Feeding your rats a healthy diet can help them live longer and keep them active into their old age. You’ll definitely notice that their fur is shinier and eyes brighter when they’re eating well. So what’s the best diet for pet rats?
Rats are true omnivores. They thrive on a commercial or homemade dry mix supplemented with fresh fruits, veggies and proteins. Rats can eat almost anything we can, with a few exceptions.
In general, things that are healthy for us are healthy for rats too. There are some common foods that are toxic to rats, though, so check the table towards the end of this post.
Basics of the rat diet
Most rats do best on a carbohydrate rich diet, with some protein and fats.
This is usually a dry food supplemented with fresh fruits, veggies and other unprocessed foods. Lab blocks are typically a better base than seed mixes, but some rat fanciers even do up their own homemade mixes.
Lab Blocks
Lab blocks were originally formulated to feed lab rats, as the name suggests! They’re designed to have the specific ratio of carbs, protein and fats that a rat needs.
Look for lab blocks with soybeans as a first ingredient, rather than corn. (Soy has cancer-preventative properties in rats.)
Some lab block brands offer different formulations for different life stages. Young rats (under 6 months) need more protein, while elderly rats need much less.
The downside to lab blocks is that rats can get tired of eating them day after day. Rats love variety and it’s a lot more fun for them if you can scatter their food across their cage for them to scavenge for. If you think about how rats would eat in the wild, it definitely wouldn’t be lab blocks out of a bowl!
With that said, lab blocks can be helpful to make sure your rats are eating a nutritionally balanced diet for their species. Check the package for how much to feed and whether to supplement with fresh foods.
Well known brands of lab block:
Are seed mixes good for pet rats?
Most seed mixes are not great for rats because they contain more fat and protein than is optimal for them. Seed mixes may also be more likely than lab blocks to contain pesticides, molds, and unnecessary filler.
If you do use a seed mix, make sure it specifically shows rats on the packaging. Other animals have totally different dietary needs. Diets meant for birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas etc. wont work for rats.
The benefit to using a seed mix is that you can scatter it across the cage for your rats to forage. This is more enriching for them than eating lab blocks. It also prevents each rat from eating more than their fair share of food!
Homemade diets for rats
Many rat fans make their own homemade mixes. It’s the easiest way (besides lab blocks) to make sure your rats are getting the right nutritional balance.
There are many homemade diets available on the internet. My favorite is from Debbie Ducommun. She specifically formulated it to fit the scientific guidelines for an optimal rat diet. She even recommends a schedule for fresh foods to supplement it with!
The only downside to her diet is that it has some specialized items that might be hard to find, depending on where you live.
The Shunamite diet is another very popular diet that is tailored to rats’ nutritional needs.
How much do rats eat?
To be honest, many rats will eat everything you give them! Rats can easily become overweight if you feed them too much.
To keep rats at a healthy weight, it’s a good idea to measure out their food. A popular rule of thumb is to start with around 15g-18g of dry food a day, then adjust. If you see your rats gaining too much weight, they may need less food, or vice versa if they’re losing weight.
Every rat’s metabolism is a little different. Just keep an eye on your rats’ weight so that you can adjust the amount of food you give them each day. If you notice lots of un-eaten food after feeding time, they might not need to eat as much.
Because rats are so adorable, it’s definitely hard to resist feeding them a piece of everything you eat. Just keep in mind how small they are in comparison to you!
You can feed your rats once a day if you like, or split their daily amount into two and feed twice.
Pet rat food list
Rats do better with organic foods, just like us. If you can’t buy organic, it helps to soak fruits and veggies in water, or just remove the skin before giving it to your ratties.
Rats love variety and appreciate when you give them different things each day. Many common (healthy) table scraps are appropriate for rats, which is an inexpensive way to keep them happy and healthy.
Rats will try to hide and bury their food, so remove anything they didn’t eat after a few hours so it don’t get moldy or attract flies.
What vegetables can rats eat?
Most vegetables are healthy and safe for rats to eat, with a couple of exceptions. Rotating different veggies through the week is great for enrichment and ensures that your rats get the variety of vitamins and minerals they need.
Each adult rat only needs about 3 tablespoons of veggies each day. If you notice runny, smelly poops, try giving them less.
