unintentionally. Rats will only eat as much as they need, though you may find them searching through their food bowl just for the fun of it. However, do be certain to remove old food from your rat’s bowl before adding new food. Although it may seem that he will just make a mess of it anyhow, you do not want your rat to have old food.

Water is the other essential that your rats need, and they need it on a daily basis. Although rats are typically clean animals, they do like to play; and it is the running and scampering through their cages which often contaminates their water supply. Keep in mind that using a water bottle does not mean that you can fill or change it only when it is empty. Water in bottles must be refreshed every single day. And, water bottles also need to be cleaned at least once a week. This requires hot water, a little soap and a bottle brush. Forgetting to do this will allow an unpleasant smell to develop within the water bottle, and your pet may not enjoy the strangely scented water you provide.

Giving Your Rat a Little Something Extra

Although specially formulated rat foods are capable of providing all the nutrition your pet needs, there is no saying that he will eat it all. In fact, sometimes your rat may get hung up on foraging for what he considers to be the best bits and ignore the other foods indefinitely. However, rats do love fresh treats, and there are many that can be safely given to your rat. Vegetables such as kale, broccoli, carrots and cooked sweet potatoes are excellent treats for pet. Rats will also go a little mad for a bit of cooked liver or a few mealworms. You can even give your rat some fresh fruits; through avoid citrus treats as these do not go down well. The key to feeding your rat fruits and vegetables is to avoid overfeeding him these items. Ideally, most of his nutrition will come from his properly formulated food, especially as too many fresh, or slightly cooked veggies can cause digestion issues.

When you do provide your rats with fresh foods, make sure you check their cages later in the day (or first thing in the morning). The last thing you want is to leave them in an area with rotting food. Remember that rats are susceptible to diseases, just as humans are – and although they are scavengers, they do not like living in filth.

Rats also have teeth that just will not stop growing, truly. And unless rats grind these teeth down by gnawing on appropriate foods and treats, teeth will sharpen into rather uncomfortable points. One of the main ways to alleviate this is to provide your rat with a gnawing treat which she will happily attempt to devour whenever she feels the need. Do not be concerned if you can only find a gnawing treat which is deemed suitable for rats, gerbils and hamsters alike; this is a special addition to their diet – not their primary food source. Just ensure that your rat is getting a complete set of nutrients throughout all the various foods and supplements that you offer.

Finally, rats are prone to eating some of their own faeces. Just like guinea pigs, and other animals, this is completely normal. Think of it as a two step eating process. Rats are able to provide themselves with additional nutrients that their bodies produce, only this needs to be re-digested after it has been excreted. It will certainly seem a little unpleasant to most humans, but that does not mean that you should stop your rat from doing it. They need those nutrients no matter how strange it seems. It’s probably just not a brilliant idea to tell non-rat people about it; your beloved pet is fighting too many stereotypes as it is.