Ohana Rattery
✯FOOD MYTHS✯
⋆Male rats should have NO mango but can have citrus as long as it's peeled and rinsed off
⇝D-limonene is in the skin of
citrus. It has been linked to
kidney issues including cancer.
⇝Research has recently
discovered that it also takes a lot
of exposure to d-limonene to
potentially be an issue(like
gallons worth). They now know
for sure that the exposure rate
for any issue would have to be
by the gallons full. I'm sure no
one is giving gallons of citrus
skin.
⇝One good option and saves the
work is the fruit cups with citrus
in them(and pineapple/kiwi are
NOT a citrus some people think
it is but it's not). My boys love a
wedge or two of mandarin
oranges out of fruit cups usually
with their breakfast.
⋆Avocado is safe including the
skin
⇝The skin does work for a great
"bowl".
⋆Onion is safe BOTH raw and
cooked
⇝The raw onion is bad myth
came about because of dogs
and raw onion being bad but
it's perfectly safe in rats.
⋆Garlic is also safe both raw and
cooked
⋆Stones out of Stone Fruits are a
NO
⋆Apple Seeds are a NO
⋆Raw dry beans are a NO for
rats
⇝Dry beans it means the hard
ones you usually have to soak
then cook for soups, chili etc
and are usually sold in bags.
⇝Raw beans contains anti
nutrients that destroy vitamin A
and enzymes needed to digest
protein and starches, and
causes red blood cells to
clump.
⋆Raw peanuts(this only applies to
peanuts) are also a NO (most
places sell roasted anyways)
⇝With that said it's actually
extremely easy to roast your
own in case you happen to
have a bag of raw peanuts, On
about 200 degrees F for 30mins
plus will roast them perfectly.
⋆Raw sweet potato is a huge NO
⇝Canned, baby food, freeze
dried are all safe.
⇝Raw forms cyanide in the
stomach of rats
⋆Raw white potato is safe for rats
⇝Green skins contain a toxin
known as solanine so remove
any eyes and greenish tinted
skin if present.
⋆Regular typical black poppy seeds
are generally ok in small quantities
like on crackers/bread etc
⇝Mexican poppy seeds contain
a hallucinogen that can cause
neurological damage in large
quantities so make sure they
are not Mexican ones when
giving foods containing poppy
seeds(and 99.9% they are not
Mexican seeds).
⋆Green bananas also a NO but
once it's ripe it's perfectly safe
⇝Green bananas inhibit starch
digesting enzymes.
⋆Raw bulk tofu cans contain
bacteria that is bad for rats
⇝Pre-packaged tofu is safe.
⋆Wild insects are a huge NO
because can carry internal
parasites and diseases
⇝You can by farm raised(or
raise your own) to give to rats
as an occasional special treat.
⋆Dried corn can contain high levels of fungal contaminates which has been shown to cause liver cancer in rats.
⇝Corn also contains high levels
of both nitrates and amines.
These two compounds can
combine in the stomach to
form nitrosamines which are
carcinogenic.
⇝Other foods high in nitrates
include beets, celery, eggplant,
lettuce, cucumber, radishes,
spinach, collards and turnip
greens. Therefore, I suggest
you limit the amount of these
foods in your rat’s diet.
⇝Some fresh corn is fine, but if
you feed your rats blocks, it.
might be best to avoid brands
which have corn as the first
ingredient, if possible
⋆Mold based foods like blue cheese
are a NO
SPICES/SUGAR⇢
⋆As for spices etc when cooking
and baking, most things are not
off limits. It's all about knowing
your rats and what they will like.
⇝You don't have to shy away
from spicing up your foods
with yummy herbs etc.
⇝I have some rats who love
stupid spicy food and some say
heck no to it.
⋆Salt is NOT toxic to rats what so
ever. Everything in moderation
⇝Himalayan sea salt is a good
alternative to regular table salt
and a little is ok.
⋆Some sugar in moderation is
perfectly fine and safe. Just like
humans everything in moderation!
BEVERAGES/CAFFEINE/CARBONATION⇢
⋆The lactose intolerant is yet
another food myth. There are quite
a few food myths out there many
based off other animals like cats
and dogs
⋆Tea is perfectly safe for rats and
has tons of health benefits even
more so if lightly sweetened with
honey
⋆Caffeine in small amounts
occasionally is ok for rats. Just
like humans, in moderation
⋆Rats do not burp BUT they DO
pass gas. Carbonation in smaller
amounts is ok no worries. Just not
tons of it all at once but heck if you
have ever chugged anything
carbonated quickly you know how
uncomfortable that feeling is. You
do not have to let something
carbonated go flat though
USEFUL INFO⇢
⋆A great site to determine what a fruit is⇝ http://www.thefruitpages.com/
⋆These foods help to prevent strokes! Recommended for older rats or those with a family history of strokes⇝ celery, prunes, parsley, oranges (no orange juice for males).
⋆These foods have some antibiotic properties⇝ banana, prunes/plums, garlic, tea, eggplant, raspberries, onion, mustard.