Fresh veggies are best. Feeding rats canned veggies is too salty for them. Here’s a list of veggies that rats love:
- Tomato
- Cooked yam
- Carrots
- Fresh corn
- Cauliflower
- Sweet peppers (capsicum)
- Cooked onions
- Cooked garlic
- Radish
- Leek
- Parsnip
- Pumpkin
- Zucchini
- Sugar snap peas
- Squash
- Asparagus
- Potato
- Cucumbers
- Green beans
- Mushrooms
- Bean sprouts
- Turnip
- Okra
- Eggplant
Leafy greens are great for rats. They can have a few different herbs as well:
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Collard Greens
- Arugula
- Romaine lettuce
- Bok Choy
- Swiss Chard
- Celery
- Parsley
- Coriander (cilantro)
- Sage
- Mint
- Fennel
These vegetables should only be fed occasionally, in small quantities:
- Spinach (high in oxalates)
- Beets (oxalates)
Fruits that rats can eat
Rats can eat most fruits dried or fresh. Because fruit is more sugary than veggies, watch that your rats don’t get diarrhea from eating too many. 1 tablespoon of fruit per day is a good rule of thumb for an adult rat.
The only fruit to avoid is unripe (green) bananas. Ripe bananas are fine. Remove the stone/pit from any fruit before giving to your rats.
- Watermelon
- Honeydew melon
- Dates
- Pears
- Kiwi
- Grapes (not toxic to rats!)
- Apples (remove seeds)
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Papaya
- Fig
- Prunes
- Avocado (remove skin and pit)
- Plums
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Cherries
- Pomegranate seeds
- Coconut
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
Other foods rats can eat
| Type | Safe Foods For Rats | Comments |
| Grains | Oats, brown rice, puffed rice, whole wheat bread, pasta (cooked or raw), quinoa, barley, millet, couscous | Whole grains are great for rats. These make up the base of many homemade diets. |
| Cereal (Bran Flakes, Cheerios, Chex, granola) | Cereals work nicely as a treat for rats. Just check for added sugar. | |
| Proteins | Cooked or raw egg (with shell), liver & other organ meats, chicken, beef, pork, lamb, fish, mealworms; cooked oysters, cooked lentils, cooked beans | Rats can enjoy a little meat cooked or raw. Females can have a few grams of meat 2-3 times a week. Males don’t need as much protein, to avoid kidney problems. |
| Milk | Some rats can have milk products while others are lactose intolerant. Watch out for diarrhea if you feed them to your rats. | |
| Cheese | Rats can eat cheese, but it can be fattening, so don’t go overboard! Avoid moldy or aged cheese. | |
| Yoghurt, kefir | Probiotic yoghurt is good for rats, too! | |
| Cooked bones | Rats LOVE bones. Just monitor them to make sure they don’t splinter off tiny pieces (a choking hazard). | |
| Nuts | Roasted soy and other nuts inside the shell | Rats love nuts with the shell on for fun and enrichment. 1-2 nuts a day is fine for rats but more can be too fattening. |
| Seeds | Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds | Unsalted seeds are best. Can also be fattening when fed in large quantities. |
Foods that are dangerous to rats when raw
These foods are healthy for rats, but need to be cooked first:
- Beans
- Peanuts
- Oysters
- Brussel sprouts
- Cabbage
- Sweet potato
- Artichokes
Foods that are choking hazards to rats
Watch out for anything thick and/or sticky. Particularly as rats get older, they may have a harder time eating these.
- Peanut butter
- Popcorn (for elderly rats)
- Honey
- Chewy bread
- Bones
- Shredded coconut
Foods that are toxic to rats
Rats’ digestive systems are little different from ours, and some foods are toxic to them. Here are foods to completely avoid feeding to rats.
