What to feed your pet rat: what it eats and what food it likes most

Almost always, when the fight against rodents begins, the question arises of choosing an effective bait for rats (and mice as well). This can be either a special poisoned bait that the pest must eat, or simply a certain food product that rats love and which is placed in the trap to effectively attract rodents.

And practice shows that the more attractive the bait is to rats, the sooner they can be poisoned or caught. The animal's desire to eat must be stronger than the fear of an unusual design or suspicion of a new food product.

Accordingly, the question arises of what rats love most. At the same time, thanks to cartoons, there is a widespread misconception that rats and mice love cheese most of all, but in reality this is just a myth - yes, they will eat it, but they may not climb into a trap for it.

Ground meat? Milk? It’s already warmer, but these products are not at all the most favorite delicacy of rodents.

The task is further complicated by the fact that populations of rodents living in different conditions (in a private house, in a sewer, in a garden plot or in a garbage dump) may have their own food preferences. However, through the practice and experience of many rodent control agents, the best baits for rats have been found, which almost always work effectively. We will talk about them in more detail later...

Features of proper feeding

Caring for and maintaining a pet rat ensures its full-fledged existence in the apartment.
At home, it is important to strictly follow the main recommendations, which mainly relate to the proper nutrition of rodents.

Before keeping pet rats at home, you should carefully study the main recommendations for their nutrition:

It is imperative to take into account the volume of food - it should be moderate. There is no need to overfeed your rat because this may cause it to gain excess body weight. If after a meal the rat is left with uneaten food, it means that the rodent needs to be given less food;
Rats are omnivores, but you shouldn't feed them just any food. The menu of these animals should include different foods with a high content of mineral components and vitamins;
How many times a day should these animals be fed? Feeding should be done twice a day;
The largest amount of food needs to be given to rats in the evening, because they are considered nocturnal animals;
Rodents love to gnaw on various branches, which ensure the grinding of teeth. For this reason, they need to be given solid food; sometimes branches can be placed in the cage.

Portion sizes and diet

When selecting products for the rats' menu, it is important not only to determine what is possible and healthy for these animals, but also how to feed them correctly - the number of meals per day, in what portions.

Many veterinarians recommend giving your white pet food twice a day. It is advisable to have meals at the same time. Your pet should eat the largest amount of food in the evening. If you follow all the recommendations, you will be able to avoid problems with the functioning of the digestive system.

Note! Adults should be fed twice a day. But females during pregnancy should eat more often, up to 4-5 times. Small rats are also often fed to strengthen their bodies and improve their immune system.

In no case should you change your diet suddenly; a new product must be introduced gradually, in small portions. The pet must get used to it and try it thoroughly. In addition, this will help his digestive system get used to new food better and prevent the occurrence of disorders in its functioning.

It is imperative to strictly observe the size of food portions that pets eat at one time. One serving should be 70-80% of the total weight of the animal. For females during pregnancy and adult males, the size of one serving increases to 100%.

Feeding a sick rat

From the very beginning of the appearance of a rodent in the house, you should decide on the name of the products, which, if necessary, can be replaced with others. The disease is common to many people and rats are no exception.

If your pet is unwell or has a sudden allergic reaction, you need to think about a special diet:

Infection. A set of products for infectious diseases should consist of eggplant, plum, banana and mustard leaves. Don’t forget to add raspberries and cranberries during this period. Onions and garlic will also come in handy.
The appearance of neoplasms (tumors). This problem is not uncommon in domestic rodents, then for prevention and treatment, the existing set of food products should be replenished with broccoli cabbage. She is best able to cope with this disease. Do not forget that cabbage should be either boiled or steamed.
Joint disease (arthritis). This disease can very often be observed in domestic rodents. Only a veterinarian can help with this, but ginger root and a clove of garlic will help ease your pet’s joint pain.

How to properly feed a pet rat?

The first rule of feeding your pet concerns the amount of food: it should be moderate. There is no need to overfeed your rat, as it will become overweight. If an animal leaves undernourished food, it means that it needs to be given less food.

By nature, the rat is an omnivore, but this does not mean that you can feed it absolutely everything. This means that her menu should be varied and include products of both plant and animal origin.

