# Do you feed your rats meat?



## slothxing (Dec 29, 2013)

Like, directly little chunks of meat? I've heard so many mixed things from different rat owners. I know they need protein, and they are omnivores. I gave mine a bone last night, but I'm not sure if I want to give them meat or just some other source of protein. Thoughts? Opinions? And basically, do you feed your rats meat?


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## RatNook (Dec 29, 2013)

I ocassionally give them pieces of various meats. They love chicken bones! Don't give them too much, as meat has a lot of protein and can make them smelly.


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## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

I feed Simon all kinds of cooked meats, turkey, chicken, liver, ham, and canned oysters and sardines. When I got him he had alot of bald spots and now they are growing in niceley. He's done really well on meats and hasn't gotten ill and no wet, runny poops.


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## slothxing (Dec 29, 2013)

Oh okay, so the thing about meat making them aggressive is totally a myth I assume. I wonder why people spread stuff like that, it just makes such a bad name for these lovely animals.


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## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

Yep, it's a myth I'm sure as my Simon gets a full tummy on meats and just falls asleep on me. No aggression or much of anything out of my guy.
I was wondering though. Do you give them raw chicken bones, or cooked? My dogs get raw bones as the cooked one's can splinter and are unsafe for dogs. Which is safer for rats?


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## slothxing (Dec 29, 2013)

I did some pretty extensive research on bones last night and the general consensus was that rats can eat all bones. Apparently the way that they bite off and chew pieces won't splinter the bone the way a dog or cat would, which kinda makes sense. One person did say that she always boils chicken bones first though, because they tend to be too greasy.


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## hrl20100 (May 1, 2013)

My girls have had lots of types of meat (they love them all!)
I have never given them any bones though. If I was to give them a bone, I would make sure the meat is cooked. It just seems weird feeding raw meat to my girlies!


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## slothxing (Dec 29, 2013)

I agree, lots of people said that raw meat bones won't splinter so they recommend that, but yuck! And after finding out that they don't splinter the bones anyway, it seems pointless.


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## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

I think I'll try the boiled bone way, just to stop any bacteria from forming in the cage. Thank you!


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Yes, I absolutely do. My diet formula depends on it, but in very specific kinds. Feeding a chunk of chicken breast to a rat isn't very beneficial. Organs and select seafoods, however, are invaluable. Some do not equate these with meats, so it's in the eye of the beholder.

Liver, oysters, shrimp, and sardines are all wonderful. Bones of any kind and preparation are invaluable sources of calcium and other lovely goodies from the tasty marrow.


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## slothxing (Dec 29, 2013)

What about clams? They tend to be the less costly counterpart to oysters and the like.


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## paigebrittain26 (Feb 24, 2014)

Can they eat any type of liver? I was told to get chicken or calves liver but can only find lamb and pork. Thanks!


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

If you feed your rat lab blocks/nuggets, chances are they're eating meat already (albeit a low-grade variant). Most commercial brands use chicken in some form or another as a source of protein. I don't know where the rumour about aggression began, but I'll hazard a guess at someone being bitten coincidentally after they'd fed meat. (And, most likely, still had residue on their fingers...)

My girls don't get much fresh meat, but they'll have the occasional small bit of ham, and one of their favourite treats is a tin of Applaws chicken cat food to share.


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## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

Mine love a little bite of sardines, they don't get it often though because it's my fella who eats it and I can't stand the smell so he tries to be kind and not buy any, lol. I sometimes give my rats a little bit of cooked chicken or sandwich ham each as a treat because they enjoy it, I don't tend to give them much meat in general though as it makes their poop smelly and they already get enough protein in their diet, so meat doesn't make up a specific part of their diet. Anytime one of them is ill, I give them chicken or salmon wet cat food in jelly for extra nourishment. I wouldn't give them raw meat personally. And I agree, eating meat does not encourage pets to be savage or bitey.


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## ratswithfoxandbear (Feb 12, 2014)

slothxing said:


> What about clams? They tend to be the less costly counterpart to oysters and the like.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I am wondering the same thing. I like giving them little treats, and I am wondering if clams are do-able. I just googled and read "clams top of the list" for good nutritional foods.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

Clams are fine, as are muscles and other shells fish. They are really good for them, just a bit salty if they are from the sea so just keep an eye on frequency.

That goes for any meat too, whilst its good in small amounts rats are omnivors not carnivors so need a balanced diet with far more of wholegrains and veg than meat and other high protien foods. Also not all meats are equal, red meats shoukd be kept to a minimum really as they are harsher on a rats digestion, white meat and fish is far better. Liver and other organs are great but dont feed more than once a week as they can contain high levels of vitamin a which can be toxic in overdose, though they contain loads of other good stiff which makes them very useful.

Rats can eat raw meat, however you need to avoid feeding them raw meat that we wouldnt eat, so beef and some fish is fine, but chicken and pork wouldnt be. Raw bones are the same. I tend to feed cooked as they keep better (not that bones last more than overnight here) and despite rumours otherwise these arent an issue for rats as they dont crush the bones like dogs would, they gnaw and grind them up. Theh are an excellent source of calcium but shouldnt be fed too often to old rats


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

Mine get a little shrimp, fish or chicken every now and then. I'm vegetarian an my kids are picky eaters so we tend not to have much in the way of meat/fish anyway but if the kids have it then the rats get a little.


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## paigebrittain26 (Feb 24, 2014)

Isamu I made the lover biscuits you have me the recipe for (not a pleasant experience!). How often should I give them to them the give them a boost if copper? 


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## paigebrittain26 (Feb 24, 2014)

liver* gave* of* to give* Sorry, I'm so bad at typing!


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

They arent high amounts of liver so one a day about 1cm cubed is fine, a couple of those if they look rusty.


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

paigebrittain26 said:


> liver* gave* of* to give* Sorry, I'm so bad at typing!


;D Lover biscuits - for the Love Rats in your life! Lol!


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## paigebrittain26 (Feb 24, 2014)

Ratbag said:


> ;D Lover biscuits - for the Love Rats in your life! Lol!


Haha! I did have a bit of a laugh when I noticed my mistake! I know a few people I could give those to lol!


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

paigebrittain26 said:


> Haha! I did have a bit of a laugh when I noticed my mistake! I know a few people I could give those to lol!


Lol!!;D


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## MimiSkye (Feb 3, 2014)

my girls love ham and chicken 

I also had pork chops for dinner once and took the bones and held them while they ate all the rest of the meat off. I think that was the greatest moment in their entire lives. 

I held onto the bone though because I wasn't sure whether it was safe for them to chew on it...anyone know if it is?


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## Perocore (Jan 6, 2014)

My boys always get left over fish, chicken, steak, pork, etc. They _love_ fish the most, especially the salmon, and fish is very healthy so I'm always happy to give them some.

Bones are safe for them- though I thought I read not to give them cooked bones because they're brittle?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

No, bones are fine. Unlike with dogs, they won't splinter or lodge in the rats throat.


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