How to choose food for ornamental rats?

It is no secret that the ornamental rat is an omnivorous animal. In this regard, many owners of this pet have the false impression that the rat can be fed with leftovers from its table. It should be noted that such actions can lead to serious health problems in an animal or even to its death. Therefore, it is extremely important to familiarize yourself with the principles of feeding ornamental rats with grain mixture and store food.

It is worth noting that a domestic rat can sometimes be pampered with a piece from “its” table, but the pet’s basic ration should be balanced and responsive to the needs of its body. But still it is not necessary to feed the animal salty, fried and fatty dishes. By and large, the basis of food for the rat is grain. The supplements are in the form of supplements in the form of animal protein, vegetable and fruit pieces, fermented milk products and various special treats sold in the format of vitamins.

Rat food today is represented in a huge assortment in any pet store. An alternative to food is a self-made cereal mixture. The main advantage of industrial feed is the balance of the composition.

The manufacturer has already done everything himself, picked up the necessary ingredients and even calculated the daily rate for the pet, depending on its age and weight. In the case of a grain mixture, you will have to spend some time searching for the necessary grain and other components. But a self-prepared product will be much more beneficial, since the rat will not receive the ingredients treated with chemicals.

It is conditionally accepted to divide industrial rat food into 3 groups.

• Deluxe Suite. This is a perfectly balanced product, the manufacture of which uses only high-quality ingredients. For the manufacturer of such products, the main task is to use high-grade grain (as a rule, wheat). Food in this segment is often supplemented with animal protein, the fat content of which barely reaches 15 percent. Compliance with the norms is the main indicator that all the needs of the body of the animal were met and taken into account.

• Suite. This is a segment characterized by average product quality. This product does not have such a diverse composition, as is the case with the super suite. As a rule, the manufacturer adds to the product more rye, oats, barley and millet, which are considered low-priced grains and "poor" for useful substances. Therefore, the owners of the rat often have to mix in the feed an additional portion of grain. In addition, there is no animal protein in such feeds, which is actually not so critical, provided that the rat does receive it as a complementary food.

• Economy. This product is extremely scarce for additional nutrients and minerals, it can not be called balanced.Therefore, it will be a mistake to feed it to the animal as the main feed. In fact, the rat food class of economy class is designed to dilute excessively fat food, since it is based on grains and “sticks” obtained by processing the grass.

Rat feed should be chosen not only for reasons of quality composition, but also an affordable budget. There is no need to spend fabulous money on a bag of industrial grain mixture for a pet.

It is acceptable to feed a decorative rat with dry cat food, but only with extreme care and not being carried away. The fact is that the protein content in the cat food is much higher than the daily norm necessary to meet the needs of the rat organism. Overdoing is pretty simple. It is recommended to use cat food as a treat, giving the pet a few tricks.

According to the prevailing number of reviews of holders of ornamental rats, it is best to give preference to imported products, since its composition is more balanced, high-quality and less likely to cause an allergic reaction in a pet.

Do not forget about the fastidiousness of decorative rats. Quite a common situation when a pet begins to "rebel" if it ceases to receive a treat. Dry cat food is addictive, not only in cats, but also in domestic rats. Therefore, excessive addition to the diet of cat food can cause the animal whims and rejection of normal food. In the latter case, it is recommended to show hardness.

If a rat after eating cat food began to refuse to accept the usual grain mixture, it is necessary not to pay attention and wait until the pet ceases to be capricious and do not finish the old food.

There are several reasons for transferring decorative rats to self-made grain mixture, namely:

• allergic reaction to store food;
• the desire (or need) to save money, as sometimes making grain mixture at home can be cheaper than buying ready-made rat food;
• be confident in the quality of the ingredients involved and the absence of chemical processing.

With the right approach, you can make a well-balanced composition that can completely replace dry food. Various cereal crops must be taken as a basis; the presence of wheat, rye, oats and barley will be useful. A great alternative can be the majority of home croup. A kilogram of rice, millet or buckwheat will be quite enough. Sometimes sunflower or pumpkin seeds are used.

The main requirement in the preparation of homemade food for ornamental rats - the basis are cereals. Options for recipes grain mixture set, they can vary depending on the needs of the rat organism or the wishes of the owner. Below are some good recipes for homemade rat food.

For the first recipe you will need to acquire the following ingredients:

• whole grain wheat;
• dried fruits (if desired, you can take several varieties at once);
• barley;
• oatmeal;
• pshenka;
• small rice groats;
• buckwheat;
• corn flakes or peas;
• pumpkin seeds;
• cat food Purina Pro Plan (you can give preference to another brand, the main thing - to pay attention to the composition, which offers the manufacturer).

The cooking procedure is incredibly simple - having measured all the previously mentioned ingredients in equal proportions, mix them up. Balanced cereal mix for rat ready. It is recommended to store it in a dry, damp place for 12 months. However, it is desirable to prepare the mixture in small parts, each time noting the reaction of the pet to the prepared food.

For the second recipe, you will need to stock up on the necessary amount of the following ingredients:

• wheat;
• oats;
• rye;
• barley;
• buckwheat;
• peas;
• meat feed;
• sunflower and pumpkin seeds;
• cornflakes;
• hemp seeds;
• bag of dried fruit.

The following recipe does not contain animal protein, which means that there is a need to maintain it in the diet of the rat in a complementary food format. So, from the ingredients you need to acquire the following:

• wheat (it is the basis of the whole grain mixture);
• peeled oats;
• sunflower seeds;
• barley;
• dry medium-sized pasta;
• corn flakes;
• pumpkin seeds;
• dried banana chips;
• buckwheat;
• non-roasted peanuts;
• barley.

It is advisable to prepare a grain mixture with a volume that is enough for an animal for one or two months. You can calculate the required amount of feed by yourself. To do this, consider the necessary daily intake of food. Thus, a decorative rat of average weight will require 10–15 grams of grain mixture.

The use of a large number of cereals in the preparation of homemade food raised the controversial question about the introduction of cereals in the diet of domestic rats. It is not capable of causing any damage to the animal's body, but it is a source of easily digestible carbohydrates, which the pet does not need at all. Therefore, if you want to pamper him with gruel, lightly steam the cereal with boiling water, but in no case cook it or add seasonings. The body will still absorb the necessary vitamins, and the animal will be satisfied.

On how to care for decorative rats, you can learn from the following video.