You need to feed your rat regularly twice a day. More food should be given not in the morning, but in the evening, since this is a nocturnal animal.

It should also be noted that this animal definitely needs hard foods to wear down its teeth, which grow in rodents throughout their lives. In order for the animal to gnaw something, you can even give it branches.

Lures in soft briquettes

Soft briquettes are a favorite treat and one of the best baits for rats. Rodents like doughy food, which they prefer to grains and eat it mostly entirely, and as a result their population is significantly reduced.

Soft baits also work well against mice. Within 4–6 days of use, rats are completely destroyed, and mice are destroyed by 90%. The briquettes contain the optimal dosage and are packaged in edible paper. They are easy to use, placed in certain places, and easy to monitor when eaten. The poison contains a bitter component that repels domestic animals.

What to feed your pet rat

The animal's main source of nutrition is grain. This food should always be present in the bowl. Grain mixtures can be purchased at the store or assembled yourself. There are three categories of mixtures that rats eat. They differ in quality and price:

super premium mixtures;
premium mixtures;
economy class mixtures.

Without fear, you can eat super premium food, which is characterized by a balance of ingredients, low fat content - up to 10% and the presence of animal protein.

Premium food contains oats and rye instead of expensive wheat. The mixture is usually quite oily. Feeding rats with such food requires modification of its composition. The components must be supplemented with purchased grain, which will reduce the fat content of the feed. And introducing proteins into the diet will allow the animal to get all the necessary elements.

Economy class food is too poor; it contains grass pellets, which are of no value to rats. If domestic rats eat such food, then you need to add grains, seeds or nuts to it. Additionally, protein foods should be given.

What do domestic rats eat besides grain?

Fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as herbs should

constantly be in the diet of animals.
This food should make up from 10% of the diet of rats to 10-12 g per 1 individual
. When creating a menu, seasonality should be observed:

in the spring, the animal will happily feast on dandelions and fresh herbs;
in summer – your pet will be pleased with the first berries and early carrots;
in autumn the rat should be fed the fruits of fruit trees;
In winter, most vitamins remain in root vegetables.

The choice of plant foods is not limited by time of year. Apples and carrots can be given at any time of the year.

Fermenting foods should be avoided. From plant foods these are:

potato;
cabbage;
legumes

Excess fruits and vegetables can cause diarrhea in your pet.

A balanced diet for rats should include proteins. Animal food should be given 2-3 times a week. Rats can be offered lean boiled meat, seafood, boiled fish, chicken and quail eggs

. Young people under six months of age should receive more protein. It is necessary to increase the diet for pregnant and lactating rats by 1.5 times.

Fermented milk products can be included as a supplement in your rat's diet. Preference should be given to natural products with a short shelf life and low fat content.

Porridge can be given occasionally. This product is not suitable for overweight pets. It is best to steam the cereal with boiling water and let it brew. This method allows you to preserve more nutrients. The more intensely colored the cereal, the more microelements it contains.

It is necessary to keep a drinking bowl with fresh water in the cage. The water must be changed daily. Rodents need twigs or mineral stones to grind down their teeth. Let's summarize the diet of a domestic rat in the table.

What properties should the bait have?

When selecting bait for a mechanical rat trap, the following characteristics must be taken into account:

Smell. The rat should be attracted to the scent that is familiar to it, so that it consciously looks for the source of the treat, and does not end up there by accident. Type of treat. For bait, use only a product familiar to the animal. If it is left untouched for 2-3 days, then it is not suitable for a rat and requires replacement. Consistency. To trigger the trap's mechanical lock, the rat bait in the trap must be tightly constructed so that pulling on the bait will cause it to snap shut. When using bait with poison, its smell must be overwhelmed by the aroma of the food base. Size. Take bait of sufficient size so that it does not make the rat wary. Bait is usually prepared yourself using foods that rats like. But it is quite reasonable to use store-bought ones; they are sold in a large assortment.

Basic rules for feeding a decorative rat

The domestic rat is considered an omnivore, but this does not mean that compiling its diet does not require attention. Every rodent owner should be aware that introducing table food into a pet's diet can lead to health problems for the pet. The animal's body does not tolerate salt, sugar, dyes and spices. If these ingredients are not in the food from the table, then you can safely give it to the animal.

