What is the Best Food for Pet Rats? Top Brands Review for 2020
Talk to any pet owner and you will come to know that they really care about their animal’s health and well-being. This is also true when it comes to a pet rat owner. If you have a rat at home, you will normally find yourself wondering about its happiness and health most of the time. As a rat owner you will naturally feel like giving the best of everything to your pet including the food. In this rat food comparison, we have taken special attention to taste, quality, quantity, nutritional value, and price.
Top 5 Ferret Cages
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Rat Food
When you look around at a store, you will come across several rat foods. However, it is important that you choose a food that is nutritionally complete. Here are some factors to keep in your mind when shopping for a suitable rat food for your critters.
- Quality: It is normally seen that good quality rat foods are found outside the regular pet-stores. It will also be a good idea to look for rat food that is available in the form of pellets. This is a good way to understand that the food is formulated in the lab. It will also mean that your pet is getting the much-needed proper nutrition instead of choosing and picking their favorite bits.
- Price: Normally, the price of rat foods depends on the quantity and the quality. However, a bagful of high-quality rat food will come with a price tag ranging from $10 to $20 per bag. It is crucial for you to remember that you still have the privilege of giving food to your rats in order to supplement their diets. This will help this rat food to last longer than normal if you feed them just this. This is not recommended at all.
- Taste: When it comes to taste, rats are normally very finicky. You can never make your rat have nutritious foods if the taste is not to its liking. Since it is not possible for you to taste the food yourself, the best way out is to go through the reviews properly. It is also a good habit not to buy any new rat food in bulk at first. Experiment with the smallest quantity and then take the next step.
- Value: It is needless to say that value for money is a critical factor for everyone. As a customer you will always want to get your money’s worth. If you shop for rat foods on the internet, it is important that you put special attention to the reviews, along with the nutritional specifications, the price, and the quantity. A little bit of research, before you buy, can go a great distance in helping you save some money.
- Quantity: The quantity of the rat food you buy is also an important factor to consider. You will certainly not like the idea of paying $20 for a rat food that will barely last a week. Most of the rat owners cannot even afford that price. While shopping for rat foods, better choose one that you can afford and also comes in a good enough quantity.
Proper Nutrition for Pet Rats
Even before we go ahead with the rat food comparison, it will be better for you to get an idea about the dietary requirements of your critters. It is needless to say that rats are omnivorous creatures. This means that they can eat both plants and meat, including salads, fruits, and vegetables. Rats need to have food about 6 times every day to fulfil its daily dietary requirements. If it fails to eat 6 times a day, it will result in starving.
Since rats are omnivorous creatures, it is essential for them to have a well-balanced diet. Although there are some foods that are strictly forbidden for rats, they still have a wide array of food items to enjoy. You should also know that sex, age, and the possibility of your rat being pregnant can affect the quantity of their diet and their type of food.
Just like in the case of humans, rats are also not supposed to be given a diet that is high in sugar or carbs. If you do provide a diet rich in carbs or sugar to your critters, there may be a possibility of cancers and tumors taking place. On the other hand, it is better to give a diet that is rich in good protein, good and healthy fats, and complex carbs.
Rats are indeed complicated creatures. Thus, it is always recommended to give them lab-grade foods, which forms the base of their diet. You should always supplement it with it with other healthy treats and foods to make sure that your critters get the essential vitamins and minerals needed to lead a healthy life.
Best Rat Food Brands Ranked
Here is a list of the 5 top rat foods compared for your benefit. This list should help save your time and effort in choosing the best rat food for your critters.
① Oxbow Essentials Regal Rat Adult Rat Food
When it comes to a rat food that is extremely nutritious and well-balanced, nothing can beat the Oxbow Essentials Regal Rat Food. This also makes it one of our favorite rat foods. There was a time when this rat food was popular for its bad taste. However, the manufacturer reformulated the flavor in the year 2011. Today, there are just a handful of rats that will reject this food due to its taste.
Oxbow Regal Rat Food has no preservatives or artificial flavors or seeds, which makes it one of the healthiest rat foods in the market. The best part about this rat food is that it is designed to be a complete kibble, which helps to prevent selective feeding behaviors that are very commonly found in other seed-based diets.
Oxbow Regal Rat Food has been formulated with the proper guidance from a team of professionals who have experience in various lab animal science, wildlife, and zoo nutrition. This nutritionally balanced rat food is made to boost the well-being and longevity of your pet rat.
Pros
- Corn free.
- No presence of nuts or sugary fruits or seeds.
- Lab-grade rat food.
- No sign of artificial colors, flavors or preservatives in the food.
Cons
- It is not suitable for growing rats under the age of 8 months.
