my rat tips over her food bowl all the time. any idea why?

Question

it's not an accident, she's done it 3 times on purpose :O

it's when the bowl is full

Answer 1

My current rat, Lily does it all the time, then goes and hides the spilt food...or she tips it over when nothing is left in it but the alfalfa pellets and she wants me to get her more seeds. My old rat, Carter, used to actually watch and wait for my dog to get under his cage then he would pelt sunflower seeds at her, or tilt the bowl up against the side and dump the food on her head. He thought it was fun.

If it really bothers you, you can get the small ferret bowls that screw to the side of the cage, or try to find a heavy bowl that she cant tip. Otherwise, just let her do it, or take the bowl away and just dump her food in a corner.

Another thing that has stopped Lily from doing it, is we got her an edible bowl. Its made of wood and good for chewing and now she pushes it around and chews on it, but only tips it over when it is empty. Might help.

Answer 2

yeah my rats do that to. If there something in the bowl they don't like the usually tip the bowl over (that or pick up the offending object and hurl it out of the cage) It could also be that
- she doesn't like where the bowl is
- she doesn't like the bowl (it may smell funny, be dirty, have an odd reflection, be too deep etc.)
- she trying to hide the food

Answer 3

I have had rats and now i currently have 2 gerbils who also do this......i have noticed that after they tip the dish over they cover the food with bedding....and then come back later when the other is busy on the wheel or elsewhere to dig up there little stash(especially the pumpkin seeds they fight over them)...so i wouldn't put to much thought into it i think its just a way of hiding things for later...kinda like a dog burying a bone

Answer 4

The reason she does this is because the rat either doesnt want the food your giving them, or tipping it over to bury so it can eat it later.

Answer 5

My rat Noddy tips most of his food over the side which is naughty!, cause it means I have to buy food quite frequently.
I think the superglue idea is great btw.

Answer 6

It probably means that either the rat is trying to find something or that it just wants more food and is trying to cover up the other food that was in it.

Answer 7

She could be playing. Our rats & mice will tip over their bowls when they can-- most of the time we either give them heavy ceramic bowls or bowls that fit onto the cage & can't be overturned but sometimes they get soft food or treats in smaller bowls. They also put bedding into their bowls, especially when we've given them something they particularly like. The rats do this most often, but sometimes the mice do too. I think it's their way of hiding it so no-one else will find & eat it. These little guys can be *so* clever.
A fairly deep, heavy bowl or one that hooks onto the side of the cage will keep your rat from knocking her dish over, although she might still dig through it to find her favorite bits.

Answer 8

Hey No*no here
You should get a heavy bowl. You know, something that she couldn't move. Ask your vet, or pet store. Or you could just nail or hot glue her food bowl to what ever she's in. Just a suggestion.
LOL!!

Answer 9

its just something they do, i don't know why.
what i did was buy ferret bowls that attach to the side of the cage and screw into a post, then they can't knock it over.
in the link below is what they look like should you decide that you want some.
hope this was helpful.

Answer 10

My rabbit used to do that all the time (she went missing a while ago). I think the reason she did it was because she used to eat all the dried fruit in her bowl and then she used to tip it over knowing i would refil it and then she would get more dried fruit. But I think that it could also be boredom.