Diet
A consistent diet is very important to a healthy rat.
a rat designated staple should be provided on a daily basis as well as supplements like fresh vegetables ,pasta etc.
A often recommended and high quality diet is Oxbow which provides lots of necessary dietary needs.Oxbow is a low calorie food made up of oats,brown rice,fiber from wheat,as well as protein and good fats from fish and soy.Oxbow also eliminates the chance of your rat selective feeding(picking through the food bowl and eating only the foods they choose to eat).This food contains NO artificial colors,flavors or preservatives,it also does not contain any nuts,seeds or dried sweets that may cause skin allergies.There is a different recipe for adults and young rats.Young rats need higher levels of certain nutrients for development.Oxbow essentials young rat and mouse food contains calcium,vitamin C,D and E which help strengthen a growing rats immune system and responses to diseases.Oxbow young rat and mouse food promotes healthy digestion which nursing, lactating mothers and young babies can also benefit from.I do request switching over to the adult recipe at around 5 months of age.Foods with corn are not suitable for rats as corn contains high levels of fungal contamination which can cause liver cancer,it also contains high levels of nitrates and amines which can combine in the stomach and form nitrosamines.
Foods okay in small amounts-
beets,celery,eggplant,lettuce,cucumber,radish,spinach,collard greens,and turnip greens should be limited.
These foods have some antibiotic properties:Mustard,onion,raspberries,eggplant,tea,garlic,pruns/plums,banana,coconut oil.
Anti virus properties:cranberries,prunes,plums,strawberries,onion
Anti-inflammatory properties-clove,dates,ginger,garlic.
Help to prevent strokes-celery,prunes,parsley,oranges NO orange juice for males)
Keep the diet low sodium!
Water! do Not give rats water that is fluoridated as it can cause brain damage ,also do not give water with chlorine as it is toxic.
Foods to Avoid-citrus juice for males as it can cause kidney damage and kidney Cancer.green bananas and green potato skins are toxic.Mango should not be given to males because like oranges it contains d-limonene. wild insects,bulk raw tofu,raw sweet potato,poppy seeds-can cause neurological damage as it contains a hallucinogen.-contains a few quotes from FRC and petcomments
​
​
​