Feeding pet rats doesn’t have to be hard or confusing.
It’s not rocket science. 🚀
We know that loads of people overcomplicate it and make it seem like a grueling task…
But don’t listen to them!
We’re here to show you the opposite.
It’s actually pretty easy for pet rat owners to feed their little omnivores a nutritious diet that sets them up for a long and happy life.
You just need to know what to look out for.
And that’s exactly what you’ll learn if you keep reading.
Note: If you click a link on this page, then go on to make a purchase, we may receive a commission but at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
You’ll discover seven delicious types of packaged rat food, as well as a detailed buyer’s guide that deep dives into the nutritional requirements of pet rats. 🐭 🧀
Here is a quick list of the 7 Rat Foods reviewed in this article.
- Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat Food
- Supreme Tiny Friends Farm Reggie Rat Tasty Mix
- Nesom Distributing Envigo Teklad Global Rat Food Pellets
- Mazuri Rat Food
- Kaytee Fiesta Mouse And Rat Food
- Supreme Petfoods Science Selective Rat Food
- Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health For Mice And Rats
Note: Clicking the above links will take you to further information, current prices and customer reviews on Amazon.
Excited? So are we!
Let’s tuck in and help you find the perfect pet rat food.
Table of Contents
The Seven Best Rat Foods of 2023
Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat Food
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No big surprises in this rat race…
Oxbow takes home the gold for the best rat food with an insanely good feed!
These brown rice-based rat blocks are the whole enchilada — healthy, tasty, fortified, preservative-free, and reasonably priced.
And on top of all this, they also help prevent selective feeding.
Simply put, Oxbow Essentials is a rat owner’s dream food.
By the way:
There’s an Oxbow Essentials version for younger rats (under 6 months of age) as they have slightly different nutritional requirements. This variant should be used for pregnant rats too.
Manufacturers Specs and Features
- ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS FOR A HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE: Balanced protein, fat, and carbohydrates provide energy for daily function and performance
- SUPPORTS IMMUNE SYSTEM HEALTH: Made with antioxidants & prebiotics to support the immune system health of your adult rat
- PERFECT FOR PICKY EATERS: Uniform kibble prevents selective feeding
- FORTIFIED FOOD: Fortified with vitamins and minerals for optimum health
- VETERINARIAN RECOMMENDED: Formulated with the guidance of top veterinarians and nutritionists
Pros
- Well-balanced diet for adult rats
- Great value for money
- Over 3,000 5-star reviews on Amazon
- Fortified with vitamins and minerals (i.e., vitamin D and magnesium)
- Rich in complex carbohydrates and healthy fats
- Contains high-quality protein (soybean and fish meal)
- Crafted in the USA
Cons
- Doesn’t provide an enriching feeding experience
Supreme Tiny Friends Farm Reggie Rat Tasty Mix
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Your little rat buddies are gourmets. They love food, and they love eating.
This means one important thing:
Your rat’s food isn’t simply nutrition.
It’s also a chance to forage, play, and keep their minds occupied with their favorite pastime, finding and tasting scraps of yummy food.
Blocks or pellets don’t deliver this experience, no matter how well-made they are.
Therefore, you should integrate a tasty mix of seeds and whole grains into your rats’ diets.
And when it comes to mixes, there’s no better product than Supreme Tiny Friends Farm.
Just order a bag and scatter-feed your pet rat — sensory enrichment awaits them!
Manufacturers Specs and Features
- Age Range Description: All Life Stages
Pros
- Can be mixed with rat blocks to provide optimal nutrition and a varied diet
- Encourages natural foraging
- Rich in omega 3 fatty acids
- Offers complete nutrition
- Primary source of protein is soy
- Linseeds added for healthier skin and a shinier coat
- Adorable packaging
Cons
- Wheat and corn are the top two ingredients
- Contains artificial colors
Nesom Distributing Envigo Teklad Global Rat Food Pellets
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Next up are Nesom Distributing Envigo Teklad Pellets.
These are high-quality lab blocks formulated explicitly for a rat’s dietary needs, regardless of whether they live in a laboratory or your living room!
They’re unique because Envigo Teklad has produced this feed without the use of meat — this reduces the presence of potential carcinogens and makes them a solid alternative for vegetarians.
Please note that this 2014 version was designed for adults over 8 months of age. If you have a pregnant, nursing, or growing rat (under 8 months), you should go for the 2018 version with added soybean meal for extra protein.
And before you ask, these numbers aren’t dates; they’re product codes that indicate the percentage level of protein contained in the pet rat food (14% vs. 18%).
Manufacturers Specs and Features
- An Envigo (Formerly Harlan) Teklad Laboratory Diet.
