The domestic decorative rat is a favorite of the whole family. In order for the pet to live longer and feel good, you need to provide a healthy diet, as well as a correct and active lifestyle. It is not enough to buy a house for a rat, you need to take care of a nutritious diet. The editors of the site "bestx.htgetrid.com/en/" have prepared a review of the best food for rats for 2020.
Content
Keeping domestic rats
Only in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, rats began to be tamed; before that, they were considered only crop pests and caused frequent inconveniences.
The lifespan of rats is 2-3 years, subject to all the rules for keeping. If the decorative rat lacks nutrients, then it can live much less.
After buying a pet, you should think about his home. The cage should be spacious, and inside you should put a closed room on several floors. So the rat can always find something to do in the cage. Rodents love to play. All accessories can be purchased at the pet store. A place to sleep can be equipped with a small cardboard box that will serve as a mink.
The ideal temperature for a pet is + 18- + 22 degrees. Then the rat will be active and cheerful. Drafts and direct sunlight should be avoided.
You can let a rat out of your house, but you should not do this from the first moments of acquaintance. The pet can get scared and climb into the farthest and darkest corner.
Basic nutritional rules
Many people believe that if rats are omnivorous, then they can be given just everything, but this is not so. Most of the foods that humans eat are slow poison to rats because they taste too spicy, salty or greasy. Eating such food can result in health problems or even death. Moreover, such a diet is not balanced and sufficient for rodents. This does not mean that you cannot give a rat a small slice of cheese from your table, but you should not do it too often. It was not supposed to be a constant diet, but only an exception from them.
Healthy rat diet
Every owner wants the pet to eat balanced and get all the necessary vitamins. To do this, it is enough to follow simple rules:
- The basis of the diet is feed. You need to give it every day, there are no restrictions.
- Complementary foods are fruits, animal protein, vegetables, fermented milk products and various delicacies. Fruit or vegetables can be given every day or every other day. Approximate weight is 30 grams per adult rat. Animal protein should be given 20 grams 1-2 times a week. There is no need to do this more often. Animal protein includes foods such as eggs, fish, and meat. The food must be boiled first.
Feed
The basis of a rodent's diet is food. You can buy it at any pet store or order it from an online store. If you wish, you can make such food yourself from different types of grain, but this takes more time and is not always convenient.Such industrial feed will be much cheaper, but you will need to select and make up different ingredients that are not always easy to find. When buying, be sure to find out whatever the grains are treated with chemicals. This problem is often seen when buying in the market.
One of the recipes for making homemade food consists of ingredients such as wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, rice, millet, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, nuts, and corn flakes.
Experienced ratmen mix feed and grain, so this mixture is more popular with pets. Such variety needs to be introduced periodically. Although there are times when an allergy or intolerance to a certain ingredient can appear.
The rodent should always have food. Especially in babies up to 6 months old. They should always be close to food. Dosed nutrition is possible only for obesity problems. Then several times a day a certain weight of feed is poured into a bowl.
Vegetable feed
Vegetables, as well as greens, contain many nutrients that a pet needs for healthy growth and development. These products are not only healthy, but also not high in calories, so they will not lead to such a problem as obesity.
You should refuse berries. It is worth giving them as little as possible and in small quantities.
Fruits work well as complementary foods, but they should be less than vegetables.
Vegetable food is only a supplement and cannot serve as the main diet of the rat. If the amount of vegetables and fruits is much more than the norm, then this can lead to problems with the stomach and intestinal tract, which will affect the deterioration of the rodent's health.
The norm for each animal is different and depends on the weight, as well as the age of the rat. It is necessary to monitor the state of health and the body's reaction to a certain type of complementary foods. With diarrhea, you need to temporarily reduce or completely abandon the herbal supplement.
Protein complementary foods
Do not forget that rats are not vegetarians, therefore, protein supplements must be present in their diet. They need meat, fish and eggs to develop and maintain immunity. Animal protein can also be seafood, baby food, or super premium cat food.
For baby rats, the protein dose should be higher than for an adult. This is especially true in the first months after birth. It must be given several times a week for the growth and development of the rat.
Fermented milk feed
Why give a rat fermented milk products? They contain a large supply of calcium, which is essential for bones and teeth. Also, kefir, cottage cheese and yogurt contain the necessary bacteria for the intestines. Rats are very fond of fermented milk products, so they always eat them with pleasure.
An exception is if the rodent has lactose intolerance, then such complementary foods should be discarded. This feature is quite common in rats. It can be determined by poor health and severe diarrhea after fermented milk products. Before giving a new product, you need to check the tolerance of the body. To do this, for the first time, you need to choose a small dose and look at the pet's reaction. But even in this case, there is a way out - you can buy a product that is pre-lactated. Finding them is pretty easy.
When choosing, you should give preference to products with a fat content of 1-5 percent, but not fat-free. The absence of additives is also required.
There are disputes among rat breeders about fermented milk products. Some believe that it is not necessary to add them to the diet, while others strongly disagree with their use by pets.
Each person chooses whether to give these products to their pet. Scientists have not proven whether this affects life expectancy or health.
Treats
Rat owners love to pamper their pets with delicious treats. There is nothing to worry about if the owner knows which foods are categorically contraindicated for rodents.
You can add nuts, regular cookies or a couple of pasta to the diet.This should be done extremely rarely, as an encouragement for your friend.
Other
Some rat owners like to add baby food or full vegetable meals to their diet. There is debate about the need for such nutrition, and their harm has not been scientifically proven. You just need to know when to stop and not add too many such products to the diet. Avoid giving rats mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, or other sauces.
