Very Picky Eater or Something Else

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Noel

Noel

New Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
4
Location
Vernon, NJ
Hello! It's Noel, Rinky's Mom! I have had my boy Rinky for about 1 month now. He eats peas, cherrios & carrots once in a while. He likes his yogurt drop treats & occasional corn and carrot. I've tried numerous times to introduce BlackBerry, strawberries, kale, bean sprouts, broccoli and romaine lettuce to him. He tasted blackberries one day & that was it. Any suggestions if this is normal or not? He has his oxbow rat blocks he eats once in a while.
Thanks ahead of time
Noel
 
his yogurt drops are probably mostly sugar …… and not only does sugar feed cancer but most food does not taste all that great in comparison

Are you making his oxbow available at all times? They should be the primary thing he eats. Which kind are they?

It is normal for rats to like some foods more then others, and different rats prefer different foods.
Rats will normally try a tiny bit of something and then if they do not feel ill, the next time they will try a bit more. This is a survival instinct since rats can not vomit so if they eat the wrong thing it can make them ill or kill them.

Most of my rats love broccoli, baby kale (older, large kale is too bitter), mixed greens, organic corn on the cob, peas, a piece of ripe banana, organic carrot, cooked oatmeal or 12 grain cereal or quinoa, a few organic pumpkin seeds, cooked squash, cooked sweet potato, a few cooked chick peas, a few cooked kidney beans, they will eat blueberries but it has taken them awhile to learn to like them, and most like watermelon.
 
Thanks once again SQ! He always has his essential Oxbow for young rats in his bowl. I've tried going back to the foods he keeps rejecting but its not working. I tried the cooked beans also....no go.

So he's down to oxbow, (which he's not thrilled about), peas (which he could live on he likes them so much), cherrios, tri color macaroni (only if cooked) & carrots. Corn & yogurt covered raisins as treats.


Do you think thats enough? I have kale, bean sprouts, romain lettuce, blackberries, strawberries, kidney beans & chicpeas that I'll find anlther use for. I'll eat the berries. Well if any other thoughts, they're welcome!
Thanks
Noel
 
I have a similar issue. My rats avoid their pellets (I'm in Australia and feed Rodent Origins similar to Oxbow) and just hang out for me to feed them fresh or cooked foods. They are also pretty fussy and only really go for baby food, steamed peas & corn, cooked pasta, grapes, banana, avocado and soy milk. That's still quite a range though. One is on doxycycline long term so both get two very fatty, sugary yoghurt drops a day in which I hide the medicine (both so no stealing happens). The previous pair I had loved their pellets, the bowl would be empty every day and the pair before that were also not big fans. However they do eat them, just not that much. My vet said not to worry too much, both my rats are of healthy weight and thriving (apart from the usual respiratory issues) at 18 months. As long as they're still eating some pellets there shouldn't be too much of an issue. In a way it's just like humans. Who wants to live on a diet of dry breakfast cereal even if it's nutritionally complete? Rats thrive on variety, it's just how they're evolved and pellets may be nutritionally complete but they provide zero variety.
 
DanielZielwolf said:
I have a similar issue. My rats avoid their pellets (I'm in Australia and feed Rodent Origins similar to Oxbow) and just hang out for me to feed them fresh or cooked foods. They are also pretty fussy and only really go for baby food, steamed peas & corn, cooked pasta, grapes, banana, avocado and soy milk. That's still quite a range though. One is on doxycycline long term so both get two very fatty, sugary yoghurt drops a day in which I hide the medicine (both so no stealing happens). The previous pair I had loved their pellets, the bowl would be empty every day and the pair before that were also not big fans. However they do eat them, just not that much. My vet said not to worry too much, both my rats are of healthy weight and thriving (apart from the usual respiratory issues) at 18 months. As long as they're still eating some pellets there shouldn't be too much of an issue. In a way it's just like humans. Who wants to live on a diet of dry breakfast cereal even if it's nutritionally complete? Rats thrive on variety, it's just how they're evolved and pellets may be nutritionally complete but they provide zero variety.
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Thank you DanielZeilwolf! I'll keep trying! I have a question that I can't find an answer to. Will they eat raw or cooked or both cauliflower? Also, Iwhen feeding them beans (kidney, string...) from a can, do you have to cook first?
 