The composition of the diet of a domestic rodent looks like this:

The basis of the animal's diet is considered to be grain food intended specifically for rats. You can buy this food at any pet store. In addition, food for rodents has an affordable price. The composition of such food includes a mixture of grain crops - oats, wheat, corn, etc. You can prepare balanced food for rodents yourself by mixing different crops. Since cereals are considered the mainstay of a rodent's diet, the animal must have constant access to such food. The owner must ensure that the rodent's bowl is always filled with food. If the pet suffers from excess body weight, then food should be given in doses.
Complementary foods: Vegetables, fruits and greens are considered additions to a rodent’s diet. The fruits contain a large amount of vitamins and microelements necessary for the rodent’s body. In addition, fruits, vegetables and herbs have low energy value, so consuming them does not threaten your pet with gaining extra grams. At the same time, plant foods cannot be the basis of a pet’s diet, and it is better to use it as a supplement. Overfeeding your rat with vegetables and fruits is also not recommended, since the acid contained in many fruits can negatively affect the health of the pet’s gastrointestinal tract. The optimal portion of fruits and vegetables is considered to be one whose weight does not exceed 15 grams per day.
Fluid: The rodent should always have access to clean water. The drinking bowl must be filled with clean water daily.

What do rats eat besides the above? The diet may also include animal protein - lean meat, fish and chicken egg white. You can also give your rodent a small amount of premium dog food. You can give animal protein to a rodent no more than 1-2 times a week, while baby rats can be fed such food more often.

From time to time, your pet can be fed dairy products, for example, low-fat kefir. This product will satisfy the rat's body's need for calcium. It is necessary to give fermented milk drinks to a rodent no more than once a month.

The diet may include a variety of healthy treats. What to feed a rat? As a supplement to the diet, you can give the animal a piece of sweet fruit, a cracker, a piece of carrot or unsweetened cookies. You can give a decorative rodent a treat as a reward.

Homemade rat traps

You can make effective traps with your own hands from available materials. You just need to put in a little effort and ingenuity, and the result will not take long to arrive.

Bucket rat trap

It doesn't take much time to create. The base is represented by an ordinary bucket; both metal and small plastic ones are suitable. A concentrated salt solution is poured into the container. The bucket should be fairly stable so that it does not tip over when hit by a rat.

To outwit the animal, you need to pour seed husks and sawdust into the water. A thick layer is not required. The salt will push the contents to the surface and mask the liquid.

Next, bait in the form of slices of sausage or bread soaked in milk is placed in the container. An approach to the bucket is constructed from a thin plank or books, always at an angle. This way the pest will be able to get to the very edge of the container and then fall into the solution.

Fine mesh trap

Made from welded material with small cells. You will need tools with which the mesh is cut into rectangles with parameters 60x30x20 cm. The elements are connected using a welding machine.

The smaller the cell size, the greater the likelihood of catching a rat . For convenient use of the trap, a handle is built on top. In the front part there is a door that operates on a spring.

The bait is placed on a cord with a hook and is located at the back wall of the cage. The second end of the rope is fixed to the door. If the animal touches the treat, the rat trap will slam shut.

Rat trap made from a flowerpot and a plastic strip

No expensive equipment is required to catch pests. It is necessary to take a flower pot or other container with such weight that it cannot be turned over.

One end of a plastic bar or a regular ruler should be sharpened, and an attractive bait is attached to it.

The sharp part is installed on the edge, and a flowerpot is placed on top. One side of it should rest on the bar, the other on the surface of the floor or table in areas where there are especially many rats. Part of the ruler with bait is directed inside the pot.

There is a similar option using a cardboard box and a board. The method is popular because it does not require any cash costs, and similar elements can be found in every home.

Treats for rodents

There are foods that rats love most, including walnuts, hazelnuts, and seeds. Unsweetened cookies are also a delicacy, as is a piece of fresh young carrots, boiled pasta or even a cracker. The pet store has special treats - drops. They are made in different flavors from different ingredients.

