Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Can i feed my rats nuts?

I was just wondering if my 2 male rats can eat nuts. They've never had them before and i want to know if it's safe for them to eat them.


If they can eat then, which nuts can i give them. They are about 3 months oldCan i feed my rats nuts?
My rats love monkey nuts in the shells, sometimes I hide walnuts, hazlenuts, almonds etc in the cage and let them work it out for themselves. It's amazing to watch them crack the shells open to get at the nuts, and it keeps them busy for ages!


My rats also enoy a bone ( not chicken bones ) and they love raw vegetables and most fruits. Best treat ever is a bit of roast potato!


A balanced diet is as important for pets as it is for us, and where fresh and varied food will help to prevent boredom and gives them a nice ';treat'; it shouldn't take the place of thier usual brand of rat feed.


I guess like anything else, don't over do it, or feed anything salty, fatty or processed.Can i feed my rats nuts?
Rats have nutritional requirements that are very different from dogs or cats, and are more similar to that of humans. But rats still need a diet specially formulated for them. Like most animals, rats can make all the vitamin C they need inside their body. Guinea pigs and primates are the only mammals that must get their vitamin C from food. But extra vitamin C might be good for rats. It's a myth that rats must eat hard foods to keep their teeth from overgrowing. Healthy rats grind their teeth together to keep them the proper length and sharpness.





Rats have a flap in their stomach that covers the esophagus and prevents both vomiting and burping. For this reason, wild rats are very hesitant to try a new food in case it's poisonous. They nibble a little bit and wait if they feel sick they associate it with the taste of the last new food they tried and avoid it in the future. This behavior is very adaptive for an animal that will try to eat almost anything, but who can't vomit up bad food. Domestic rats aren't quite as wary of new foods and soon learn to try any foods you offer them.





A Nutritious Diet





Rats, like people, are omnivorous which means they eat both plants and animals. Wild rats eat nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables, fruits, insects, worms, eggs, dead animals, and even frogs, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals that they catch and kill. This means they are partially predatory and have a high requirement for some nutrients that are most abundant from animal sources. This predatory nature is why rats are so smart! Rats do not need a salt lick. They get all the salt they need from their diet. Salt licks are only needed by strict herbivores.
I feed mine Walnuts. I've heard not to feed them almonds but i'm not sure why. Walnuts are ok. But just give them a little everynow and then because nuts are very high in fat and if they eat alot they will get fat. Just make sure the nuts are not salted. Make sure they are unsalted and are not flavored. Also try unsalted sunflower seeds. But again anything like this is good only for an ocassional treat and not to be fed to them alot.
My daughter has rats and we feed them a range of foods including monkey nuts in their shells, dried fruit, seeds and bread crusts as well as fruit and vegtables. Parrot mix from pet stores have a mix of nuts/seeds and sometimes dried fruit. One of their favourite foods is corn on the cob, when we have them I cook an extra one for the rats. The food they always have in the cage is from pets at home and is rat nuggets.
Rats will readily accept peanuts however they should only be offered sparingly as they have a high fat content which will only lead to fat rats and poorly organs. Just like humans in moderation is fine just not everyday :)
Yes it sounds fine. Dont feed them salted nuts only unsalted. Also dont feed them excessively. Good luck with your rats!
monkey nuts should be ok, i used to feed them to my chinchillas, as long as they are natural and not salted, roasted or anything like that
lol, rats are like mini garbage disposals, I'm sure that nuts are fine, just not an excessive amount.
My rats like almonds but not walnuts. I haven't tried any others, but giving them nuts is fine.
I`d feed his mouth if I was you!!

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