Should rats eat kiwifruit (and other acidic food)?

[clem]

Last night one of my rats nicked a kiwifruit when nobody was watching and had a few mouthfuls. She seems to enjoy it (she had the chance to steal some banana but went for the Kiwi first - which was a bit of a surprise).

Is there anything wrong with giving rats acidic fruits?

[Kim]

Kiwifruit is fine.

I basically stay away from all citrus fruit such as Orange, mandarine, lemon, lime, grapefruit..

As there is something in oranges that can give male rats cancer so I dont give males or females it at all.



Here is a list of fruit and veg that you can happily give to your rats..

Apples
Apricots
Avocado (this is more a treat food or to give sick rats as it adds weight - only the light coloured flesh not the skin)
Banana
Blackberries
Cranberries
Dates (I wouldnt give too many dates)
Grapes
Watermelon (its good to give when traveling as water bottles leak)
Rockmelon
Kiwifruit
Passionfruit
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plums
Prunes (I wouldnt give too many prunes either)
Raspberries
Strawberries
Tomato
Raisins
Bean Sprouts
Cooked Beans
Broccoli
Capsicum
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn (I never give dry corn)
Cucumber
Eggplant
Garlic
Ginger
Lettuce (lettuce doesnt have much nutrition so I dont normally give it to my rats)
Marrow
Papaya
Parsley
Peas
Potatoes (cooked, mashed is a favourite)
Silverbeet
Zucchini

[clem]

I thought that there was something in the skin of avocado which was bad for rats. As such, they never get avocado (nor the chance to steal a bite).

[Kim]

Silly me... thanks for pointing that out Clem.

I'm so used to giving it to my rats that I automatically expected everyone to know not to give the skin.

So I've modified my earlier post to add that fact.

I always give my rats the light coloured flesh of the avocado only.

I stay away from the skin and the dark green flesh closest to the skin.

I mash the flesh up and they love it as a treat and when I have a sick or old rat who has lost weight I give them extra avocado because it does help to add weight to rats who need it.

[Colleen]

wow, thanks for that list of fruit and veg, very helpful

[wulfyskingdom]

Can rats eat bok coy (and can they eat it raw and/or cooked)

[clem]

I give my rats raw Bok Choy all the time, both the stem and leaf. It doesn't seem to hurt them. One of my rats loves it and the other two have the odd nibble.

[Kim]

I have never given my rats Bok Choy, so have no idea about that one.

Everything else on the list I have given to them though without problems.

[dimruthien]

Stay away from the Avocado pip too As well as stonefruit pips, apple pips, etc.

[Leeann]

As Kim has already mentioned, Lettuce doesn't really have any nutritional value, but what has not been added, is that if you do feed this to your rats, be aware that they may have sloppy poops as Lettuce will go through them, giving them a bit of diarrhea. Same happens with chooks too.

If you want to feed a leafy vegetable, try and source Kale.
This vegie is higher in calcium than any other leafy veggie.
Ask at your green grocers, as some do sell it, but it is usually out the back, not on display.

Kale can be given fresh/raw, which is the best way, but can also be cooked, like you would spinich, but remember that you lose some of the nutritional value when cooked.
Kale can also be frozen, put smaller quantities in freezer bags, I try and remove as much air from the bag before freezing as this helps it keep.
After thawing you need to use it up pretty quick, as it will go yuk.
I usually give a bit of it raw to the guys, then use up the rest in some recipe or another.

[Kim]

I knew there was something I was forgetting.

My rats love Kale but I cant get it

I am sure there are other things that I am forgetting, if I remember them I will add them to the list as I remember.

[wulfyskingdom]

Jul 16, 2008 9:40:23 GMT 10 clem said:

I give my rats raw Bok Choy all the time, both the stem and leaf. It doesn't seem to hurt them. One of my rats loves it and the other two have the odd nibble.

reason i ask about bok coy is ive heard rats can have fun with it, shredding it up and destroying it lol.

Is that raw or cooked or either?

Leeann - normal lettuce can do that to guinea pigs too. Not fun when your holding them and "oh! whats that... UGH!"

[Kim]

Jul 16, 2008 20:26:31 GMT 10 wulfyskingdom said:

normal lettuce can do that to guinea pigs too. Not fun when your holding them and "oh! whats that... UGH!

ROFLMAO ...... ;D

[koubee]

my mother in law has made me some stewed apple and rhubarb(?).

Is this safe for ratties?

[clem]

Jul 16, 2008 20:26:31 GMT 10 wulfyskingdom said:

Jul 16, 2008 9:40:23 GMT 10 clem said:

I give my rats raw Bok Choy all the time, both the stem and leaf. It doesn't seem to hurt them. One of my rats loves it and the other two have the odd nibble.

reason i ask about bok coy is ive heard rats can have fun with it, shredding it up and destroying it lol.

Is that raw or cooked or either?

I've only given them raw bok choy. I'd be surprised if Bok Choy can do anything bad for them. I've always chopped it up finely for them, but I might try throwing them a couple of whole leaves and seeing what happens.

Another strange thing that my girls like to steal is leaves off our Vietnamese Mint plant. They have only had tiny tastes and I've moved it into a safer place because I'm totally lost as to whether or not it will be bad for them (I suspect it's safe, but who knows)...