Well, rats, being omnivorous like us humans, will eat just about anything. My boys are certainly no different. All the more reason that "Mom" has to be careful not to feed them too much of things which they are certainly better off without. If only I had the same discipline with my own diet.
The main meal for my rats is the general mice/rat lab blocks you can purchase in any pet shop. This makes certain that all their basic nutritional needs are met. I have read several theories, but I think it is important to get a general block food that is specifically made for rats and mice, since other little pets, such as hamsters, have different requirements. Diet staples for other critters tend to contain much more oily food than a rat needs. My boys have a staple of lab blocks which they get a few of in the evening to stash about their house. They have other more diverse foods which round out their diet, which, of course, is the good stuff, as Justin and Templeton know...so let's get on to talking about all things tasty!
Rats need a good balanced diet, without too much protein and fat. Too much of these things can lead to not just obesity, but skin allergies and hair loss. In reading, I've come across those who recommend no oily foods (such as peanuts, or sunflower and pumpkin seeds) at all, to those who list these types of foods as main staples of the diet. What I have discovered, is that moderation is the best guideline. The fact is, both my boys absolutely love nuts, and things full of nutty, oily goodness. I do indulge them, and weekly they each receive a nut in it's shell that they have to gnaw open themselves. They recognise this as an out of the ordinary delicacy. And even more importantly, they get a great work out for their teeth, doing something they would normally do in the wild.
I spice up their diet with lots of healthy additions to the boredom of lab blocks. Here are the general categories of what else you can feed your rat to give him a very healthy, well-rounded diet....that hopefully won't leave your rat too round :)
An incredibly simple way of making certain your ratties get enough veggies if you have a hard time cooking for yourself, let alone your critters, is to just buy the bags of various frozen veggies in the local grocery store. I simply store the frozen bags in the freezer, and defrost a meals worth for the boys. You can even buy the frozen bags of unspiced stir-fry mix, and your rice/noodles is included. This is a great easy way to get them their veggies, and boy do they ever love it.
You can feed them a veritable medley of peas, carrots, asparagus, broccoli, corn, squash, green beans, bell peppers, and various cooked beans. They also love raw veggies, but I've found that raw broccoli can cause a great deal of stinkiness if it's given very often. Broccoli is very very good for your little friends, so I give it to my boys several times a week, but I've found that cooked it causes less of the stinkies.
Grains, like veggies, are a very important part of their diet. I make my boys a mixture at the store I then give them servings of a few times a week. If you can do this, it's wonderful, because it's the easiest way to avoid the fatty, protein filled things they shouldn't be having too much of in the first place. Here are a few ideas of what to put in a grain mixture for your rats:
Rats also need a certain amount of fruit, though their requirements are far lower than ours, seeing as they make their own vitamin C. I make sure they get some fruit by adding various dried fruits to their grain/seed mixture. Dried mango, pineapple, banana, apple, cherries, and raisins are all quickly grabbed and devoured.
Here is an idea for a little dessert treat my boys absolutely love:
This is something my rats just adore. I take about a tablespoon of molasses, a tablespoon of vanilla yogurt, and mix in some uncooked oats to a nice thick consistency. The end result is a mass of goo they go crazy for.
Chocolate seems to always be in question. Bad for other pets, potentially lethal to dogs, chocolate is oft debated among rat owners. Well, it's not going to poison them, however, just as with us, it's not terribly good for them. It's very fatty, and contains caffeine. I personally don't give it to my boys as a treat ever, though they have tasted it before. There is a superb subsitute though, so don't even waste time worrying about chocolate! Try carob, the natural substitue for chocolate. It's all natural, and let me tell you, my boys think it is the best thing on the face of the earth. You can find carob at your grocery store, and a little bag of carob chips goes a long way. Unless of course, you are like myself, and find yourself sitting nibbling away their carob chips right in front of them :)
They are, of course, expert at begging, so they have other small treats they can be given during the day, and do get a bites of people food if we are eating something moderately healthy. Naturally, both Blake and I have caught the other giving them a lick of something truly decadant, such as cream cheese with jelly from our bagels. When it comes to straight treats though, I have two I like to use. I keep a bag of berry flavored "puffs" and boxes of yogurt drops (which can be purchased in yummy flavors like milk and honey, berry, and veggie) next to the cage. They are always more than happy to snatch these away, especially when Mom has done something terrible to them, like put them back in their house.
That pretty much wraps up the ins and outs of how I feed my rats. Basically, I think it's important to try and vary their diet so as to keep them happy and interested, while at the same time keep them as healthy as possible.
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