# Rat Chow



## likeaboss (Jun 10, 2012)

I got a bag of "rat chow" from the feed store today because I really needed rat food. Boss was eating hamster food for one night because that's all I had and I totally spaced on getting him anything from the shop I got him from. I want to know, What bagged food is best for them? I don't really want to start mixing my own or anything, If there is something in store I could buy I would rather do that.. Thanks


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm not going to comment on what the best rat block food is, thats a hot debate that is going to result in disagreement. And what consensus there is will change over time. The best you are likely to do is find the better choice available in your area.

But in a pinch, rats eat people food not hamster food or rabbit food. Rats have evolved to live on human left overs, trash or even crops. The biggest rat I ever saw lived in a commercial bakery. If you eat it, most likely so will your rat. No matter how bad things get, as long as you don't starve neither will your rattie. Your better off feeding your rattie left overs than food formulated for some other critter.

That said, when you get to the store, buy one of the super high quality rat blocks everyone else here is going to recommend and suppliment it with fresh fruits, veggies and the good things they are also going to tell you about.


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

Look for the Oxbow Regal Rat, if they don't have it on the shelves ask if they carry it because odds are pretty good they'll special order for you if they're a distributor. Petco/Petsmart won't though, it's the smaller M&P stores that usually will. Other good brands are Mazuri and Harlan Teklad but you can't find the HT in stores, usually you have to order it online and in large quantities or buy some from someone else whose divided up an order but that can get kinda hairy. As for those mixes in the store, they're really not the best for your rat and the lab blocks should make up a good deal of the diet anyways but if you could supplement (the key word here being supplement) with the Suebees mix it would be much better. Fresh foods are good, veggies being better for them than fruits of course. 

And I think the idea of feeding solely human foods for any given amount of time vs. feeding hammy food for a couple days is probably a hot debate itself...


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

I agree with the Oxbow Regal Rat for rats over 4 months (under 4 months just supplement with additional protein). Reason being is that it is the most complete to what nutritional values a rat needs daily. Humans and rats need different foods as our nutritional values differ. Oxbow and Harlan Teklad are the two best foods to feed a rat as they are the highest quality and also closest to the nutritional values I mentioned. A wild rat does eat a large assortment of foods including human trash, but we also have to realize that this is a domestic animal that we care for and want to have the longest life possible, and being domesticated, they lose some of the wild instincts. Here's an example: wild rats will avoid a new food, uncertain of whether or not it is poisonious. A domestic rat will try just about anything and everything it is offered. (www.ratlife.org ). Back to the commercial rat foods- there are a lot out there. But some are made more cheapily than others and add a lot of fillers that your rat simply does not need. Like alfalfa for example. They can eat it but it doesnt digest well however many commercial foods include it in their mixes because its cheap and is a filler. 

I have used the Suebee diet and while its better than some of those crappy commercial foods, its still not 100% nutritional and it makes rats chubby (all of mine were ol' chunky butts until I switched them to Oxbow). It does make a nice supplement to a complete rat chow/block/etc though. I modified it some to make it lower in fat and calories, as you can see from my blog (http://ratwhisperer.blogspot.com/p/our-rat-diet.html). Even now I am about to make yet another change to this supplement (my males won't eat the amaranth grain thats in it so I am going to check out some other alternatives). But you also stated you didnt want to mix your own food.....

Back to what Rat Daddy said- basically anything you eat, your rats can eat too. But also consider that just because we eat it ,doesnt make it good for us! The same goes for rats...just because they can eat it, doesnt mean that its good for them or beneficial towards their health. Diet is a bit controversial, since everyone has an opinion as to what is best....the best thing you can do is to take it all in and make your own call. Do your research. There are some excellent sites that have done extensive research on rats and their metabolisms and how their bodies use food/break down food etc, which is where many of us have come to the conclusion about Oxbow and Harlan Teklad...perhaps someone has those links they can post onto this thread. If nothing else, they are interesting to read!


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

I agree with the Oxbow Regal Rat for rats over 4 months (under 4 months just supplement with additional protein). Reason being is that it is the most complete to what nutritional values a rat needs daily. Humans and rats need different foods as our nutritional values differ. Oxbow and Harlan Teklad are the two best foods to feed a rat as they are the highest quality and also closest to the nutritional values I mentioned. A wild rat does eat a large assortment of foods including human trash, but we also have to realize that this is a domestic animal that we care for and want to have the longest life possible, and being domesticated, they lose some of the wild instincts. Here's an example: wild rats will avoid a new food, uncertain of whether or not it is poisonious. A domestic rat will try just about anything and everything it is offered. (www.ratlife.org ). Back to the commercial rat foods- there are a lot out there. But some are made more cheapily than others and add a lot of fillers that your rat simply does not need. Like alfalfa for example. They can eat it but it doesnt digest well however many commercial foods include it in their mixes because its cheap and is a filler. 