⋆These foods may have some anti-virus properties⇝ cranberries, prunes/plums, strawberries, onion.
⋆These foods are good for arthritis⇝ clove, dates, ginger, garlic.
SAFE FOODS FOR RATS
***SECTION 1***
-Contents-
Vegetables
Fruits
Berries
Mushrooms
Herbs
Flowers
Nuts
*VEGETABLES*
Aduki beans (Sprouted, raw, canned or boiled)
Asparagus
Aubergine/Eggplant (Bitter when raw)
Avocado
Bamboo shoots
Bean Sprouts
Beetroot
Bok Choy/Pak Choi
Board Beans (Canned or Boiled)
Broccoli
Brussles sprouts (Raw or Cooked)
Butternut Squash (More platable cooked)
Cannellini beans (Canned or Boiled)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Celery
Chick peas (Roasted, sprouted, Canned, Boiled)
Chicory
Clover leaf
Coconut
Collard greens
Courgette/Zucchini (Bitter when raw)
Cress
Cucumber
Dandelion leaves
Endive (IN MODERATION)
Fennel
French beans (raw or cooked)
Gala
Garlic(raw and cooked)
Globe artichoke
Green beans (raw or cooked)
Haricot beans (canned or cooked)
Jerusalem artichoke
Kale
Kohlrabi
Kidney beans (canned or boiled)
Leek (COOKED)
Lentils (raw, cooked, sprouted)
Lettuce (SMALL AMOUNT)
Mange trout
Marrow (more platable when cooked)
Mung beans (spouted, raw, canned, boiled)
Okra
Olive
Onion (Raw or Cooked)
Parsnips (more platable when cooked)
Peas
Peppers
Potato (White Potato is safe raw but remove any skin that appears green and remove eyes)
Pumkin
Radish
Red Cabbage
Red onion
Rocket
Runner bean (COOKED)
Savoy cabbage
Shallot
Soya Beans (canned, boiled or fermented)
Spring greens
Spring onion
Spinach
Swede
Sweet chestnuts (COOKED)
Sweetcorn (fresh, frozen, on the cob, canned)
Sweet peppers
Sugar snap pea
Swiss Chard
Turnip
Water chestnut
Watercress
*FRUIT*
Apple (Remove seeds)
Apricots (No stone)
Banana
Cantaloupe
Cherries (No stone)
Chocolate pudding fruit (No stones)
Damsons (No stone
Dates (No stone)
Figs (No stone)
Grapes (Red and green)
Kiwi
Melon
Nectarines (No stone)
Honeydew Melon
Passion fruit
Peach (No stone)
Pears
Physalis
Papaya
Pineapple
Plums (None stone)
Pomegranate
Prickly pear (Peal first)
Prunes (No stone)
Raisins
Tomato *All varieties*
Watermelon
*BERRIES*
Bill berry
Blueberries
Blackberries
Cranberries
Loganberries (Leaves are safe)
Milbery
Raspberries
Strawberries
Elderberries
Goji berries
Gooseberry
Hawthorn
Juniper
Mountain ash
*Mushrooms* CAUTION - These mushroom are both safe for people and rats but great caution must be taken if you choose to risk picking your own, I only recommend this is you are an expert or if you have an expert to make sure you don't go tripping. *Some are available in supermarkets*
Button mushrooms
Chestnut mushrooms
Lion Mane/bears tooth
Aborted entoloma
Shaped puffball
Blewit
Velvet foot
Shaggy manes
Pink/meadow bottoms
Brown honey/Strumper
Hen of woods
Oyster
Chicken of woods
Reddening lepiota
Deer/fawn
Chicken foot
Woodears
Gilled bolete
King bolete
Green quilted russula
Purple Gilled laccaria
Angel wings
Red cracked bolete
Orange latex milky
Man on horseback
Sweet tooth
Shaggy parasol
Lobster mushroom
Black trumpets
Pheasant backs
Late fall oysters
*HERBS* raw and cooked
Basil
Parsley
Dill
Coriander
Sage
Tarragon
Saffron (Very Expensive)
Echinacea/Purple Cone Flower
Dandelion (Flower and Leaves)
Mint
Thyme
Oregano
Chervil
Chives
Rosemary
*EDIBLE FLOWERS* - Also yummy for people. *Beware of pesticides best to grow your own*
Apple blossoms
Basil flowers
Biennial Clary flowers
Busy Lizzie
Cape jasmine
Carnations
Coriander flowers
Cornflowers
Courgette flowers
Dandelion flowers
Dill flowers
Echinacea flowers
Evening primrose flowers
Feijoa sellowiana flowers
Fennel flowers
Fuchsia flowers
Gladiolus flowers
Hibiscus blossoms
Hollyhock flowers
Hyssop flowers