The main thing is make sure they always have access to whatever food they started out on AS A BABY & did fine on if that's what they got used to. They have to eat an actual RODENTFOOD diet, so make sure you switch back to a mouse mix.
Camarattery.com is the site that explains all this stuff. Like why they must according to most have at least 14% protein, but no more than 16% & how to tell. She & 500 people in her state discovered myths that cut the lifespan in half.
Cook only what isn't safe or as nutritious when raw if you must give it to them.
Yes mine nibble at raw cauli a bit, but the younger they are the more they need raw bok choy, raw seeds, raw nuts & raw grains (once they catch up on deficiencies you may need to limit fat if processed/cooked).
Always leave some of every food/treat that exists in the cage all the time.
If you must give them non-raw foods, at least try to just cook them yourself, because canned food already comes over-cooked always.
You can't give them pasta (it's empty calories) or candy even when it coats raisins & says the word yogurt. And raisins are too sticky even when not coated with yogurt-flavored candy. Give them the grapes (& banana which must be very ripe) undried & the yogurt unsweetened with the probiotics in it still alive.
I stepped on my rat. I've lost my own appetite till I see she still seems okay in a day or few.
 
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Omg, I hope your rat is ok! See, when I first got Rinky, they had him on a mixed food made actually for mice & hamsters. So I have tried 2 different kind of blocks for rats & he still won't eat them. I've even left them for him 2 days & 2 nights with nothing else figuring he would get hungry & eat, but no go. I don't want him to starve so I gave him peas, which is about what he is down to, except for a piece of carrot pasta twice a week. How long can I leave the blocks before he is actually starving? I've tried everything suggested. I love my Rinky so much & don't want him to think I'm punishing him . Let me know how your little one is.
 
RatsDrawBlood said:
they must have at least 14% protein but no more than 16%
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While young growing rats need more then older rats, 14% protein is actually much more then rats require, but rat blocks are not made with less which is why a 14% block is recommended (my computer as gone in for repairs so I do not have access to links)

RatsDrawBlood is right that over cooking food is not good as it destroys the nutrients. Some foods such as sweet potato must be cooked but most foods are good raw (see the forbidden foods list). Feeding a wide variety of vegs, fruits, seeds, and whole grains in addition to rat blocks is good, and rats will only eat a tiny amount of a new food at first to make sure it is safe.

Unfortunately the site, Camarattery.com, contains a lot of incorrect information regarding what rats require in their diet. It appears to reflect the bias of the author and misinformation/myths, and not nutritional research (No idea about the rest of the site as I only looked at the diet section briefly.)
 
Thanks SQ & RatsDrawBlood! I'm going to look for yet another rat block. I have tried everything else. I'll let yous know how it goes.
 
So... there's only one true study done on rats for optimum health and that's the China Study by Dr. Campbell. It's been determined that rats require very little protein and low fat as well. Even 14% is high which is why I always recommend lots of veggies with Oxbow blocks. Anecdotal data doesn't fly with me. I like to see the science behind the results.
That said, I am now leaning towards fresh foods for rats keeping protein and fat low. Grains/carbs are the energy source for rats. So whole grains like oats, farro, bulgur, brown rice, corn will not only be the energy source but also make great protein for rats. A big variety of veggies, kale, broccoli, peppers, carrots, chard, collard greens, mixed spring veggies like romaine, arugula, endives, red and green leaf lettuces and a bit of fruit like anything berries since they contain the highest antioxidants.
 
Omg....so so very happy! Thanks to all your guys & gals help, Rinky started eating his rat blocks this morning!!!! I heard him at 3 am tearing the cage apart because he was pissed (spiteful little sucker). So I just let him go even though it was killing me because I knew he was doing it because he wanted different food. Then, I heard "nibble nibble nibble " & slowly looked in the cage, wala, he was eating his blocks! I was & am so very happy! Thank you everyone!!!!
 
Everyone, thank you for all your help again! I'll be on this site alot to learn more & more. I'm so happy I found this site & knowledgeable ratties I can come to for help & one day hopefully help other people!!
 
great news!!! yep, if they don't get a lot of junk food, they eventually realize they gotta eat the stuff that's good for them lol

most rats find veggies and grains to be a huge treat. they'd be very happy to live out their lives never having sugary stuff or high fat or high protein foods. People seem to think that they are being "nice" to their rats by giving them the junk foods that they like for snacks, but it's not a kindness to give your rats food with little or no nutritional value that will make them sick, fat and miserable (like, sadly, many of the ppl who eat that junk are- sick, fat and miserable :( )
 
Petunia said:
great news!!! yep, if they don't get a lot of junk food, they eventually realize they gotta eat the stuff that's good for them lol

most rats find veggies and grains to be a huge treat. they'd be very happy to live out their lives never having sugary stuff or high fat or high protein foods. People seem to think that they are being "nice" to their rats by giving them the junk foods that they like for snacks, but it's not a kindness to give your rats food with little or no nutritional value that will make them sick, fat and miserable (like, sadly, many of the ppl who eat that junk are- sick, fat and miserable :( )
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Thankk you Petunia!
 

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