What I feed my rats

[JennaBoBenna]

Hi! So I've gotten a few of you interested in my pet rats' diet, so here's a basic outline of what I feed them!

Every week I go to the farmers' market and I buy a pound of organic baby greens and edible flowers and I give them a big handful or two every day. I usually feed them what I eat, they get the left overs. Sometimes I'll make a fruit salad(nice and convenient) with apples and persimmons, or whatever fruit I have around. Sometimes bananas, kiwi, mango,grapes, avocado, coconut, clementines, bell peppers, zucchini, roots, etc. If I have a green smoothie and I have a little bit leftover I'll pour that over the fruit salad. Or I might sprinkle green powder on the fruit salad. I also give them raw nuts and seeds--walnuts, cashews, macadamias, sesame, almonds. They LOVE nut pulp with agave drizzled on top. But, I just recently had a major ant problem after giving the rats agave, so I don't think they'll be getting any more for awhile, or at least unsupervised.
If I make a fancy recipe, I'll give them the leftovers unless there is a lot of salt in it (ie. wilted kale ribbons) and I make sure they have plenty of spring water in their bottle.
I never feed them cacao, or other stimulants. And when I had boy rats, I didn't give them citrus (cancer causing in males).

I've read that avocado is bad for rats, but I give them avocado and I have never seen any ill effects..I think it's just the fat content that's considered "bad", but it's chock full of such great nutrients! When I had 12 rats(put a female rat and a male rat together and...) I would put half an avocado in the cage(before all the babies were separated) and they would pounce on it and fight over it and be so happy eating it.

For treats I give them seaweed---nori and dulse and they lovvve it! It so cute to hear them munching on nori paper



:) :) :)

[Rayne]

Its the skin and seed that is poisonous. My friend often asserts to not feed rats any avocado because the "seeds" are poisonous. Sorry, but since you used the word seeds, 'm fairly sure you've never even seen an avocado xD Besides, the fat is good fat so what the heck, feed 'em avocado xD
Do you refrigerate any of these? I feel like a refrigerator can be a big contaminate so I am trying to wean away from it, at least for my rats food.
Another thing, whoa hey yeah I see you mentioned seaweed, I got a little sushi making (vegetarian sushi =O )kit and am planning on making them little nutritious packed treats xD

[RawKnitster]

It's a rat kind of day! I just posted in another raw rat thread, but had to comment on your pictures. SOOOO CUTE! :)

[JennaBoBenna]

I've been giving my rat (only one now) chlorella tablets lately :) She really likes them! she scarfs em down
my guinea pig too!

I refrigerate most of their food, unless it's like fruit or veg that doesn't need to be in the fridge. I also give Weetzie (the albino one) dried salmon pieces and egg from time to time

[Raene]

Can guinea pigs be fed raw vegan too? I've always wanted one...

[JennaBoBenna]

Can guinea pigs be fed raw vegan too? I've always wanted one...

guinea pigs are naturally vegan. I feed him mostly raw with dried timothy hay and natural timothy hay pellets with balanced nutrients :)
I would definitely recommend getting a guinea pig, mine is the love of my life! He brings me so much joy :)

[JennaBoBenna]

I gave my babies a hibiscus flower today! They devoured it! it was so cute :)

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Wow, such an inspiration! We have two female rats right now, the love of my boyfriend's life, and we give them lots of treats. I'll be adding a lot more greens to their diet after reading this! Thank you :)

[Raene]

guinea pigs are naturally vegan. I feed him mostly raw with dried timothy hay and natural timothy hay pellets with balanced nutrients :)
I would definitely recommend getting a guinea pig, mine is the love of my life! He brings me so much joy :)

Do you have a picture of your piggy too?

[JennaBoBenna]

Wow, such an inspiration! We have two female rats right now, the love of my boyfriend's life, and we give them lots of treats. I'll be adding a lot more greens to their diet after reading this! Thank you :)

one of the cutest sounds you will ever hear is a rat(or couple of rats) nibbling on greens

[JennaBoBenna]

Wow, such an inspiration! We have two female rats right now, the love of my boyfriend's life, and we give them lots of treats. I'll be adding a lot more greens to their diet after reading this! Thank you :)

Do you have a picture of your piggy too?

