How much should I feed a pet rat?

One to two tablespoons of a complete food per rat per day is a reasonable starting point, with fresh extras alongside. Adjust to the animal: rats vary a lot in size and activity.

Small amounts of hard cheese are fine as a treat despite the cartoon association, but it is fatty and not a staple. Blue cheese specifically should be avoided.

Do rats need fresh food every day?

They benefit from it most days, in small amounts. It is a supplement to a complete diet rather than a replacement, and variety is more useful than volume.

Is muesli-style rat food a problem?

It can be, for the same reason it is in rabbits: rats pick out the pieces they like and leave the rest, so the diet they eat is not the diet on the label. Blocks avoid the issue entirely.

What do rats eat?

Pet rats do best on a complete rat food as the foundation, with fresh vegetables and small amounts of fruit alongside. Rats are omnivores and will eat almost anything offered, which makes them easy to feed and easy to overfeed.

A complete base

A complete rat block or a good quality rat mix provides the protein, vitamin and mineral balance rats need. Blocks have the advantage that a rat cannot pick around them, which matters because rats are very good at eating only their favourite pieces.

Roughly a tablespoon or two per rat per day is a common starting point, adjusted for size, age and activity. Growing and pregnant rats need more.

Fresh food they actually benefit from

Broccoli, peas, carrot, banana, apple and cooked pasta or egg are all well received. Fresh food is worth offering most days in small amounts, both nutritionally and because rats are intelligent and enjoy variety.

Scatter feeding and hiding food around the cage gives them something to work at. Rats are curious and a foraging puzzle occupies them far better than a full bowl does.

What to limit or avoid

Sugary and fatty human foods are the main thing to keep down, since rats put on weight readily. Citrus in large amounts is often advised against for male rats specifically, and blue cheese, raw beans and green potato are all best avoided.

Rats are prone to respiratory problems and to mammary tumours, and obesity makes both worse, so keeping them lean genuinely matters to how long they live.

What these need

Things we stock that owners commonly reach for here. Nothing on this page depends on you buying one.

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Common questions

How much should I feed a pet rat?: One to two tablespoons of a complete food per rat per day is a reasonable starting point, with fresh extras alongside. Adjust to the animal: rats vary a lot in size and activity.
Can rats eat cheese?: Small amounts of hard cheese are fine as a treat despite the cartoon association, but it is fatty and not a staple. Blue cheese specifically should be avoided.
Do rats need fresh food every day?: They benefit from it most days, in small amounts. It is a supplement to a complete diet rather than a replacement, and variety is more useful than volume.
Is muesli-style rat food a problem?: It can be, for the same reason it is in rabbits: rats pick out the pieces they like and leave the rest, so the diet they eat is not the diet on the label. Blocks avoid the issue entirely.

Sources

Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.

Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.