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Just wondering about the diet I'm feeding, finding that they aren't eating the carrot at all (tried covering it with yogurt and they licked it off and left the carrot untouched), not bothering much with the broccoli, apple or bananas, largely ignoring the rat mix, but will eat a pack of cheap soup mix I got containing barley, lentils and peas etc, also little shredded wheat or weetabix.
They will devour special K or cheerios, so using them to bribe them if they won't go back to cage or won't come out, also love certain salad leaves and spinach, and go mad for dandelions (must video tomorrow its so funny) and frozen peas (thawed), noodles, eggs, chicken and fish.

Is it just I'm feeding too much?

Egg was half a boiled egg between them once a day, chicken/fish similar amount. Salad leaf one or two each, from a bag of mixed salad so not big leaves, peas about 5 or 6 each once a day, also gave a few pumpkin seeds about a dozen, same of sunflower seeds again once a day and not every day. One banana chip each, again not every day.

I left them 24 hours with just rat mix and they weren't eating and were ravenous when fresh food came.
Just worried they aren't getting enough veggies other than dandelion or spinach and peas.

Luna is about 11 or 12 weeks and Matilda is 10 or 11 weeks, getting larger now but by no means full grown.

Well I would try persevering wth the dry mix and veggies,mine weren't too keen at the start on things like carrot and kale but I kept offering and they'll eat most things now

What dry mix do you use? If it's different to what they were fed by the petshop/breeder maybe they're just taking a while getting used to it. When I got my first two girls I put them on nugget rat food and it took them a while to come round to it because they were being fed a mix in the petshop.. they'd basically eat anything but it. Though they did eventfully come round to it, however I ended up changing them to a mix again from Rat Rations and they love it. Now that there's four of them they chomp through a whole bowl of it a day plus as well as the extras like fruit/vege and other treats.

Though, I noticed mine too aren't really fond of carrot. I also tried yoghurt on it in a fruit/carrot salad. Lol. They just licked the yoghurt off too. Though they like the mushed up carrot in the babyfood I give them, and they like the soft carrots you get with peas.

My dads usual saying is though, if they're hungry enough they'll eat it. Lol.

Yes, I'd agree, if they're hungry they'll eat

Re carrot, try part cooking it?

xx

Thanks guys, will try part cooking.

And yes if they are hungry they will eat it
No idea of the name of the food, its the one they were feeding in petshop, but I have had a look at the rat rations and I may order some of that once we finally get through this stuff.

They don't look too skinny so I'm not overly worried, just wanted to keep it balanced.

Another question, re the Kale.
Got some this morning and offered it to the girls and they just ignored it! Do you blanch it of anything or just give it raw?
They love the dandelions and seem to like the spinach ok, but show no interest in the kale.

Daughter gave them strawberry yogurt (the natural stuff with fruit puree) and they keep licking the empty bowl and looking at us!
I think they liked it

One other thing, I assume anything I make for dogs should be ok for rats?
I have recipes for dog biscuits and banana and peanut butter muffins(birthday buns, yes I know I'm nuts )sweet potato chews, liver cake, etc, all sugar free although there's honey in the muffins, and made with rice flour.

Not really answering any of your questions but a fun thing I do is put the yoghurt on my finger and let them lick it off. They REALLY love me after. They hold on with their itty bitty paws, it's so cute! Though careful, they sometimes like to give a nibble if it's their first time.

We did that SaraBloo, it resulted in them grabbing our fingers and taking a nip every time they got near for nearly a week!
My daughter learned the hard way to wash her hands after eating
They don't nip hard, but they will try and pull your finger off!

Awh. Mine don't do that. Though Cassie and Millie did try once and I did a firm OI, and they didn't try again.

Guess all ratties are different.

Not all rats like Kale. You could try chopping it up finely into a mix of other veg and fruit, and putting a tin of sardines in tomato sauce in with it all - mix it together thoroughly so it's a mush, and give them that!

xx

That's what I did initially,I hid it with fish etc but I found they took to it on its own after time,ive still got one that's not to keen (Smokie I'm talking about YOU) but she'll have a little bit...I found giving it fairly regularly got them used to it.although my BFs eat it with relish,they really tuck in,always have put the rest of them to shame,as they sit there with pained expressions but still eating it,just with an attitude