You cannot spoil rats with such food; once a day will be enough. Drops are allowed to be given no more than 6 pieces per day. These nutritional supplements are like candy—sweet, but provide no benefit. In addition, not every manufacturer takes a responsible approach to the drop production process and is not always ready to indicate the true composition of the product.

You also need to please your animal with treats correctly, so choose products that do not contain sugar and salt, and should not contain flavorings or spices. You can give dried fruits or nuts every day. Most individuals cannot deny themselves the pleasure of eating corn flakes, but they should be without sugar and salt.

Diabetics have unsweetened cookies in their diet, which can also be classified as delicacies that these animals adore. Food for small children will also please the animal, for example, puree. You can make it from fruits and vegetables yourself, since natural products will bring more benefits than store-bought ones.

Not everything that seems tasty to a person is suitable for a rat; this applies to meatballs with sauce and other foods from the table. Lightly dried bread will be much better for your pet. If it contains bran, muesli or cereals, then the pet will be in seventh heaven.

If the animal has become a full-fledged member of the family, then you can please it with a home-made treat. An excellent and healthy option at the same time is porridge made from cereals and vegetables or fruits. In the summer it can be zucchini, perhaps pumpkin; in winter it’s easy to get by with a frozen mixture from the supermarket.

Vegetables are baked or steamed, cereals are steamed or lightly boiled. Add a small amount of sunflower oil and a quail egg to the mixture. A rat will not be able to refuse a steamed omelet, but you should add water, not milk, to it. Steamed meatballs with vegetables are also an excellent alternative to a tasty dinner for an animal, but in this case it is best to take beef.

Among crustaceans, rats feast on gammarus, which is added to ready-made buckwheat.

You need to know that baby rats do not always readily eat fresh vegetables, but they really love baked ones.

Vitamin complex

For normal functioning of the body, rats need vitamins:

To replenish vitamin A, rats eat milk, fishmeal and egg yolk. It affects reproduction and growth.
Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is found in baker's yeast, dairy products and grass flour. It affects the functioning of the nervous system and the metabolism of carbohydrates in the animal’s body.
Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is found in grains and sprouts. He is responsible for the reproductive system.
Pyridoxine, or vitamin B6, is found in grass flour, yeast and bran. Thanks to it, the risk of conjunctivitis and various skin diseases is reduced.
Cobalamin, or vitamin B12, is found in fishmeal. Its source is also shellfish. Replenishes the lack of aminocarboxylic acids. Add to the diet in small quantities.
Sources of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) include root vegetables, greens and fresh vegetables. It is given as a measure to prevent colds.
Vitamin D is found in fish oil. It regulates the exchange of phosphorus and calcium in the body.
Tocopherol, or vitamin E, is found in green food and sprouted grains. It is responsible for the functions of the reproductive system.
The main sources of vitamin K are vegetable oil, green leafy vegetables, as well as liver and dairy products. Blood clotting depends on it.

If there is a lack of vitamins in your pet’s menu, you should buy a special vitamin complex in a pet store. To select vitamins for your animal, you need to contact a veterinarian. The selection depends on the individual characteristics of the domestic rat.

A properly designed nutrition menu will help kitty rats stay healthy for many years.

To choose food for a pet, the owner must pay attention to its characteristics. Rodents eat everything they are given, however, not all food is good for the animal.

Water for a decorative rat

Decorative rat drinks water from a spoon

Don’t forget that in a rat’s cage there should always be clean and fresh water, which is best poured into special drinking bowls (this is much more hygienic and convenient), however, first familiarize your rat with such a drinking bowl and for the first time as a Alternatively, also place a bowl of water in the cage. Suddenly the rodent will not realize that the drinking bowl is intended for water, and will suffer from thirst. When the rodent learns to use the water bowl, the bowl of water can be removed.

Your decorative rat is not only valuable fur, but also 150-200 grams of an affectionate and friendly creature!

Litter for rats: which one is better?

The absence of “aroma” from a cage with rats is an important condition that allows you to calmly enjoy communication with your pets. Rat urine has a strong, unpleasant odor, and feces don't smell like roses either.

To prevent animals from getting dirty in their own excrement and to reduce unpleasant fumes, filler is used. You will have to select it through your own experiments, depending on the characteristics of your pets, cage and personal preferences. The main condition is that it must be safe for rats.