I have used the Suebee diet and while its better than some of those crappy commercial foods, its still not 100% nutritional and it makes rats chubby (all of mine were ol' chunky butts until I switched them to Oxbow). It does make a nice supplement to a complete rat chow/block/etc though. I modified it some to make it lower in fat and calories, as you can see from my blog (http://ratwhisperer.blogspot.com/p/our-rat-diet.html). Even now I am about to make yet another change to this supplement (my males won't eat the amaranth grain thats in it so I am going to check out some other alternatives). But you also stated you didnt want to mix your own food.....

Back to what Rat Daddy said- basically anything you eat, your rats can eat too. But also consider that just because we eat it ,doesnt make it good for us! The same goes for rats...just because they can eat it, doesnt mean that its good for them or beneficial towards their health. Diet is a bit controversial, since everyone has an opinion as to what is best....the best thing you can do is to take it all in and make your own call. Do your research. There are some excellent sites that have done extensive research on rats and their metabolisms and how their bodies use food/break down food etc, which is where many of us have come to the conclusion about Oxbow and Harlan Teklad...perhaps someone has those links they can post onto this thread. If nothing else, they are interesting to read!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm glad the right folks commented here... Shawna has a great recipe for rats on her web site. And the brands listed are ones of superior quality from what I've tried and read. 

As to human foods: short term, domestic rats choose poorly; long term, they still will do pretty well nutritionally... but this presupposes you give them the right human food choices to begin with. Thats from some studies I read long ago, and my own observations.

The reason I recommend human foods as a stop gap solution is that once the 50lb bag of rabbit food is purchased, it is only human nature to use it up. I'd rather see a rattie eat cooked brown rice, broccoli a couple of grapes and a little piece of baked chicken or boiled egg for one or two days than be forced to try and live off of alfafa for six months. 

I've actually seen someone nearly kill a parrot, because the pet shop was closed and they could only get a 25 lb bag of wild bird seed at the supermarket and they wanted to use it all up before buying more food.

No matter what else my ratties may eat, they always have high quality rodent blocks available to them.


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## little.eli (Jun 21, 2012)

I bought my rat the Oxbow food, and it seems very nutritional. She isn't chunky, very healthy, and active. I only notice that she doesn't eat much of it. Maybe I am feeding her too much of it? How much should she be eating? 

I give her some pieces of fresh veggies and fruit when I'm eating some, and she really likes those. Is she comparing the taste of the fresh food to the Oxbow?


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

Hi there, I am new... I had an additional question. What is a good protein to add for younger rats? I plan on feeding Oxbow/fruits/veggies but my rat is only 6wks old and I want to be sure I am feeding the best I can afford  Thanks!


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Soy proteins are said to be very helpful in decreasing the risks of mammary tumors in girly rats.

Both genders can benefit from the oily fish, like sardines. Try to stay away from the fish with higher risks of mercury contamination. Avoid tuna and salmon.

You can get some sardines and chop them up a bit and lay on a baking sheet to freeze, and then pop the little chunks in a freezer bag to store. Offer a chunk or two with their fresh foods.


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

For a lab block, I use *Oxbow Foods Regal Rat*.​ It is a low fat blend with balanced fiber and fat to help support a healthy weight. No artifical colors or flavors, corn or fillers. Since it is recommended for rats over 4 months of age, the youngsters get *Solid Gold Holistique Blendz *dog food. 

Harlan Teklad, the best known lab block has a formula, 2018, that is 18% protein and 5% fat for young rats and nursing mothers. 
Solid Gold Holistique Blendz's protein is not less than 18%, not _likely_ to be more than 21% and the fat is about 6%. 
I use the Holistique Blendz because its easier to get- I can get it at Petsmart or Petco and lots of placed online. Harlan Teklad is very hard to get a hold of without buying a huge bag, unless you get smaller bags from someone who is splitting the bag and reselling smaller quantities of it. That's not a bag idea, but I personally don't like buying pet foods that are opened, especcially when I don't know how fresh it is, that and should there ever be a recall, you will not have the original packaging to refer back to. 

The Regal Rat has 14% protein and 4% fat, much like Harlan Teklad's 2014 formula (14% protein and 3.5% fat). This is the best of Harlan Teklad's diets to feed as an overall maintenance diet to adult rats. I buy Regal Rat online although I know other areas have said they sell it in store (my petstores don't locally). 

I used to feed my rats the popular Suebee mix but I also have always had chubby rats. Now I use just the Oxbow Regal Rat and the Solid Gold Holistique Blendz as a staple and supplement my Rat Whisperer Diet Supplement, which is similar to Suebees, but each rat only gets 2 tbsp daily as a supplement, not as a diet staple. I have already seen a difference in the males weight- they don't look quite as round around the middle, LOL!


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

Oh and I guess that this is as good of a place as any to mention that if you're looking for Regal Rat it looks like Petsmart is starting to carry it again (it was on the shelf when we went hunting something down the other day) so you may as well check yours if you're willing to support them. If not, check a mom & pop to see if they'll order it for ya or order it through Dr Foster & Smith.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Update: PetSmart just started carrying Oxbow Regal Rat Essential.... It's very pricey but a stranger told us our "little girl" had to be a rat because she was way too big to be a guinea pig or a ferrit so I guess it's time for a diet.


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

I didn't think the price was too horrible, but still a couple dollars more than what the M&P will charge me. I think it was $12 when I was there?


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