- Envigo (Formerly Harlan) Teklad 14% Protein Rodent Diet
- Nutritionally balanced and exceptionally consistent.
- Repackaged by Nesom Distributing for your companion animals.
- Globally recognized as one of the best quality rodent diets available.
Pros
- Well-balanced nutritionally
- Remarkably consistent formula
- Prevents selective feeding
- Vegetarian
- Contribute to longevity and healthy body weight
- Delicious recipe
Cons
- On the pricier side
- Doesn’t provide an enriching feeding experience
Mazuri Rat Food
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Mazuri Rat Food barely missed out on a third-place finish. What a close call!
But don’t discard it just yet…
It’s still one of our all-time favorite packaged foods, and rats generally love the taste and shape of these pellets.
That’s no surprise, though.
After all, Mazuri is a trusted expert in the field of exotic animal nutrition.
One important note:
These pellets’ protein content is too high for rats.
So if you decide to feed your pet these pellets, you should balance their diet with low-protein feeds or supplements like fruits and vegetables.
Manufacturers Specs and Features
- Contains dried yucca shidigera extract to help reduce waste odor.
- Large block shape to encourage chewing and help support dental health.
- Nutritionally complete, no supplementation needed.
- No artificial colors or flavors.
Pros
- Reduces waste odor thanks to the addition of dried yucca extract
- Free from artificial colors or flavors
- Block shape supports dental health
- Contains wheat germ, an ingredient high in minerals and antioxidants
- Very palatable formula
Cons
- Too high in protein
- Expensive
- Low in feeding enrichment value
Kaytee Fiesta Mouse And Rat Food
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Sometimes your budget is just as important as your pet’s nutritional needs.
For those times, there’s Kaytee Fiesta Rat Food.
This wallet-friendly mixed food is hands down the best budget option for pet rats.
Kaytee has done an incredible job at delivering a winning combination of nutritional value, enriching shapes, and low prices.
We don’t know how they did it, but we sure are glad this feed is available on the market!
Manufacturers Specs and Features
- Shapes And Textures Support Dental Health Through Natural Chewing Activity
- Prebiotics And Probiotics To Support Digestive Health
- Assorted Fruits And Veggies For Added Enrichment And Variety
- Rich In Natural Antioxidantsfor General Health & Immune Support
- Naturally Preserved For Ideal Freshness
Pros
- Superb value for money
- Encourages natural foraging
- Supports dental health
- Fortified with probiotics and prebiotics
- Rich in natural antioxidants
- Made with assorted fruits and veggies
Cons
- Lower-quality ingredients than the other feeds in this list
- Contains artificial colors
Supreme Petfoods Science Selective Rat Food
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Supreme Petfoods Science Selective Rat Food is another excellent choice for your pet’s diet.
It’s a truly premium product that pet rats eat up like there’s no tomorrow.
It even includes fruits (like apple and blackcurrant) for added antioxidants, vitamins, and taste.
What more could your rat need?
Not much — just a lot of love and a few bits of fresh food as supplements (but more about that in the buyer’s guide)!
One word of warning:
This is an expensive product, so it’s not for everyone.
Manufacturers Specs and Features
- A Nutritionally Complete And Balanced Food For Pet Rats
- Helps Sustain Healthy Skin And Coat
- Rich In Natural Ingredients With Zero Added Sugar
- Prevents Selective Feeding
- No Artificial Colors
Pros
- Manufactured with high-quality natural ingredients
- Zero added sugar
- No artificial colors or preservatives
- Recommended by vets
- High in vitamins and antioxidants
- Supports cardiovascular and circulatory health
Cons
- Most expensive rat food to make this list
- Doesn’t provide an enriching feeding experience
Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health For Mice And Rats
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Are you looking for a budget pellet option that’ll still provide your fur babies with a healthy diet?
Then look no further — this Kaytee Rat Food is one for you!
It was developed by small animal nutritional experts, so you can rest assured that it’s packed with the ingredients your rat needs to thrive and survive.
However, you can’t expect the world for this low price.
It has lower quality ingredients than the leading pellets, and it’s not quite as tasty, so we don’t advise it for fussy eaters.
Manufacturers Specs and Features
- Pellets Only to Prevent Selective Eating
- Prebiotics and Probiotics to Support Digestive Health
- Naturally Preserved for Ideal Freshness
- Nutritionally Balanced
- For Mice, Rats and Hamsters
Pros
- Fairly priced
- Keeps your rat’s teeth worn down
- High in Omega-3
- Made in the USA
- Fortified with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics
Cons
- Low in feeding enrichment value
- Too much protein
- Potentially unpalatable
Buyer’s Guide To Feeding Your Pet Rats
By now, you should be feeling quite confident about which dry food to add to your rats’ diet…
After all, you’ve just uncovered seven outstanding options!
