What did your rats eat today?

Was in tesco this evening and got asparagus for 8c, mixed sprouting lentils and beans for 10c, mushrooms for 2c, and kale 5c, so rats are having a bit of a feast tonight. I highly recommend the reduced section on a Sunday evening, dogs got raw mince and chicken on the bone, froze portions for later in week, all for less than €3, enough for 4 dinners, cats got cooked chicken, 3 packs at 30c (rats had some too) and we have a big beef stew for next couple of days.

They really love the sprouting beans and lentils, I get them most weeks for under 20c and they last 4 rats about 4 or 5 days.

Oooh Lucky ratties!

xx

A little tuna, spinach, cucumber, carrot, basil leaves, a taste of pasta, dates, Dr Rats Amazing Gloop, seaweed and a yoghurt covered peanut each (actually, I was eating them, they stole them). And their dry mix.

I have a branch of rocket from my friend's polytunnel that they can have to tear up today - not sure who's getting it - may break it into a few bits - not sure it has any nutritional value, but sure they'll enjoy it for 5 minutes! XD

Will probably get some kind of eggy, seedy, veggy mix tonight too

xx

Wow! I feel like I'm neglecting my rats now. After reading what all you feed yours, I feel very mean! Don't really want to say what mine get any more.   

A lot of you seem to give breakfast and another meal. Is that what we should be doing? We tend to give one helping of food, which they hide around the cage themselves, and go through then throughout the day?

Totally not necessary! they enjoy it, but they don't need it - mine get their dry mix every day, some veg most days (not that much though), and very occasionally they get nice treats of table scraps. Don't feel they need breakfast every day, they would probably get fat, and that is very bad for them!

xx

Phew!! We give them dry food (Burgess Suparat Rat Royale) and another fruit or veg that we make sure is different every day. So that every day is different for them.

What do you think? Is that a good idea? or what?

I wouldn't feed suparat personally. There's a bit of a discussion on the FB page about it at the moment - but the main issue is that it can be quite strongly linked with a major increase in tumour growth. Something to be aware of

Different veg and occasional fruit every day is good for them - they'll like the variety

xx

Oh God! Really??!?!?

Also, I re-read what I wrote. It was a little unclear. We only give one type of fruit or veg a day. Should we be be doing a couple of different ones everyday?

Once a day here too. They always get a little a bit of what's going which has them thinking that I am a friendly vending machine!

No, just one type every day or every other day is what I meant

xx

Ok, girls were at the vets today because both developed lumps in the last week, which thankfully are just fatty lumps.
Vet said reduce fat in their diet, as he thought they were a little over weight.
They aren't a slim as they always were so what should we reduce?
Everything?
Or just the extras?

Most days they get a mix of dry rabbit food, weetabix or shredded wheat, few corn flakes, and good pinch of mixed seeds (mostly pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and linseed), then some veggies, carrots, brocolli, baby spinach or kale or dandelions.
Occasionally we give a few heads of clover, or fresh herbs from garden (sweet basil is the fav), and some days a piece of left over pasta each, or small bit of potato, sweet potato or butternut squash, or tomato, or pinch of brown rice (cooked left overs).
About twice a week they get a bit of chicken, egg (boiled) or fish. Also fruit couple of times a week, slice of apple each, or pear, blackberry, half strawberry each.
Rare treat a hazelnut, bit of Brazil nut or something.

I thought all this was pretty healthy, chicken is always skinless, but sometimes on the bone.
They're about 18 months, sleep more now, otherwise healthy.
Any ideas other than reduce amount feeding? (Some days they seem starved and eat the lot, others leave some which we remove in the morning)
We feed once a day now as they won't get out of bed in the mornings and the food was being left until evening.
Any advice?

make them go up and down the stairs! Really helps with exercise!

Also, you can cut the fruit down to a few times a month, leftovers to a few times a month, cut out seeds pretty much entirely. Certainly no nuts needed

Hope that helps a bit?
xx

Thanks for reply.
They have both stories of the explorer to run around (and they do), but are sleeping more now.

We feed half a ramekin of the dry mix, will reduce the seeds (until we use up the last of the, then cut them out) and cut the fruit right down.
Might try cutting out the spud and pasta and stick to just veggie leftovers in smaller amounts.
Do you know if rosemary, thyme and oregano are safe? Have loads growing at the moment, they love the basil and parsley, and they smell lovely after a little sprig each!

Yeah, they should be fine!

xx

Chicken bones, dry mix and some carrot.

I gave my girls warm porridge and dried mix this morning and chicken and broccoli and cucumber for dinner, im new to rat parenting so still sussing out what foods they like
Im a bit confused about portion sizes, they are almost 8 weeks how much should they be getting daily?