Japanese basil flowers
Lavender flowers
Lemon balm flowers
Lilac flowers
Marigold flowers
Marrow flowers
Mint flowers
Bergamot flowers
Mooli radish flowers
Nasturtium leaves and flowers
Spring onion flower
Oregano flowers
Ornamental Kale flowers
Pansy flowers
Vegetable pea flowers
Pumpkin flowers
Purple radish flowers
Rocket flowers
Rose flowers
Rosemary flowers
Sage flowers
Salsify flowers
Scented pelargonium flowers
Squash flowers
Strawberry flowers
Sunflower flowers
Sweet cicely flowers
Sweet mace flowers
Sweet Marjoram flowers
Sweet rocket flowers
Viola flowers
Yucca flowers
*NUTS*
Walnut
Brazil nut
Hazelnut
Peanut (Roasted Only)
Cashew
Pecan
Macadamia
Tiger nut (Actually a root)
SAFE FOODS FOR RATS
***SECTION 2***
-Contents-
Meats/Bones
Offal
Eggs
Fish
Fish eggs/Roe
Crustaceans
Live invertebrate
Tinned Creatures
Milks
Other drinks
Oils
*MEATS including BONES* - Often these are available for free from traditional butchers. (FREEZE BEFORE FEEDING IF FEEDING RAW)
Bison
Carabao
Cattle
Water buffalo
Yak
Alpaca
Llama
Camel
Goat
Rabbit
Kangaroo
Sheep
Pig
Moose
Deer
Elk
Chicken
Duck
Goose
Turkey
Quail
Partridge
Pheasant
Pigeon
Grouse
Guineafowl
Ostrich
Alligator
Crocodile
*OFFAL* - FREEZE BEFORE FEEDING IF FEEDING RAW
Heart
Lungs
Kidneys
Liver
Eyes
Tendons
*EGGS*- Bird eggs are best given raw or boiled in shell for enrichment
Ant
Fish
Chicken
Duck
Turkey
Quail
Ostrich
Emu
*FISH* Fish can be given cooked or raw. If given raw the fish must be frozen before hand to abolish bacteria.
Basa
Bass
Black cod/Sablefish
Blowfish
Bluefish
Bombay duck
Bream
Brill
Butter fish
Catfish
Cod
Dogfish
Dorade
Eel
Flounder
Grouper
Haddock
Halibut
Herring
Ilish
John Dory
Kingfish
Lamprey
Lingcod
Mackerel
Mahi Mahi
Monkfish
Mullet
Orange roughy
Patagonian toothfish
Pike
Pollock
Pomfret
Pompano
Sablefish
Salmon
Sanddab
Sardine
Sea bass
Shad
Skate
Snakehead
Snapper
Sole
Sturgeon
Surimi
Swordfish
Tilapia
Tilefish
Trout
Tuna
Turbot
Wahoo
Whitefish
Whiting
*FISH EGGS/ROE* Roe can be given raw.
Caviar (sturgeon roe)
Ikura (salmon roe)
Kazunoko (herring roe)
Lumpfish roe
Masago (capelin roe)
Shad roe
Tobiko (flying-fish roe)
*CRUSTACEANS* can be given cooked or raw. Mosts are very tough so some smashing with a hammer maybe required.
Dungeness crab
Mud crab
Sand crab
King crab
Snow crab
Crayfish
Lobster
American lobster
Rock lobster
Spiny lobster
Red lobster
Shrimp/Prawns
*MOLLUSCS* Can be given cooked or raw.
Cockle
Conch
Cuttlefish
Loco
Mussel
Octopus
Oyster
Periwinkle
Scallop
Squid
*LIVE INVERTEBRATE* - Farmed insects marketed for reptiles only. Wild insects can be harmful.
Bloodworms
Butterworms
Chapulines
Calciworms
Cockroaches
Crickets
Earthworms
Fruit beetle grubs
Grass hopper
Hornworms
Locusts
Maguey worms
Mealworms
Morioworms
Silkworms
*TINNED CREATURES* - (Available marketed for reptiles)
Snails
Caterpillars
River shrimp
*CREATURES DRIED*
Ants
Bloodworms
Cockroaches
Crickets
Earthworms
Grass hopper
Locusts
Mealworms
Morioworms
Scorpion (Venom is killed in drying process)
*MILKS* - Full fat coconut milk and coconut cream are good to keep around for rats who have lost weigh via sickness.
Skimmed coconut milk
Coconut milk
Rice Milk
Oat milk
Hemp milk
Hazelnut Milk
Almond milk
Brazil nut milk
Soya Milk
Cows milk
Puppy milk
Goat milk
Sheep milk
Camel milk
Elk milk
Peanut milk
Barley milk
Spelt milk
Lupin milk
Pea milk
Chia milk
Flax milk
Quinoa milk
Sesame milk
Sunflower milk
*OTHER DRINKS* - To be given in moderation.
Camomile tea
Echinacea tea
Coconut water
Aloe drink
Beaphar carrot drink *now Beaphar Tummy Care*
*OILS* can be used to cook with or can be drizzles over food.
Olive
Salmon
Cod
Calamari
Coconut
Linseed
Hemp