All they want is Baby Kale

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jes

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Nov 5, 2019
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So my weird rats are obsessed with baby kale. I have two questions- first, is baby kale as nutritious for them as kale? I know kale is on the superfood list, so I'm glad they love it, but they much prefer baby kale. Second, seriously? I mean, strawberries, blueberries, seeds, baby cereal, grapes, zucchini, broccoli, etc are all second to baby kale. All they want is baby kale. They would eat baby kale and nothing else if I let them (I don't obviously). They end up getting it 4 or 5 days a week. They eat their blocks just fine, but are not interested much in other vegetables or fruits. Is that okay?
 
My rats also love baby kale and to my knowledge it is very nutritious and good for them and not bitter like the large leaves of kale.
IMO give them organic baby kale several times a week, and a variety of other foods on other days …. such as broccoli, cooked sweet potato, cooked organic oatmeal or 12 grain cereal etc with blueberries, cooked squash, organic carrots - cooked or raw cut into carrot sticks, a piece of ripe banana, a piece of watermelon (on hot days), cooked quinoa, they might like cooked cauliflower, or pieces of sweet organic apples. Rats need to try new foods several times before they will eat much of it. This is a survival instinct because they are unable to vomit - if they try a tiny amount and it does not make them ill, then they may try a bit more next time.

Mine like a very few of the following as special treats: organic pumpkin seeds, kumut puffs, cooked chick peas, cooked kidney beans
 
Yeah I know about giving it to them multiple times, and they HATE carrots lol. Won't go near them. But I haven't tried cauliflower yet. Thanks for the advice and reassurance that they aren't crazy. It is just so weird to me that their favorite thing in the world is.... kale. They love pumpkin seeds- is raw or cooked better?
 
Mine like organic carrots - they taste better ….. and of course are nowhere as popular as baby kale or mixed greens. Mine do not like cauliflower but Jorats' loved it …….. not sure about the organic pumpkin seeds - I buy them from a health food store that sells them for people (I'll check). They like baked squash seeds too.
 
So my weird rats are obsessed with baby kale. I have two questions- first, is baby kale as nutritious for them as kale? I know kale is on the superfood list, so I'm glad they love it, but they much prefer baby kale. Second, seriously? I mean, strawberries, blueberries, seeds, baby cereal, grapes, zucchini, broccoli, etc are all second to baby kale. All they want is baby kale. They would eat baby kale and nothing else if I let them (I don't obviously). They end up getting it 4 or 5 days a week. They eat their blocks just fine, but are not interested much in other vegetables or fruits. Is that okay?
It's perfectly fine, they'll eventually get to the fruits and veggies once they are out of the kale, their veggie diet should consist of mostly leafy greens anyway
 
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