Rat Nutrition Guide
Rats need different diets for different stages in their life. These special diets provide the rat with what it needs more or less of to continue to be healthy and active.
Pregnant and Nursing Moms
Baby developement and milk production takes a lot out of a mom where fluids and nutrients are taken from the mother's body. To keep her and the litter healthy, you will need to supplement the mother''s diet by increasing the fat and protein in her diet before she gives birth and during nursing. You will want to continue the doe's regular diet but slowly increase the quantity available and add a large daily portion of curly kale, spring greens, and other leafy veggies. A grain mix (with added mix of higher protein/fat foods like dry low fat dog kibble) combined with fresh soy milk and lab blocks makes a good daily meal. Giving foods like scrambled eggs can be a meaningful and healthy treat for her. Monitor your mama and if there is any skin irritation, hair loss, or scratching, decrease the amount of protein. Fat does tend to have more birthing problems so avoid overfeeding. As always - make sure that there is fresh water available at all times! For more on what to feed nursing moms and babies, see next section.
Baby (Birth to Weaning at 5 weeks)
The mother will provide the very first nutrients a baby rat will need within hours after its birth - Colostrum and mother's milk. The babies will live off of the mothers milk for most of their first days. Around 2 weeks the babies will start immitating the mother and begin to eat some solid foods. They still depend on the mother's milk for their main diet and nutrients at that time. The babies will slowly start to eat more of the solid foods and less of the mother's milk as they approach 5 weeks of age. At that point, most babies (unless they are behind in development) will be almost completely eating solid foods. This is when they are "weaned" from the mother and the sexes are seperated. Baby rats should not be weaned before 4 weeks of age. I leave male babies in with their mother until they are 5 weeks of age and girls until 6 weeks. If you are hand raising a litter than soy baby formula is the best subsitute.
During this period both the nursing mothers and kittens will need supplements to add protein and extra calories to their diet. This will help the babies grow up strong and healthy and ensure that the mother remains in good health and weight during nursing. Calcium, Vitamin D and Phosphorus can be especially important during periods of growth, pregnancy and lactation, for the development of bone and production of milk. One of the best source of these minerals in the diet is kale though other green leafy veggies can be given. Soy milk is also a great source of iron, fat and nutrients for both the mother and the babies and should be provided fresh daily.
Growing Babies (5 weeks on)
As babies grow, their bodies need a diet rich in essentials for bone building and body developement. More to come....
Adult and Maintance Diets
The best diet for this stage in life is a low fat/protein diet that is complete and balanced. Feeding a basic diet of rat lab blocks combined with a dry mix and fresh fruit/veggies is best. If you begin to notice weight changes and/or skin issues then change you diet accordingly. What we feed our rats and what are rodent lab blocks contains information on what is the suggested diet.
Feeding Sick Rats
Sick rats will often lose weight rapidly due to loss of appitite. They will also have a raised energy requirements due to the extra strain of fighting off an infection, virus, a higher body temperature, increased heart rate, extra effort to breath or support a large tumour. It becomes important to given them a diet that is rich in calories with a smaller amount of food intake as well as giving them something that is easier to eat like wet mash. Low sugar cerals with soy milk, cooked grains and pastas or wholemeal bread soaked in warm soya milk can be offered instead. Foods like cooked egg, chicken, yoghurt, bananas, avocado and coconut milk can be used to try to tempt a sick rat to eat and these foods are high in protein. Baby food pureed is also a good temptation of sick rats. Soy based human baby milk which is easy to digest and full of nutrients and fat is good to to be offered fresh daily as well. There is a supplement called Nutrical of Ferritvite which is given in a small amount that is super packed with minerals, vitamins, calories and the rats seem to like it. For certain health problems like congestive heart failure, a low sodium diet is best. This can be achieved by feeding a regular diet of lab blocks. Watch out for canned foods.for these are very high in sodium. Stay away from dairy products, baked goods, processed cereals or foods, or salted foods.
Elderly Care
As our rats age they require a different set of dietary needs so that they may sustain robust health into old age as well as deal with the sometimes many health issues that affect our aging ratties. Older rats tend not to eat as much as they used to so it becomes important to provide them with foods that are highly nutritious and easily eaten like soft pureed foods that don't require being held to eat. Foods like baby food, pureed vegetables and fruits, rat blocks soaked in soy milk, "nutrical" high calorie paste, avocado, yogurt, etc. can be given. You may also want to consider giving a vitamin and mineral supplement. As they age, they are more prone to weakness caused by muscle wasting, degeneration of the spinal cord, pituitary adenoma or stroke. Hind leg paralysis is common, particularily in male rats. A low food dish may be necessary so that they can reach the food easilyor syringe feeding may become necessary if they are not eating on thier own. Treatment with anti inflammatory drugs (like prednisone or metacam) or anabolic steroids (like laurabolin) can help make them more comfortable. Extra high calorie treats will help keep muscle condition.
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