# Rat Salad! and other things to munch on for good health



## rinny11 (Jun 3, 2013)

I make it a promise to my rats to make them fresh and varied food options every day. I have growing babies so I want them to get acquainted with lots of yummy food for good growing nutrition, so they have a lot of things in their diets besides Oxbow Regal Rat. They do eat it, but I also give them a small food bowl of things that they love and are good for them every day. I want to keep them as healthy as possible to leave the variables to just genetics instead of a junky diet. I have noticed when they get a variety of things, they seem to gravitate towards certain things - in a good way. I have a big head of broccoli rabe that they have been mowing through this week, surprised me they love it so much (its a very healthy but strong flavored dark leafy green!! Did you know kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc, are all the same species of plant just artificially selected over history for different qualities? Broccoli rabe leaves are great! I love that plant family...)... So what's on the menu tonight for the mischief? Well its easy to make and you might try it too! I have a plate/bowl that is exactly one cup (for me between 5 rats) so it makes getting portions easy. I took: one handful / cup of broccoli rabe leaves chopped, a few tablespoons of dry steel cut oatmeal (mine was a bit powdery so it coated the leaves! Not too bad. But bigger cut is great), a piece of bell pepper cut up small bits (say a 2"x2" piece or so), 6 dried cranberries chopped tiny, 4 almonds chopped up small, all mixed together. Ratty salad. They are going nuts over it! It will probably be gone by morning. I noticed my older Ratty (few months) is only going for leaves, and the babies prefer the leaves AND bits of almond here and there, with an occasional grab for the pepper or cranberry. I believe if you give your rat smart variety of things to choose from, they will gravitate towards what they need - as long as its all reasonable stuff. And of course mama makes sure you get the other stuff you need if you arent craving it! Rats are a lot like children, and children exposed to many healthy choices of whole foods will listen to the craving of what their bodies need. I was raised to eat a lot of vegetables and i thank my mom for it. I remember craving and eating all sorts of wonderful raw and cooked vegetables - sometimes seemingly strange things, like raw cabbage leaves or things like that! It stumped my mom but she always got the veggies i begged for. Not all kids are raised this way nor are all rats, but I think it's the right choice for me and my rats. I don't give them the same proteins every day, sometimes it's sardines (packed in water, no salt added!) Or egg. Until I run out of broccoli rabe or they get bored of it, they will get that though, plus different grains every day too. I don't always give them a sweet (like the small amount of cranberries - no sugar added or preservatives) that I gave today. I hope this is okay to discuss here, and anyone who would like to talk about this please do. I will continue to find different combinations of goodies for the ratties, and maybe give some recipes. I know the nutritional needs of rats are different than us, and I am adapting to try and give them things they might need, but at least they have the Oxbow as a base. I just don't trust all of their health to the stuff. Plus I believe it enriches a rat's life to give them so much flavor to examine as their brains have such big centers for smell and taste, and it develops a sense that Mama Rinny cares and has the good stuff to share! Any thoughts on this topic? I would love to discuss it!


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## rinny11 (Jun 3, 2013)

I forgot to add a picture! Excuse the mess, tomorrow is cleaning day. Cant edit my post or I'd do that instead of a double post... Zuza: Yum gimme gimme! And Babies coming out of their hut for some dinner.


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## I love all my girls (May 6, 2013)

They are soo cute. I try to vary their fresh stuff. They try stuff, if I see they don't like something I stop giving it. If they love it I give it to them again. I mix up their favorites so it's not the same. I know I'm bored eating the same every day so I give them what I eat. If its junk then they get a salad. 

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## I love all my girls (May 6, 2013)

Veggies & pasta are sone favorites. Same with my daughter. She's huge on broccoli & cucumber but not so much on the meat. junk food from my parents spoiling her & she gets cakes & cupcakes cuz of my business that i started. 

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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought to myself, Rat Salad??!


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## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

I love the salads idea. My rat is still getting used to eating different things. She was mostly fed dry rat food, Oxbow, before I got her. I try to give my girl some salad everyday, but she's not too keen on new foods. 
I'll keep trying and hopefully, eventually, my rat will love veggies as much as yours do. I love the idea of a varied diet for my new pet. I wish she was more adventurous with what's she's willing to eat.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

I have a recipe that I call Rat Salad. It is a mixture of fresh foods that I formulated to go with my diet plan specifically, but it's great for all rats. http://ratsnacksnstuff.weebly.com/recipes.html

An important thing to remember is that balance must be kept. Lab blocks, for example, are a 100% complete diet. If you add produce to that, you are diluting other vitamins.

All rats should be fed fresh foods, but balance and variety is key!


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## rinny11 (Jun 3, 2013)

cagedbirdsinging said:


> I have a recipe that I call Rat Salad. It is a mixture of fresh foods that I formulated to go with my diet plan specifically, but it's great for all rats. http://ratsnacksnstuff.weebly.com/recipes.html
> 
> An important thing to remember is that balance must be kept. Lab blocks, for example, are a 100% complete diet. If you add produce to that, you are diluting other vitamins.
> 
> All rats should be fed fresh foods, but balance and variety is key!


Thank you for the link! I'll definitely try that. and I understand of course, I always make sure they have their lab blocks and I do see them munching on them a lot. They go through a small bowl of it in a couple days - I try to fit in as much variety as possible for their fresh foods. Thanks!


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