However, knowing which fortified food to purchase is only one part of the equation…
It’s come time to equip yourself with even more knowledge about rat nutrition and transform yourself into an expert rat owner.
So spend five more minutes going over the seven FAQs in this handy buyer’s guide!
It’ll be worth it, big time. 😋
What Should I Consider When Buying Packaged Rat Food?
Before buying rat food, you should always make sure the product is:
- Specifically formulated for pet rats
- Made from high-quality ingredients
- Tasty (check the reviews or speak to other rat owners since trying one won’t be much help)
- Good value for money
- Free from artificial preservatives and colorants
Please note that rats can be picky eaters — so buy small quantities at first, and be prepared to experiment a little!
But the good news is once you find the perfect rat block and/or mix, you’ll be set for life as long as you provide your rat with a well-rounded diet.
What Other Foods Should I Feed My Pet Rat?
This is the most common question we get from pet rat owners.
And it’s not surprising at all, given that urban rats are famed for surviving on whatever they can find.
But they eat tons of foods rats shouldn’t eat… and you can tell!
So unless you want your furball to look homeless, you need to supplement their pet rat diet carefully.
Pellets and loose seed mixes should make up about 80% of their diet, leaving you with 20% for fresh foods like vegetables, meats, fruits, and seeds.
Here are 17 good ideas for rat-friendly snacks:
- Green peppers
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cooked sweet potato
- Peas
- Kale
- Celery
- Cooked liver
- Lean cooked meats (like cooked chicken and turkey)
- Cooked salmon and tuna
- Whole wheat pasta or bread
- Oatmeal
- Apples
- Bananas
- Berries
- Healthy treats like mealworms, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and yogurt (once or twice a week)
- Sunflower seeds and cheese (as special treats)
What Foods Should I Avoid Giving to My Pet Rat?
The following types of food should have absolutely no place in your rat’s life:
- Junk food
- Fatty meats
- Raw sweet potato
- Chocolate
- Peanut butter
- Caffeinated or carbonated drinks
- Onions
- Garlic
- Cabbage
- Apple seeds
- Moldy food
- Raw beans, squash, or Brussel sprouts
- Citrus fruits (citric acid contains d-limonene, a potentially harmful substance that’s linked to kidney cancer in male rats)
How Much Should I Feed My Pet Rats?
You should aim to give your rats around 15g of rat food every day.
If your rat is pregnant, you can up that amount to 20g, and if they’re lactating, you can push it all the way to 40g.
Mommy rats get hungry!
… And How Often Should I Feed Them?
The best rat diets are made up of several small meals spread across the day.
We suggest you feed them around 5-7 times a day, paying close attention not to overfeed them as their portions (2-3g) look awfully tiny to us humans.
Remember that frequent meals are essential because a rat’s stomach empties after just 6 hours.
What Are Rats’ Nutritional Requirements?
The ideal nutritional value depends on your rat’s age and development stage.
The best food for young rats (from 3 weeks to 6 months) contains:
- ≈ 70% carbohydrates
- ≈ 20% protein
- ≈ 5% fat
- ≈ 5 to 6% fiber
- Vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients
The best rat foods for adult rats are made up of:
- ≈ 75% carbohydrates (primarily unrefined)
- ≈ 10 to 15% protein
- ≈ 5% fat
- ≈ 5 to 6% fiber
- Vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients
And finally, the best food for senior rats (over 20 months old) consists of:
- ≈ 80% carbohydrates
- ≈ 10 to 12% protein
- ≈ 5% fat (unsaturated)
- ≈ 3 to 4% fiber
- Vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients
Can Rats Eat Other Types of Pet Food?
If you’re in a pinch, then yes, you can feed them food made for other pets.
Good emergency options include:
- Guinea pig food
- Mouse food
- Cat food
- Dog food
BUT we have to repeat only in a pinch!
None of these are ideal food for rats as manufacturers developed their nutritional makeup for a different species.
If you feed them to your rat over the long term, they’ll likely struggle to stay healthy and suffer from health issues.
So don’t do it!
Conclusion: The Best Rat Food of 2023
That about covers it…
You’re now well educated when it comes to pet rat food.
We’d give you a certificate if we could, but since we’re not a registered institution, you’ll have to make do with a HUGE congratulations!
And a few celebratory emojis! 🎊 🙌 🎈 🥂 🪅 🥳 🍾 🎉
Once you’re done partying, snap back to reality and focus on the reason you started reading this post in the first place:
Buying your little buddy one of the best rat foods in the world.
We recommend you:
Bon appétit, my rodent friends!
