While searching for some treats and food for your pet rat, you might be wondering if oats are good for pet rats. Not only that, but if cooked, dry, or rolled oatmeal is part of a good diet.
Oats are good for pet rats, as long as they do not contain any added sugar. Oatmeal is a good treat and complement to a pet rat’s diet, but not in a large quantity.
Notice how I’ve mentioned the “do not contain any added sugar” part! It’s very important that pet rats don’t get overweight or with health issues due to sugar and a bad diet.
Can Rats Eat Oatmeal?
Cereals and grains, in general, are very good for pet rats. The same goes for oatmeal. It’s a kind of snack that can be very healthy for them.
However, it shouldn’t replace their usual diet. Too much oatmeal will result in an overweight pet rat.
In short, it’s a good snack to give them once in a while.
Once a week, for example, leave a small dish or bowl with a few flakes of oats. Your pet rats will love to take their time with those.
Some might even hide some of those flakes, to stash them for later!
Since they’re cereals, it’s also a good snack for them to nibble on, to keep their teeth healthy.
The only thing you have to make sure of is that the oats have no added sugar. Regular dry or rolled oats have, generally, no added sugar. However, be sure to check the ingredients just to make sure.
On the other hand, instant oats tend to have some more ingredients mixed, so it’s even more important to be sure of what is inside your package.
Overall, the easier thing to do is to just have the normal dried oat flakes at home. They come in very big packages and last for a long time.
This way, you can prepare yourself some meals, but also give them as a delicious snack for your pet rats!
Porridge For Pet Rats
Dry oats are excellent for your pet rats to snack on. But you can actually give them some porridge as well. This makes for a perfect winter snack when the cold days arrive.
Simply add a bit of warm water to them, mix everything and let it sit for a few minutes. The most important is to make sure it’s not too hot when you give them the porridge.
If you notice the porridge is too thick or sticky, add more water. This way it will be easier for your pet rats to eat it.
You can even add some healthy fruits to their porridge. Consider decorating their plate with small bits of apple or even grapes!
Just like with the regular dry oats, be sure this is a complimentary snack and not a whole meal. A small dish is more than enough for them, especially with the added fruits.
Even if we can cook our oats with milk, do avoid doing the same for your pet rats.
Dairy products are generally a no-no for our ratties. Or any animal for that matter. Their systems cannot digest dairy products properly, so it’s best to just avoid it.
Not only that, but most milk, including vegetable milk, tends to have added sugar, which isn’t too good for your pet rat.
So, to be on the safe side, just check the ingredients of your oats and just add the water. This way you’ll give your pet rats the healthiest snack possible!
Is Quinoa Safe For Rats?
Quinoa is a grain. Like most other grains, they’re a safe food to give to your pet rat. They really tend to love it!
You can give it to them cooked or uncooked. In fact, some mixes of pet rat food have quinoa in them.
Some pet rats might prefer them cooked since it tends to be tastier and easier to eat. Just cook some quinoa in hot water, let it cool down and then give it to your pet rats.
The quinoa package usually comes with instructions on how to cook it, but generally, you just need to cook it until it absorbs most of the water, or until it’s soft.
Quinoa is very high in protein. For that reason, you shouldn’t give it to your pet rats too frequently nor in big quantities.
Pet rats need a low-protein diet and their food mix usually already has enough protein for them. So this should be given to them only as a very special and occasional treat.
Just like the oats, a small dish is usually enough. Both quinoa and oats are safe and your pet rats will love them.
I even recommend alternating them, so it’s always a surprise treat and they won’t get tired of eating the same snack over and over again.
Porridge For Baby Rats
Oats and porridge are, in low quantities, a good and safe snack for your pet rats. The same goes for baby pet rats.
If the baby rats are already eating regular food, they’ll have no trouble eating some porridge and, generally, will really enjoy it!
However, it’s important to remember that since they are smaller than an adult pet rat, you should give it to them in even smaller quantities.
Since oats and other grains, in general, are filled with nutrients, it’s even the kind of food that veterinaries recommend for weight gain.
As long as it’s in controlled quantities, it will help your pet rat or baby rat grow healthier. If you think any of your pet rats, babies, or adults, are too small for their age, do contact your vet.
They’ll know what to do and give you directions for a special diet. Porridge might be a solution, but sometimes your pet rats might need extra supplements or vitamins to help!
Otherwise, if your pet rats are perfectly healthy, the most important part to remember is that oats or porridge are a special treat and not a full meal.
We like to give our girls extra yummy treats once a week, so maybe oats are your extra yummy treats!
What Grain Can Rats Eat?
As we’ve seen before, oats and quinoa are both safe for pet rats, as long as they’re given in small and occasional quantities.
But there are other grains and cereals that you can give to your pet rat! You can give them rice and pasta for example. Either cooked or raw. Both are good for them, as long as they enjoy it.
For example, even if raw pasta is good for their teeth, some pet rats prefer to have it cooked since it’s easier and yummier to eat.
Brown rice is especially good for your pet rats since it’s more nutritious than white rice.
If you’re giving them cooked pasta or rice, remember to not add anything else to it. Just water and pasta!
Some breakfast cereals are also a nice snack for them and will help keep their teeth healthier. Cheerios are usually a favorite!
Puffed rice is also a good and fun snack. You can often find those right next to the oats in your local supermarket.
Again, be sure that neither of these has added sugar since that’s very unhealthy for your ratties.
They can have small quantities of sugar, and it’s difficult to find breakfast cereal without sugar. So if you do give it to them, be sure it’s even more occasional than other non-sugary treats!
Finally, you can also give your pet couscous, which is a similar grain to quinoa. You can very quickly cook some couscous and give it to them as is. They’ll really enjoy it.
These are the grain that rats can eat:
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Pasta
- Brown Rice
- Cereal With No Added Sugar
- Puffed Rice
- Couscous
As always, this is only a part of your pet rat’s diet.
So if you want to create a healthy pet rat diet, check out this article here!