what do rats really like as treats?

Question

i am training my really smart rat but i need to no what to use as treats.

Answer 1

Rats enjoy their food. Rats do not like garbage, if you see a wild rat eating garbage it is only because he can't find anything better.

Please don't give your ratty peanut butter. They can choke on it. Same thing with marshmellows, jelly beans, taffy and other things that are sticky or gummy.

Rats really don't care all that much for cheese. Like many humans and cats, rats are lactose intolerant. It is OK to give them small amounts of dark chocolate; it helps them with congestion and breathing problems.

I have 6 rats, 3 boys and 3 girls. There are so many things they like for treats.
There are Yogis, a yogurt drop candy that comes in flavors. Avocados are a good healthy treat, but they are rather fattening. Mine like bits of cookies, a little soy ice cream, chicken bones,( they are safe for rats and good for their teeth, unlike for dogs or cats). Mine absolutely adore cantaloupe seeds. It's a treat because I live alone, so I don't buy them that often. Nuts are good, and even whole peanuts. It's fun to watch them eat Cheerios, like they have little donuts in their hands. They like to eat bananas and cooked sweet potato is very nutritious. Fishing frozen peas out of a shallow bowl of water is a fun treat.

It's important to know what not to give them. There is some debate on oranges not being healthy for boys.

Too many treats and they won't eat their regular food. Lab blocks, that are made for rats are the best food for a staple, but they get bored with them easily.
One Rat's treat may be part of another Rat's regular diet.

Here are a few websites that will tell you all you need to know.

Yahoo/ groups/ holistarat, ratlist, loving ratties, rattyhealth and more.

Others are, RatRaisins.com, RMCA,
spazrats.tripod.com.
Better Holes and Garbage (cute site, funny).
A rats guide to owning humans
The Rat Fan Club, ratsrule.com. The Dapper Rap,
Rat Palace, RattyRat.com, Goosemoose Pet Portal-rats, FatRatcentral.com

Answer 2

My rats' all time favorite foods:

Rice krispies (perfect for training because they're small and won't fatten up your rattie too much)

Cheerios

Special K flakes

Cooked sweet potato (NOT raw, it's toxic uncooked)

Banana

Small amounts of peanut butter

Freeze dried strawberries

Dried apples (not too much dried fruit, it can dehydrate them)

Wheatgrass (get a container of live wheatgrass and let her at it - she'll have fun ripping it all up and chewing on the roots)

Try 'bobbing for peas' with your rat. In a dish of shallow 1-2 inch water, put frozen or fresh peas and let your rat scoop them out. This is really funny to watch.

Avocado (They eat it like it's a drug)

Give her a blooming rose. Some rats love to tear them apart and eat the petals. It is seriously the funniest thing in the world to watch!

Answer 3

Cheese is not good for rats. ):

Some things you could use: Noodles, egg (the white are healthier and yellow is good for fattening up sick rats), avocado (Avoid the flesh near the core - it's toxic), yogurt on a spoon, peanut butter (mix it with water or something so they won't choke), cashews, walnuts, cheerios, yogies (Can be bought at pet store. Only give about 2 a day, they're fattening), bread, fruits, and vegetables. :) Hope that helps!

And if you only have one rat, you should consider getting a second of the same-sex if you can. Rats benefit healthwise and mindwise from having a cagemate. :D

Good luck!

Answer 4

As a past owner of at least seven rats, I can tell you they will eat ANYTHING.
However, you should avoid peanut butter and oranges, seeing as how orange peels are supposed to cause cancer in small rodents and they could easily choke on the peanut butter. Also avoid chocolate, because it's very bad for them and doesn't really do anything good to their systems. A little chocolate chip split between several rats is enough to keep them happy for a looooong time.
Carrots, mashed potatoes, any dinner leftovers and they'll go crazy. Be sure to give them snacks such as oats or wheat bread with a bit of jelly because it's very good for them. Sunflower seeds are okay, and it's more "junk food" than anything, and will at most make your ratties plump.
If you need to boost your rat's weight while giving them snacks, try something like Ensure (any flavor really). They love it and it helps!
Like I said, rats will eat anything, and it's best to save that tomato from your burger for them. They love fruits and veggies and will eat any type or fruit or veggies frozen, thawed, or cooked.
But remember, if you're ever in doubt about what you're feeding your rats, TAKE NO RISKS. Talk to a vet, find out what that type of food is going to do. Remember that rats are delicate little things with delicate systems.
They will also eat dog food or cat food, although you should't use this as a treat because it has almost no flavor whatsoever. They like to eat dog biscuits but if you give that to 'em as a treat, they'll probably go in a corner and spend several minutes munching on it.
While cheese IS tasty and rats love it, remember that too much of a good thing is bad, and cheese is like sunflower seeds only a bit worse. It's okay to give them a slice every now and then, but don't go overboard! Reward your rat with a tiny chunk of cheese if they really do a trick well.
Probably your best bet for training your rat would be oats or peas (cooked or frozen doesn't matter) or even sunlfower seeds, seeing as how they're very tasty to rats and they'll eat them quickly.

Answer 5

Rats will eat absolutely anything, including things that are not good for them (just like us) so it's best to get some different rodents treats from the pet shop and see which your rat likes best, there are plenty of yummy things available to suit all tastes that are suitable for rats! Biscuit treats, yoghurt drops, fruit chews....

Chalice

Answer 6

A tiny bit of chocolate one a rare occasion is not harmful to them. The main issue with chocolate is that it is sugary and too much sugar makes rats fat - just like humans. Chocolate is not toxic to rats like it is for dogs; their bodies process it differently.
There is some caffiene content but it doesn't seem to affect them like coffee does. Yes, we do give ours a drop of coffee to lick from our fingers every now and then - they LOVE it!

The best little treats are the ones that give just a taste but you don't want them to fill up if you are training them.

I vote for the Yogies! yogurt drops. Even my shy girl will eat one on my shoulder instead of racing to take it back to the cage.

Answer 7

The best things for rats are fresh fruits and vegetables. They're healthy and fun for the rats. They also like crackers, uncooked noodles, and, oddly enough, stale bread. Just be sure you don't give them ANY meat, as this can lead to aggression.

Answer 8

My advice: Check your local library for books about rats as a domestic pet. The books on them will tell you what pet rats like as treets.
Otherwise, check your local pet stores and pet supply stores such as Petco and Petsmart

most rodents like apples, grapes, raw potato, carrots, lettuce, cabbage and celery

Good luck

Answer 9

Rats love cheese. I give my rat mild cheddar cheese as a treat. He also attacks grapes like crazy. Make sure it is a sweet grape and not sour.

Don't feed the rat treats from the shop, it isn't really treats and it sometimes gets infested with worms, I've had a case where I opened the packet and it was crawling with worms.

Answer 10

NOT peanut butter-they can choke & die if you give them that. Try yogurt drops, watermelon, lettuce, they love cookies, pretty much anything-just try to avoid any carbonated drinks, they can't burp, and feeding them sticky hard to swallow foods like peanut butter, marshmellows, etc can be harm to them. Chocolate is also fine in moderation. Good luck!