Here's my little guy, Roland Cheddarbits ( i know, i know, but he is cheese colored! we call him Pig anyway :) )



He is such a little squeaker, he sounds like a bird!! He loves to "popcorn" (flip his feet up in the air), jump on top of his cardboard house, and he lovvvves strawberries and wheatgrass from my garden. His favorite raw treats are zucchini blossoms and grass from my yard :)

[Raene]

OMG SOOOO cute!!!! I didn't realize you ever posted a picture until now. Wow.
I would love a piggy, but my hubby says they're too stinky. However, last night we went to a friend's house and her husband has a whole pet store in their house...over 30 snakes, 2 iguanas, 3 cats, birds, etc...he breeds them as a hobby and does certain genetic work with them. It was so cool, and I love snakes, but since they're not vegan, I really couldn't have one as a pet. However, this guy breeds rats and mice too (for food, obviously) and I'm begging my family to get me a rat for Christmas now, even though I didn't get to see theirs. I saw the mice though and they were adorable.

I'm excited to be a first time rat owner! I've had only hamsters and hedgehogs in the past. I really know nothing about rats, but my hubby used to have some in college and they sound like great fun.

PS This is a really interesting story...my husband's mama rat had babies and then she died, and I'm not joking...the father rat ended up producing milk and nursing the babies! I've read articles in which human males can produce milk as well, so this comes as no big surprise, but still...isn't it neat?

PS I've been reading that rats need to be in pairs, but should I get two girls or two boys? I don't want babies, so definitely not one of each.

[MelissaO]

My neice wants a rat however it is always a large debate about of the two neices who is going to scoop the cat litter box (they have 2 cats)- funny how it normally ends up to be me so I do not think that Santa will be dropping off any other pets to them any time soon.

Jenna your little piggy is a very handsome boy!

[JennaBoBenna]

OMG SOOOO cute!!!! I didn't realize you ever posted a picture until now. Wow.
I would love a piggy, but my hubby says they're too stinky..... I'm begging my family to get me a rat for Christmas now, even though I didn't get to see theirs. I saw the mice though and they were adorable.

I'm excited to be a first time rat owner! I've had only hamsters and hedgehogs in the past. I really know nothing about rats, but my hubby used to have some in college and they sound like great fun.

PS This is a really interesting story...my husband's mama rat had babies and then she died, and I'm not joking...the father rat ended up producing milk and nursing the babies! I've read articles in which human males can produce milk as well, so this comes as no big surprise, but still...isn't it neat?

PS I've been reading that rats need to be in pairs, but should I get two girls or two boys? I don't want babies, so definitely not one of each.

Thanks Raene !!

Whoaaa! Piggies are not stinky by any means! If you don't clean their cage, then obviously! But RATS are FAR more stinky than pigs! Rats like to cuddle in their own filth, lol, but I give our ratties regular baths (we just got a new baby! Eee!). A guinea pig is a LOT of work. I wish I had known before getting one! He's like a little infant...! I would definitely get rats before getting a guinea, just to get the hang of a more needy animal.

With the rats, I would get two girls. Boy rats are much more stinky. They produce a special oil that makes them stinky (oh the joy!) and it makes them look really mangy if you don't bathe them often. My two best friends both have only boy rats, and they look really gross, while my girl rats are delicate and beautiful little ladies :)
Boys also get a lot bigger than the females, and their...um..."boy parts" are incredibly HUGE! Girl rats are much smaller, softer, not as smelly, smarter, and more active! Our newest baby is sooo smart and so fast! If you want cuddlers, though, get boy rats. Girl rats will cuddle for the first week or so when you adopt them, but as soon as they get comfy in their new home they will run and jump all over the place. We let our rats run around the living room and "baby proof" it so they can't get into any trouble or get lost!

Rats are SO much better than hammies ^o^ (IMO, of course, I've never had a hammie be as cool as a rattie!)! and holy cow, a male producing milk?! that is WILD!

[JennaBoBenna]

Jenna your little piggy is a very handsome boy!

Thank you Melissa! He's like my little baby :)