Paper fillers

In my time, rats lived without any fuss - on a thick layer of newspapers. The newspaper was replaced daily, which effectively controlled the odor. Nowadays it is not recommended to use newspapers due to the possible toxicity of the paint.

White paper napkins and towels would make great fillers, but they are too expensive. Rats drag the soft material into the houses and quickly chew it into small pieces. Paper napkins are warm, soft, not dusty. They do not cause allergies, respiratory problems, and do not damage the eyes and paws. They are used to furnish a maternity hospital.

An excellent everyday option is industrial paper (cellulose) filler. It is safe for the health of rodents and they really like it. It can be flushed down the toilet. No cons found. However, experienced owners say that if there are a lot of rats, an unpleasant smell appears quite quickly.

Wood fillers

The most common litter for rats is sawdust. He is also the most harmful.

The sawdust on the right (My Beast) is supposedly completely safe. But they are made of coniferous trees! The sawdust on the left (Triol) is deciduous.

Only sawdust from deciduous trees can be used and only if it is out of reach of rats (false bottom in a cage). But with this option, it is more convenient to use granular filler (pellets), which are cheap and effectively absorb moisture and odor. Wood pellets are not placed in the cage.

Only large shavings can be placed directly into the cage, since they do not generate dust.

Rats on a bed of shavings

Some rat breeders also use wood chips. You can buy it in a hypermarket or hardware store under the name “chips for smoking.” For smoking, hardwood trees are always used - alder, oak, cherry, beech

This is important for rats, many of which have a respiratory reaction to coniferous trees

Corn filler

Fillers made from the core of corn cobs are quite good. Their advantages:

Eliminates unpleasant odors well and absorbs liquid;
Never causes respiratory diseases;
Even if the rats eat the litter, it will not harm them.

The only caveat: if the corn filler is granular, you cannot put it directly into the cage. Hard granules damage rats' paws.

Protecting foam from pests

Polystyrene foam is a very convenient material for thermal insulation and sound insulation. But it is various foam plastics that are most susceptible to attack by mice and rats. These are materials such as extruded polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, penoizol, penoplex. These materials are artificial, so they are not suitable for mice as food, but they chew them and turn them into dust. In the resulting voids, rodents make nests for themselves. To protect it from rodents, you need to take certain measures:

1. You should choose dense types of foam for insulation, since it is inconvenient for mice to gnaw on dense material.
2. Proper installation of the foam is necessary. It must be carefully puttied and sheathed using special materials, selected individually. The goal of proper installation is to prevent the appearance of cracks, since rodents enter the home through the cracks.
3. All holes must be sealed with polyurethane foam.
4. It is advisable to provide metal sheathing along all walls at pest entry level. They won't be able to handle metal.

These measures must be taken into account at the construction stage. If they have not been accepted, all that remains is to take actions aimed at repelling rodents:

1. The easiest way is to get a cat. Just the smell of a cat in the house repels mice.
2. You can install an electronic repeller, but if the area of the house is large, one device will not be enough, you will have to install several. Such repellers emit ultrasound of various frequencies, which causes fear in rodents and forces them to leave the building.
3. All food supplies must be kept out of the reach of rodents.
4. The home must be kept clean.

Folk remedies are effective to protect polystyrene foam. They are based on the use of various plants that repel rodents with their smell. These are plants such as pine needles, tobacco, mint, wormwood. These dried plants can simply be scattered in corners. During the construction phase of a house, you can treat the foam with lime or red pepper.

Some people use boric acid to repel pests, but its effectiveness in controlling rodents has not been proven.

The use of poison is generally undesirable, because the use of poison will cause the death of rodents right in the nests. This will create an unsanitary area under the casing and cause a cadaverous odor. In addition, there is a risk of poisoning for the residents themselves.

If none of the above methods help, you need to contact the sanitary and epidemiological station, whose employees will come and carry out a complete disinfection of the premises and the elimination of all rodents.

