A balanced rat diet is crucial for your rat’s health. The staple of this diet should be a constant supply of commercially formulated rat food, making up at least 80% of what they eat. The remaining 20% can be fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Different countries have different formulated rat food and standards. Moomoo Rattery is US-based, so this blog will follow what’s accepted and available here.
Mixes
Do not attempt to make your own mix as a primary food unless following the Shunamite diet and are absolutely certain that the % of nutritional needs are met for the stage of life your rats are. You can provide a commercial rat food as a base if you decide to make a mix, but most rats selectively feed their favorite parts from mixes, leading to nutrient deficiencies. Rats have specific nutritional needs that change on life stage (growing, adult, senior, pregnant/nursing) so unless you’re prepared to adjust the contents each stage, you will be making them nutrient deficient on a mix. Some commercial mixes marketed to rats have whole corn kernels or hay which are not safe for rats.
Types of Commercial Rat Food
There are different types of commercial rat diets such as lab blocks and nuggets. You want to make sure they formulated to meet a rat’s nutritional needs, as not all brands are created equal. When choosing a diet, pay attention to protein levels and the main ingredients.
• Protein Needs:
• Healthy adult rats: 11% to 18% protein.
• Pregnant, lactating, or growing rats: 18% to 22% protein.
• Key Ingredients: Look for foods with soy or wheat as primary ingredients.
Recommended Commercial Brands
• Envigo Teklad Global: Known for its quality, offers diets with 14%, 16%, and 18% protein, catering to rats at different life stages.
• Mazuri® Rat and Mouse: More widely available, with higher protein levels (23%) and fat. Great for growing rats but too high of protein for adults, you will need to switch to Mazuri 6F or another brand like Oxbow when they become fully grown- as it has 23% protein. I’ve noticed that this particular Mazuri makes rat waste very stinky, likely due to the high protein. I recommend the 6F formulation or oxbow when they stop growing.
•Mazuri Rodent Breeder 6F: Here at Moomoo Rattery we use Mazuri Rodent Breeder 6F 18% because it has ingredients which neutralize the bad smells of rat waste. Cheaper than the basic Mazuri but only comes in 25 lb+ bags.
• Oxbow Essentials: A low-fat, low-protein kibble often found online or in pet stores. You have to feed the young rat formulation until they are fully grown around 6 months then switch to the Adult formulation. Avoid the “Garden Select” formulation, it’s cheaper because it’s not as good for them- look for “Essentials” red bag. The adult kibble is small compared to other brand blocks so it’s good to provide chew items in the cage to help wear down their teeth.
•Kalmbach Feeds: Varying protein % to aid in transitions through life stages. Extremely cheap in bulk and available at some feed stores. Very common to be infested with grain mites (at least what I’ve seen on Chewy .com). Would be good idea to freeze for 24 hours first.
• Lafeber Nutri-Berries: Contains human-grade, non-GMO ingredients and is designed to encourage foraging behavior.
How Much do I Feed?
Leave food available 24/7. If they are getting chunky you need to offer daily exercise or check the fat and protein levels of their food. Do not limit their food intake unless your breeder or a vet tells you to.
Homemade Diets
While some owners opt for homemade diets, they aren’t guaranteed to meet all nutritional needs. Common issues include an imbalance of protein, fat, and carbs. If you use a homemade mix, it should contain a main ingrdient of a commercial food to ensure your rats are getting the nutrients they need.
The good thing about a mix is that they mimic the natural foraging behavior and offer variation opposed to the boring lab block. I personally offer blocks 24/7 and then offer forage mix 1-3 times a day as a treat and enrichment activity.
Choosing to follow the Shunamite diet here in the US in my opinion is not the best idea as there are tons of variations online and you simply cannot guarantee the %’s of everything are perfect. Once you get the groove of the portions right you will have to adjust every few months to account for aging rats. If you cannot get lab formulated blocks where you live, then the Shunamite diet is the best option.
Fresh Food and Treats
Fresh fruits and vegetables should make up 20% of your rat’s daily diet. Always provide fresh, clean produce (organic ideally) and avoid dried or processed fruits as they can be high in sugar. Healthy treats include unseasoned cooked meats, tofu, dairy-free yogurt, nuts, seeds, veggies, grains, legumes, sugar-free cereals, non-citrus fruits- but keep portions small to avoid overeating. Cooked bones are amazing for their health and help to wear down their teeth. Just make sure you have one for each rat as they will fight over it. Before offering any new item, it’s a good idea to google if it’s safe for pet rats first. Limit sugary treats, opt for natural low-fat options.
By focusing on a nutritionally balanced commercial staple diet with a mix of fresh produce and limited treats, you’ll help ensure your rats lead a healthy life. Check out my Etsy for foraging mix and blog on water bottle hacks next!
Comments