- Due to lack of artificial flavors, it is not the best tasting rat food in the market.
② Mazuri Rat and Mouse Food
If you are on a budget, then the Mazuri Rat and Muse Food will be a great choice for you. Although it may not be amongst the top rat foods considered in this list, it is still much better than most other rat foods available at the stores.
If you wish to know about the negative sides of this rat food, it contains corn, which is not good if provided in high quantities to rats. However, if you provide another base food to your pet critters or supplement their regular diet on a daily basis, this rat food is certainly not a bad choice.
Although the price of this rat food is good, it is not much cheaper than the Kaytee Rat and Mouse Food, except it does not boast about the high health benefits of anti-oxidants, as an example. The formulation of the Mazuri Rat and Mouse Food is vegetable-based and comes with natural vitamin E. The presence of dried yucca schidigera also helps to reduce urine and stool odor.
Pros
- Rats like the taste of this food.
- It is a good value for your money.
- Does not contain any seeds or nuts.
Cons
- It does contain corn.
- Level of protein is on the higher side for adult rats.
- It does not provide any additional nutritional benefits.
③ Brown’s Tropical Carnival Mouse and Rat Food
This rat food gives your pet critters a wide array of wholesome choices for their dinner or even a small snack. It is a perfect blend of nuts, veggies, fruits, and seeds. Brown’s Tropical Mouse and Rat Food provides an enticing eating experience for rats of all ages and stages.
This rat food is fortified with several vital vitamins and contains natural preservatives. It also contains good bacteria that boosts the digestive system of your pet rat. The presence of antioxidants and omega-fatty acids help your rat lead a happy and healthy life.
Pros
- It contains good bacteria to enhance the digestive system of rats.
- Antioxidants and omega fatty acids boost the overall health conditions of your pet critters.
- Contains essential vitamins and natural preservatives.
Cons
- Contains seeds and nuts.
- Taste may not be to the liking of some rats.
④ Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Rat Food
It is not possible for us to recommend just any rat food that is available at the stores. However, the Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Healthy Rat Food is really good and deserves a place in this list. It is rather high in probiotic, antioxidants, as well as prebiotic ingredients that aid in stomach health. The presence of Omega-3 fatty acids helps to improve the brain, joints, eye, and fur or coat health. Although it is formulated very nicely, it is still recommended that you feed it to female rats along with another rat food.
This rat food comes with citric acid and corn. The former is not recommended for male rats and the latter is not good for any rats in high quantities. However, if you wish to get the benefits of the various other ingredients at a price of $8.99, it is certainly not possible. That too, for a bag of 5 pounds.
Pros
- Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.
- It has a high percentage of natural antioxidants.
- It prevents selective eating habits and is a great value for your money.
Cons
- The reviews about rats liking this food is rather mixed.
- Unlike other brands, it is not nutritionally complete.
- Contains corn, which is not good in large quantities for rats.
⑤ Tiny Friends Farm Reggie Rat and Mimi Mouse Food
The recipe of the Tiny Friends Farm Reggie Rat and Mimi Mouse Food makes the product quite tasty and rich in various nutrition. It is a well-balanced diet for mice and rats of all ages. Thus, a perfect combination of taste and proper nutrition.
The formulation of this rat food helps to encourage natural foraging and also makes it a nutritionally complete diet. This product is also formulated without adding any sugar to help your critters maintain a proper weight and shed any excess weight.
Pros
- Does not contain any added sugar.
- Encourages natural foraging in rats.
- Well-balanced and nutritionally complete diet.
Cons
- Contains a high amount of corn.
- Contains artificial colors.
Conclusion and What is the Best Food for Pet Rats
You must have read the comparison list by now. There is Oxbow Essentials Regal Rat Food, Mazuri Rat and Mouse Food, Brown’s Tropical Carnival Mouse and Rat Food, Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Rat Food, and Tiny Friends Farm Reggie Rat Food in this list. It is needless to say that the Oxbow Regal Rat Food (CHECK BEST PRICE HERE) is the best of the lot.
Oxbow Essentials Rat Food is the most well-balanced and nutritionally complete food for rats. Add to that the fact that it does not contain any artificial flavors, preservatives, and seeds or nuts. This makes it extremely safe and healthy for your pet critters. Oxbow Rat Food is also lab-graded that is normally good for rats and mice.
Just like any other rat food available in the market, even Oxbow Rat Food has some minor flaws. It is not suitable for rats that are growing and are under the age of 8 months. The taste may also not be to the liking of some rats, although the manufacturers have improved it in the year 2011.
This list will help you make the right choice in terms of rat food. If you are planning to buy one, make sure to read the ingredients and try and find out about the reviews so that it will give you a clear idea about the product.