Useful tips

To effectively catch rats using baited traps, follow these tips::

Not only meat, lard, seeds and vegetable oil are used as bait. An excellent substitute would be cottage cheese, boiled rice, and slices of bread. Only fresh and aromatic products are used, otherwise the rodent will not approach them.
Traps are placed in areas where a large number of pests have been observed. Ideally, right in the hole. But first they find out whether she is residential or not. To do this in the evening, you need to place a crumpled sheet of paper at the entrance. If the leaf is torn or moved in the morning, it means the hole is inhabited.
Traps are set against the movement of pasyuks. They usually move along walls, as well as in areas where the least amount of light penetrates.
Rats care about their own cleanliness, so they will prefer to move along a clean path if possible.
The trap is regularly washed with a solution of baking soda or ash lye, then ventilated and dried. If the mousetrap emits an unpleasant odor, this will only repel rodents.

Rats are cunning, cautious animals, so you have to work hard to catch them. They enter the home through thresholds, sewer pipes, and can climb vertical pipes and walls.

Neighborhood with rodents is unlikely to please anyone, so it is necessary to act immediately after discovering the animals. The listed control methods, traps and baits are sure to give a positive result if the presented recommendations are strictly followed.

Drinking fountain

Such a device can serve not only to quench the thirst of animals, but also become an original accent in the home interior. The design consists of a water bowl, a filter, a diffuser and a drinking bowl located at the top. Additionally, it is equipped with a decorative sprinkler, especially popular with native breeds (Maine Coons, Kuril Bobtails, Siberian cats).

Continuous circulation of liquid is ensured by a mini-pump powered by a USB cable. More advanced models may contain backlighting and an indication of the level of remaining water in the tank.

Cost – 2400 rub.

What should pet rats not eat?

White and simple species of rodents are particularly omnivorous. To maintain health and proper digestion, you should avoid certain foods. The composition of this food can harm your pet and lead to poisoning.

The following should not be included in food:

Chocolate, sweet carbonated drinks and alcohol;
Raw beans and beans;
Raw artichokes, potatoes, licorice, rhubarb and soy products;
Green bananas, spinach, raw cabbage;
Blue cheese.

What kind of insulation does not rats and mice eat?

When building and renovating a home, it is worth considering which insulation will not interest rodents. Since it will be used for many years, it is worth using safe materials that are pest-resistant. It is recommended to install insulation from expanded clay, foam glass, foam concrete and ecowool.

What food is dangerous

The domestic rat, although considered an omnivore, reacts negatively to some foods. Here is their list:

spinach, beets, raw vegetables.
Sweets, chocolate.
Tofu.
Unripe bananas.
Alcohol, carbonated drinks.
Fried, excessively fatty foods.
Spoiled products.

Many plants and their extracts are also dangerous:

carnation.
Geranium.
Fern.
Aloe, Kalanchoe.
Agave.
Lily of the valley, tulip.
Tomato leaves.

To avoid the harmful effects on the body of an ornamental rodent, it is necessary to prevent its contact with these plants.

Why overeating and obesity are bad for mice

Rodents have a good appetite and are able to eat significantly more food than required. Overeating combined with a sedentary lifestyle often leads to obesity. Excess weight can be easily determined by the mouse's rounded abdomen and hard-to-palpate ribs.

Obesity negatively affects the health of the animal and leads to pathologies:

diseases of the liver and bile ducts;
disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
diseases of the heart and blood vessels, accompanied by shortness of breath;
elevation of the diaphragm causes pulmonary failure;
metabolic disorders lead to alopecia (baldness).

The pet becomes lethargic, drowsy, and deteriorating immunity makes the rodent defenseless to the manifestations of various infectious diseases. Obesity should be combated by observing food consumption standards, feeding regimens, and installing devices in cages that increase the animal’s mobility.

Attention! Despite the fact that mice love cheese very much, the product should be given rarely, in small quantities. Cheese is high in calories and causes fatty liver

Cheese is a favorite treat

Owners of decorative rodents should know what to feed the mouse and correctly prepare a varied diet for the animal. Adequate nutrition of an animal is the key to its health and attractive appearance.

