# Can I dye my rat with food coloring?



## Nijidoragon (Sep 7, 2014)

With a spray bottle ? Will they lick it off or will it have time to stain? I used beet juice before but it doesn't stay on because they lick it off so fast.


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## LittleBird (Jun 22, 2014)

Why would you even want to?


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## JulieX10 (Oct 18, 2014)

Food colouring is a potentially toxic chemical. Maybe get one of those teddies that come with pens so you can colour them in, and let your rat stay its natural colour.


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

I wouldn't. I know some breeders mark a rats tail base with just a teeny tiny bit to distinguish very similar looking babies but it is just so unnecessary to coat an entire rat in dye, that I would just steer clear.


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## inod3 (Jun 13, 2014)

LittleBird said:


> Why would you even want to?


Same reason people dye their hair, I'd imagine. 

A rat differs from a person in that way in that people don't usually lick their hair that often, and a rat cleans themselves quite a bit. And while food coloring is edible, we typically consume food coloring very diluted in whatever food we're coloring with it. I don't know many people that consume food coloring by itself. I personally wouldn't use it to color a rat as you'd be giving it a much higher dose than you would consume in say, cake frosting.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

I think they make pet safe fur dyes


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## Voidrae (Oct 13, 2014)

I think I read once that you shouldn't dye cats with pet dyes because of how often cats groom themselves. Would you run into the same problem with rats? I don't know anything about dyeing rats haha, just what I learned as a groomer.


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## Mrs.Brisby (Jan 4, 2014)

Personally I wouldn't do it but i've read that kool aid is safe to use.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

Kool Aid would probably be best


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## Effy (Oct 11, 2014)

*All I know is that if you use too much red food colouring, it tastes NASTY.
And it's made out of bugs.

So goodness knows.*


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

Also dumping kool aid on your rat does not sound like a fun experience for it! Since its also pure garbage, I would not want my rat licking that junk off. If you are doing this for a photo shoot or something for the holidays, you can just use photoshop to edit the image after and colour the rat that way! I know someone who did this for an Easter themed calendar where they wanted their pew to look like a coloured egg next to a bunch of real coloured eggs!


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

Honestly i dont think this is a good idea. Rats arent toys, they are living breathing creatures. Adding dye or kool aid, even if its safe (which i dubiose) will change there smell, make them feel unsettled, and all just to look a bit garish. Rats are pretty enough as they are, i would celebrate that rather than looking to change them.

If you need to mark your rats to idenitfy them, rather than doing the whole rat just put a coloured line on there tail with a none toxic marker (i use sharpies), a small area isnt an issue


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## PaigeRose (Apr 12, 2013)

They do make pet safe dyes, the petsmarts around me started offering dying with hair cut packages... for a halloween costume, maybe, but on a general basis i think dying fur is a silly idea...


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## Ilovemybabyrats (Feb 5, 2013)

never knew of a dyed rat, but when my brother used to live with me he dyed my cat's fur without even asking because he knew I'd have said no. She ended up getting a really nasty skin condition and my brother and I didn't stay living together long after that. I agree with the others. If it's for identification, just do a bit on the tail.


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## Arlo (Oct 23, 2014)

One of my rats has an orange tint to his head fur because he rolled around in baked beans...


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## Marz42 (Feb 7, 2014)

Growing up my neighbor had a hamster in a cage with pine shavings that had been dyed green. They got wet, and then the hamster was green. It was unpleasant for everyone involved.


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## Tufty+Flo (May 5, 2013)

use tomato sauce - I gave my white rat spaghetti with tomato sauce and she got it all over her nose and chest! She licked it off though...

Actual dye sounds like a disaster waiting to happen even if it is safe for rats...


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## Zabora (Jun 8, 2014)

Yea I wouldnt dye my animals for the reasons given. Why do you want to in the first place?


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## Nijidoragon (Sep 7, 2014)

I didn't use any unsafe dyes don't worry .


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