| Food | Reason it’s bad for rats |
| Anything moldy or stale | Like us, rats can be very sensitive to molds. Avoid feeding them anything you wouldn’t eat yourself! |
| Blue cheese (mold) | Moldy cheeses are not safe for rats. Many rat owners avoid aged cheeses as well. |
| Dried corn | Often contains mold and other nasties that can cause cancer in rats1. |
| Avocado pit and skin | The bright green fleshy part of avocado is fine to feed to rats. Avoid any part of the flesh that was touching the pit or skin. |
| Raw Peanuts | Contain mycotoxins1. Roasted peanuts are okay as a treat. |
| Green potato skin | Contain a toxin called solanine2. |
| Rhubarb | Rats fed rhubarb extract in one study developed constipation and kidney problems3. |
| Green bananas | Can cause digestive problems in rats. Ripe bananas are fine. |
| Uncooked beans | These contain anti-nutrients. |
| Orange peels, orange juice | Can cause kidney problems in male rats. A small amount wont harm them, but they shouldn’t eat a lot of citrus over time. |
| Licorice | May cause neurological damage in rats. |
| Tap water | Fluoride and chlorine are both toxic to rats. Try distilled water instead2. |
| Wild bugs and bug eggs | Can give rats internal parasites. Rats do love snacking on insects though – you can buy them freeze dried from online. |
| Poppy seeds | Contain a hallucinogen that can cause neurological damage to rats. |
| Carbonated drinks | Rats can’t burp or vomit, so the bubbles traveling through their digestive system can be very painful for them. |
| Baking soda | Baking soda is hazardous to rats if ingested or breathed in (in large quantities.) |
What to feed sick and elderly rats
Some elderly rats have a hard time chewing solid foods. Rats have a super fast metabolism, so they can lose weight within a couple of days – a scary experience. If you notice your rat losing weight, that’s a good sign to make a vet appointment ASAP.
Here are some things you can use in a pinch to help keep their weight up:
- Baby food – look for ones with no added sugar
- Pedialyte
- Avocado (just the green part – not the skin, pit, or any flesh that touched the skin)
- Meal replacement drinks like Ensure
- Use a blender or food processor to mash whatever you normally feed your rats.
Rat Diet FAQ
Do pet rats eat their own poop?
Yes! Like other rodents, rats will sometimes eat their own poop. This is completely normal and actually necessary to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
A rat’s digestive system isn’t long enough to absorb all of the nutrients from their food, so eating poop – as gross as it seems to us! – helps them to squeeze all the nutrients they can from their food.
Do rats need a salt lick?
No, rats don’t need a salt lick. They can get all the salt they need from their regular diet.
How long can rats go without eating?
Rats may be able to survive for one to two weeks without eating any food. Of course, starving them would be pretty cruel and is not recommended!
FAQ about Specific Foods
Can pet rats eat grapes?
Yes! Grapes and raisins are not actually toxic to pet rats.
Dogs can’t eat grapes, so that could be why there’s confusion around rats.
Purple grapes in particular can actually suppress mammary tumors in female rats, a problem that rats are especially prone to. Grape skins also have some some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Rather than being toxic, grapes can actually help your pet rats stay healthy and live longer.
Can rats eat citrus?
In one study, the D-limonene in citrus skin and pulp was found to give males kidney problems when fed in very large quantities.
Many argue that the fruit itself should be fine for male rats – and also that it would be rare for them to eat the quantities used in the study. A little bit of orange wouldn’t be harmful, but a lot over time could be.
With that said, many rat owners just avoid feeding their males citrus altogether to be on the safe side. Whether you feed it to your rats is up to you!
Further reading on citrus: Dispelling the Rats Can’t Eat Citrus Myth
Can pet rats eat chocolate?
Chocolate is not toxic to rats, but milk chocolate has enough fat and sugar content to make it an occasional – not a daily – treat. Chocolate chips can be given sparingly, and most rats love them!
If your rat has respiratory troubles, dark chocolate can actually act as a bronchodilator to help them breathe a little better. (Of course this is not a substitute for vet treatment!)
Can rats eat alfalfa?
Some rats may eat alfalfa or hay. It’s not necessarily dangerous to rats, but they can’t digest it. This is why commercial food mixes meant for other rodents don’t meet the nutritional requirements for rats.
Can pet rats eat cheese?
Cheese is safe for pet rats to eat, with the exception of blue cheese because of the mold. With that said, the fat content in cheese isn’t ideal for rats, so cheese should only be fed once a week maximum, as a treat.
Can pet rats eat tomatoes?
Yes, tomatoes are fine for pet rats to eat.
Can pet rats eat apples?
Rats can eat apple slices! Just remove the core with the seeds in it. As with citrus, the seeds contain a small amount of cyanide that can be fatal if your rats eat a ton of them. A few probably wont hurt.
Can pet rats eat bananas?
Pet rats can eat ripe (yellow) bananas. They should stay away from unripe (green) bananas, as these contain a toxin.
Can rats eat granola?
Rats can eat a little granola as a snack or treat. Look for a sugar-free or “no sugar added” granola. Like us, rats love anything super sweet and fattening! Too much sugar can cause obesity and related health problems in rats.