Vegetables

Certain types of vegetables should not be included in your pet rat's diet:

Vegetables from the Brassica family: turnips, radishes and radishes. They lead to increased gas formation in the intestines;
any type of cabbage causes bloating in a rat;
Potatoes contain a huge amount of starch, which is harmful to the rodent’s stomach due to difficulty in digestion. Tops and sprouts are harmful due to solanine;
legumes (peas, beans, lentils and others) disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. If the animal does not have digestive problems, it is allowed to give dried mung beans, chickpeas or peas.
You should not feed your pet raw artichoke. Reduces pressure due to increased alkali levels;
beets are allowed to be given only in small quantities. It has a laxative effect;
Raw eggplants contain the toxic organic compound solanine. You can give the vegetable, previously peeled and boiled;
It is undesirable to eat cucumbers. They cause stomach upset and diarrhea;
animals should not eat tomatoes due to the oxalic acid content;
garlic and onions irritate the gastric mucosa, because... contain biologically active substances phytoncides.

Peppermint treat

Ingredients:

1 medium overripe banana.
2 chicken eggs.
3 tbsp. spoons of honey.
3 tbsp. tablespoons of liquid coconut oil (can be replaced with sunflower oil in the same amount).
1/2 teaspoon mint flavoring.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
A quarter cup of carob (roasted carob powder). A small amount of cocoa can be substituted, but this is not recommended for animals. Therefore, try to find an original product.
Oat flour.

Cooking procedure.

1. Mash the banana in a bowl.

2. Beat eggs into the resulting mass, add honey, baking powder, cinnamon and coconut (sunflower) oil.

3. Add oatmeal to the mixture to form a firm but slightly moist dough.

4. Divide the resulting volume into 2 equal parts.

5. Pour 1/4 cup of carob powder into one half, and add the same amount of flour to the second half. A hard lump should form that does not stick to your hands.

6. Roll out 2 rectangles, 9-10 mm thick.

7. Place the layers of dough on top of each other and roll along the long side. Wrap the resulting sausage in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight.

8. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

9. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

10. Remove the film and cut into 3-3.5 cm rounds.

11. Place on a baking sheet. During cooking, portions of dough will not increase in volume, so you can place them close to each other.

12. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

If you want to please your pet with a crunchier treat, cut the rolls into thin slices (about 1 cm), and after cooking, additionally dry them in a warm oven or even in a non-stick frying pan.

The finished product is stored for a long time in a dry place. So, by baking peppermint rolls once, you can treat your four-legged pupil with them for a long time.

Bon appetit to your dog!

I like it I don't like it

Boiled eggs in rat diet

Here we come to our topic: eggs are an excellent source of protein.

With the correct use of boiled eggs in the animal’s diet, there will be no problems, given that such a delicacy will definitely be to their taste and benefit, but it is important to remember the following:

adult rats should not be fed more than once a week;
your pet may choke on the yolk, so it should be diluted with water;
an allergic reaction is not uncommon, so for the first time you do not need to give the rat much, and after feeding, make sure that no spots have appeared, and the animal is active and cheerful, as always;
eggs are high in calories and can lead to obesity, so you should not abuse them;
domestic rats should not be fed dishes with eggs from the table, as they may contain oil, salt or spices;
Rodents cannot eat fried foods, so treating your animal to scrambled eggs is not a good idea.

Raw eggs: is there a danger?

Thanks to wild rats (and their raids on chicken coops), there's a stereotype that raw chicken eggs are safe for pets, but the truth is that pets don't need extra protein because they already get it from their food. In addition, they may contain worms and other parasites, which can linger in your animal’s body for a long time and lead to dire consequences.

From the point of view of parasites, quail eggs are safe, since the temperature of quails is about 40 degrees and salmonellosis cannot develop. They can be given no more than once every two weeks with a serving of no more than a teaspoon.

Fermented milk products for stable digestion

Fermented milk products can harm your tailed friend only if the pet has individual lactose intolerance. It is rare, but still, when you try to give milk for the first time, you should not overuse it, as the consequences may include intestinal upset, severe diarrhea, etc. If an allergy is detected, your pet can be treated to lactose-free foods.

What can you give from dairy products?

If there is no allergy, foods without additives (dyes, berries, etc.) with a small percentage of fat content (but not low-fat) should be given.

Therefore, without flavoring additives, your pet can be treated to natural yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk and cottage cheese, but in small quantities.

