Rats are omnivores (they eat plant & animal material). They will eat a wide variety of food if offered. Rats are intelligent animals and providing a variety of different foods can help to enrich their environment.

Basic Rat feeding guide:

• Rats should be fed a combination of ad lib fresh fruits & vegetables and small amounts of good quality rat pellets or rat cubes (ensure they have a protein content of at least 16% & fat content of 4-5%)

• Some examples of suitable fruit & vegies are: apples, pears, banana, melons, stone fruits, citrus fruits, broccoli, cabbage (not red cabbage), endive, carrots, Bok choy/other Asian greens, celery, parsley, berries, fresh corn (small amount only) and peas

• Avoid feeding rats a seed/grain mix as these are too high in fat and sugar. Rats are very prone to becoming obese & malnourished on these mixes. They tend to ‘select’ their favourite bits in the mix and therefore miss out on important nutrients

• The following should be considered as treats and only offered in very small amounts: Cereals, grains, seeds, breads, biscuits, sweets, cooked pasta & rice and breakfast cereals

• Provide clean fresh water at all times

• Any changes to the diet should be made gradually to avoid gastrointestinal upsets

Do not feed the following:

• Blue Cheese
• Green Bananas - inhibits starch-digesting enzymes
• Green Potato Skin
• Licorice - suspected to cause neurological poisoning in rats
• Orange Juice  
• Mango
• Raw Artichokes
• Raw Dry Beans or Peanuts
• Raw Red Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts
• Raw Sweet Potato
• Avocado
• Rhubarb
• Sticky foods such as Peanut Butter, some Candy, and Dried Fruits - poses a choking hazard
• Seaweed