# Can rats have sardines?



## Solo (Jan 28, 2007)

I bought a tin of boneless sardines in tomato sauce, would a little bit of this be OK for my ratties?


----------



## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

I would think so. Rats can and will eat anything from your gym socks to raw meat and maney other things. It should be ok but to be safe I would give them just a pinch and see how they react. Then if they like it give them only a little bit more as treat.


----------



## Lorenna (Dec 19, 2006)

Rats can eat everything a human eats. But it's not good to give them fat, sugary food too often cause they gain weight very fast. Meat also is not advisabe cause it makes rats more agressive. But a bit is ok. I sometimes give my girl some condensed milk to lick from my finger. She licks it like crazy. And rats just love french bread steeped in milk :wink:


----------



## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

Lorenna said:


> Meat also is not advisabe cause it makes rats more agressive.


this is untrue. giving rats meat will not make them any more or less aggressive. it is but a old wives tale. in fact rats require some meat or other source of protein in their diet as they are omnivorous.


----------



## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

I will give our rats most unprocessed natural foods, so long as they're not high in salt, fat or sugar. I also only give the tiniest pinch of anything that contains a lot of additives or preservatives, and on very rare occasions.

As Lorenna says, though, most things that are good for us are good for rats. Rats need a healthy balanced diet, too! Just remember, a rattie only has a tiny tummy, don't overdo it.


----------



## Solo (Jan 28, 2007)

Thanks everyone! Well I gave them a little tiny bit and they went crazy for it!


----------



## Lorenna (Dec 19, 2006)

twitch said:


> Lorenna said:
> 
> 
> > Meat also is not advisabe cause it makes rats more agressive.
> ...


It is true, actually. Of course, if your rat is friendly, meat won't make it any agressive, but if your rat is agressive and you give it meat, it somehow associates meat with human hands and bite you even more.


----------



## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

Lorenna said:


> twitch said:
> 
> 
> > Lorenna said:
> ...


i'm not going to get in a debate over who is right and who is wrong. i have stated my opinion on the matter and i stand to it. rats need meat too and giving them meat will not change their temperment. if the rat is already agressive there is reason behind that agression that should be looked into but meat will not make it MORE agressive. i find this wives tale a little dangerous though as i have seen it used as reason to get "rid" of perfectly fine rats that just needed a bit of time and perhaps a check up with a vet.


----------