Should I add porridge to the diet? There will be no harm from such nutrition, but there is not much benefit in it for the rat. You should not boil the grains, you can only steam them with boiling water. It is best to opt for buckwheat, millet or rice. Such food can be prescribed with a diet. You don't need to add spices or sugar.
Nutrition is very important and you should be familiar with the basic principles of feeding before buying a pet.
If you do not follow the basic rules of nutrition for rodents, then a problem such as strong regrowth of the front teeth may arise. This is very uncomfortable. The pet will not be able to eat on its own. At the first sign, you should contact your veterinarian who will diagnose and prescribe treatment.
If the diet is not correct, then another serious problem may appear - obesity, which will lead to a significant deterioration in health. You don't need to feed your rat more than twice a day. Normal weight for an adult is from 250 to 800 grams. The male always weighs more than the female.
A prerequisite for food is the availability of water. It should be clean and the drinker should be changed every day. Moreover, it is worth choosing a heavy one so that the rodent cannot accidentally turn it over.
What rats can't eat
The list of foods that should not be given to a rat is quite long. Let's take a closer look at the main categories:
- Fatty food;
- Salty and spicy;
- Sweets;
- Fried delicacies;
- Various smoked meats;
- Alcohol.
They do not contain useful elements. All of these foods can lead to poor rodent health.
Types of feed
Conventionally, rat food can be divided into three categories - super-premium, premium and economy. The division is based on its quality and the amount of nutrients. Before buying, you should definitely study the composition, as well as compare it after opening the house.
Economy
This rodent food option is the cheapest, but not the best. The composition of the feed consists only of herbal sticks, wheat, oats and other cereals. If there are additives, then their percentage is very small in relation to the entire product. Such food is not the best and it is better to use it only in extreme cases, when there are no other options.
Premium class
The cost of feed of this class is slightly higher than the economy one, but its quality is much better. They may not contain animal protein, but this is not a problem.
This option is ideal if you do feeding 1-2 times a week. You can add cat or dog food to add variety to your diet.
Super premium class
This is the most expensive and the best pet food option. The composition contains only high-quality components. Wheat is in the first place in terms of content, followed by animal protein with a low fat content.
Main manufacturers
There is a large selection of food for rats on the market today. The main ones are:
- Little One is the most renowned rodent feed manufacturer. Many owners say that their pets are happy with this diet. The food contains a large amount of nutrients and vitamins. The main advantages over other manufacturers are price and quality.
- Versele-Laga Rat Nature. The feed is produced in Belgium. Class - premium. The formula was developed by the best nutritionists and veterinarians.
- Zooworld. Each component is carefully tested during manufacture. The food strengthens the immune system and is used to prevent dental problems.
- Baka is a company that produces food not only for rodents, but also for birds.
Choice of feed
The assortment is large, so a person does not always know how to choose it. You need to focus on several important nuances:
- Naturalness of the composition;
- The presence of a variety of components;
- Nice smell;
- The presence of nutrients.
It is also worth comparing the packaging volume, price and usability. If these characteristics can be studied in the store, then at home you should see how willingly the rat eats food.
Rat feed rating
Little One Rats food for rats
Little One Rats is a balanced food that is completely ready to eat. This brand belongs to the recognizable and popular among pet owners. On the Internet there are a large number of positive reviews about this type of feed.
It contains not only several types of grains and seeds, but also fruits, as well as useful fruits. The smell of food attracts rodents and they eat it with great pleasure.
The composition does not contain compressed granules. The product belongs to combined feeds.
The daily dose for an adult is 20-30 grams. It contains 16 percent protein and 9 percent fiber. These substances are necessary for the normal functioning of the rat's body.
Feed your pet twice a day.
The cost is 85-100 rubles.
Pros:
- Convenient packaging;
- Budget cost;
- Economical consumption;
- Smell;
- There are packages of different sizes.
Minuses:
- Not.
Versele-Laga Nature Rat food for rats
Although the cost of Versele-Laga Nature Rat food is much higher than others, the manufacturer has collected the maximum amount of nutrients in one package. That is why it belongs to the premium segment. It contains a much higher percentage of proteins than other companies (17 percent).
Pros:
- Convenient packaging with a fastener;
- Useful composition;
- Nutritious and satisfying.
Minuses:
- Price.
Feed mixture for rats Bins
The food of the Bunker belongs to complete. The composition contains gammarus, which is a source of iron and calcium. Also in its composition, in addition to oats and wheat, there are delicious pieces of meat and dried carrots with beets.
The nutritional value of proteins is about 12-13 percent. The composition contains neither flavor enhancers nor preservatives.
Pros:
- Convenient packaging;
- Affordable price;
- Balanced composition.
Minuses:
- Not.
Versele-Laga Complete Rats & Mice Food for Rats and Mice
This food is suitable not only for rats, but also for domestic mice. Due to the high content of natural proteins, micro and macronutrients, the pet will always be cheerful, and most importantly well-fed. The food is well absorbed and easily digested by rodents. The composition contains natural vegetables that will add variety to your diet.
Class - premium.
Pros:
- Convenient packaging;
- Grinds teeth;
- Balanced;
- There are several volume options.
Minuses:
- Not.
Happy Jungle 5 in 1 Daily Menu Food for Fancy Rats Basic Ration
This is the cheapest food of all presented in the rating. Its price is 65 rubles, but at the same time it is not inferior in quality to other brands. In the composition there is no sand, dust, all the grains are clean.
The food is called 5 in 1 because it contains grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes and peanuts. Can be given not only to rats or mice, but also to hamsters.
Manufacturer - Russia.
Pros:
- Bright packaging;
- Cheap cost.
Minuses:
- Not sold everywhere.
If you know the basic rules of a healthy rodent diet, then there will never be problems with his health, and he will live a long life. If you already feed your pet with one of your food described, share your opinion in the comments.