Due to the fat content and too high calorie content, you cannot: cheese, sour cream, cream, dried milk (regular milk - with caution)

Vegetables and greens

Vegetables are very healthy and are allowed to be consumed daily, but in small quantities.

Cabbage - any kind is undesirable for consumption, because... causes fermentation.
Broccoli – can be given as an occasional treat.
Radishes/turnips/radishes and some legumes (beans, lentils) cause increased discomfort due to gas formation, so their consumption is undesirable.
Carrots/zucchini/pumpkin are very healthy, rich in vitamins, so their consumption is recommended.
Eggplants/artichokes – only boiled ones are allowed; when cooking for an animal, adding salt or spices is not required.
Cucumbers/beets – can cause stomach upsets in the form of diarrhea, so their consumption is undesirable.
Potatoes have no value and are even prohibited in their raw form.
Dill/parsley/celery, etc. are very beneficial for the digestion of rats, so it is advisable to add greens to their food daily.
Tomato/sorrel – contain acid, consumption by rats is undesirable.

Product composition

The nutrition of white rats of various breeds is often based on the same principles. Scientists and practicing veterinarians have long known the balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that is optimal for ornamental rodents. And contrary to popular belief that rats are omnivores, bad eating habits are bad for their health. Therefore, every person who owns a furry animal should know what is allowed for rats and what, on the contrary, is contraindicated. Among others, you need to follow several main rules:

choose foods with the lowest fat content;
avoid animal proteins;
limit your consumption of fish and poultry;
if you still feed your pet meat, then choose boneless pieces and boil them;
but chicken bones are useful for decorative animals as a teeth sharpener;
among cereal crops, give preference to wheat, millet, oats, barley and corn;
pets need vitamins (pieces of tangerine or apple);
• specialized food with minerals that help grind down constantly growing teeth.

To properly feed decorative white rats at home, you need to know not only the list of permitted products, but also strict prohibitions.

Biologically active additives

Sources of minerals are water and feed. Pure water at room temperature is considered an integral part of the diet. It should always be present in the animal's drinking bowl. Excess of other substances affects the absorption of calcium. To improve your pet's well-being, add slaked lime or chalk to the feeder. They help replenish the lack of calcium and phosphorus in the body. Essential mineral supplements include magnesium, sulfur, sodium and various vitamins.

Other Features

From time to time you need to pamper your pets with treats; you can also use them as encouragement when training the animals. Walnuts, premium dry dog food, and fruit and honey sticks are considered healthy treats.

You can’t give sweets, chocolate, store-bought crackers and chips with a lot of salt, preservatives, soft fresh bread, smoked meats, unripe fruits, raw potatoes, radishes, turnips, beans, cabbage, peas, rhubarb, beans as treats, because they lead to increased gas formation, as a result the animals will have a stomach ache and may develop diarrhea.

It is worth keeping animals away from some house plants, since seemingly harmless greenery is poisonous to them. Prohibited plants include aloe, tulips, daffodils, fern, geranium, lily of the valley, plush, agave, kalanchoe, and horse chestnut. These plants are often found in the homes of owners, delighting with their beautiful appearance and fresh aroma, but in fact they are poison for baby rats and adult animals.

Population and species status

Since the beginning of the third millennium, black rat populations have declined markedly and become fragmented. According to experts, black rats have begun to be replaced by more fertile gray rats (pasyuki). And yet, despite the high fertility, rat populations do not go beyond the “Red Line”, since their numbers are controlled by a number of important factors.

Firstly, the number of these animals directly depends on the availability of food and shelter. Lack of food immediately leads to a decline in population. In addition, there are special rat control services. The number of these animals is constantly declining as a result of certain diseases, as well as hunting by many predators. Therefore, despite their high fertility, which leads to constant surges in their numbers, natural factors, as well as rat control services, are doing their job.

Today, most species of rats are not even close to the risk zone, although there are very rare species that are protected. As a rule, the number of rare species largely depends on the life activity of people, who are developing more and more new territories that are related to the natural habitat of these species.

Franklin Island is home to a very rare species of “House Rats.” Due to the fact that the species lives in a limited area, it is classified as an endangered species. Currently, only about 2 thousand individuals live in this territory. Annual deforestation and fires can reduce kangaroo rat populations.