Feeding and Nutrition

When looking for a rat mix, look for one that has plenty of ingredients, an even mix of all of them and less than 15% protein. If a suitable rat mix cannot be found, find a good rabbit mix, and add small, dried dog biscuits, as rats are omnivorous by nature and need meat in their diet. It is not a good idea to use a hamster mix because this has too much protein. A mix with too many greeny-brown pellets in is not a good idea either because these pellets will often be refused on the grounds of taste and result in a lot of wastage. A widely accepted and recommended diet for fancy rats is the Shunamite Diet, which was developed by Alison Campbell of Shunamite Stud. You can find infomation about it here.

The dried mix can be supplemented with fruit and vegetables, cooked meat, such as bacon (not the fat) and beef, cooked chicken, tinned dog food, dog biscuits, nuts, scrambled or boiled egg, plain biscuits or cake, rice, milk, and dried bread. Preferred fruit and veg (green foods) include broccoli, apple, swede, banana, cabbage, tomatoes, grapes, carrots and cucumber. Avoid fruits too high in acidic content, and only feed all green food in moderation, as the rat will get diarrhoea. Never feed sticky foods such as toffee because rats have no gag reflex and could very easily choke, and chocolate and caffiene are potentially fatal.

Adult rats require about 30-50 grams of food per day but will readily eat more if it is available. Be careful to feed the right amount of food every day. Too much food will cause obesity, which in turn will lead to health problems and may shorten the rat’s lifespan, and also if they don't eat it it'll get peed on, trampled and wasted. It is a good idea to observe your new pet for a few days and give only the amount of food that the rat will eat in one day.

All animals need five food groups. These are energy, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. A good rat mix will have all of these in the correct percentages. Bad mixes have too much of one or two ingredients. An example of this is a mix made mostly of seeds and nuts. These mixes can cause skin complaints and kidney problems.

· Carbohydrates - these give energy for everyday life. They are found in grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables. Adding dried pasta to your rat mix is an excellent way of adding carbs to your rat's diet. Carbohydrates should make up about 75% of the daily intake. Lack of activity and loss of weight are symptoms of a deficiency.
· Proteins - These help the body tissues, such as muscles, blood, bone and nerves, to grow. They are found in meat, grains, seeds and nuts. Adult animals need less than 15% but growing and nursing rats need about 15% - 20%. Signs of deficiency are hair loss, fractures and failure to grow. Too much protein will cause major skin irritations and hair loss.
· Fats - Again, this builds body tissues or is converted into energy or fat stores. It is found in meats, nuts and seeds. Rats need very little fat, but deficiencies are recognised by a poor skin and coat.
Meat is important in a rat’s diet because it is valuable source of all the proteins. No vegetable has every protein in it, so vegetarian rats, as with vegetarian people, need a wide range of vegetables to make up for the lack of meat.
Fat is important in a rat’s diet, but too much puts extra weight on the organs and skeleton, thus shortening your pet’s life dramatically, just like with people.
Vitamins and minerals are found in all grains, nuts and vegetables. Giving your rat a balanced diet will ensure she receives all of them. A mineral block can help this, which is available in all good pet stores. It is an especially good idea to give a mineral block to pregnant and nursing mothers, for obvious reasons.

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