How to Help Your Fat Rat Lose Weight
Use a smaller feeding dish., Provide fortified food., Limit your rat’s treats., Feed your rat at night., Wash your rat’s food bowl weekly., Check for specific conditions., Steer clear of hazardous foods.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use a smaller feeding dish.
A small ceramic (not plastic) food dish that’s only large enough to hold one feeding block will suffice.
The larger the bowl, the more your rat will eat.
Small bowls serve as natural portion control.Make sure your feeding bowl is sturdy so that it doesn’t tip over as your rat eats.
Your rat may chew a plastic bowl. -
Step 2: Provide fortified food.
There are good quality commercial rat foods available through pet stores and veterinary offices.
These foods can be found in either “block” or “seed” type forms, and a mixture of both is recommended.
If you’re trying to help your rat lose weight, feed it no more than 3 tablespoons per day.Rat blocks contain a complete supply of vitamins and minerals.
Avoid the generic “rodent formula” foods available at pet stores, as these often don’t provide an adequate amount of protein for your rat. , One tablespoon of chopped fruit or vegetable is the best treat for your rat.
Including apples, strawberries, bananas, and squash as treats rather than regular part of your rat’s diet will help support its weight loss.
Feed treats in a separate dish from your rats regular food and make sure to clean the treat bowl daily.Frozen peas in a dish of water is a wonderful summertime treat that your rat can enjoy year-round.
Avoid sticky foods like peanut butter as they can create a choking hazard.
Feed your rat a hard treat, like a dog biscuit, once per week to keep its teeth sharp. , Rats are nocturnal creatures by nature, which means they’ll tend to be most active during the nighttime hours.
It’s good to feed them early in the evening, when they’re most likely to be alert and awake.If you notice small stashes of food around its cage, it’s likely you’re overfeeding it and should cut back on the amount of food you’re providing.
Don’t skip your rat’s meals, or your rat may become hungry, anxious and unhappy. , Make sure that it doesn’t get caked with old food, which can lead to diseases.
Scrub old food off with a wire brush or sponge, and use plenty of soap and water.
Allow the food bowl to air dry.It’s a good idea to wash out the food bowl at the same time as you clean out the rest of your rat’s cage.
Place your rat’s food bowl at an opposite end of the cage from the rat’s bathroom area. , If your rat looks like it’s gained weight, it’s possible that it’s pregnant, particularly if you have more than one rat.
The most common reason for bloated-looking abdomen in rats is pregnancy.
For any medical conditions in rats, you’ll want to consult with your veterinarian.Other possible conditions that may result in increased size include:
A tumor in the abdomen.
Not only can the tumor cause a bulge in the abdomen, but it can also cause fluid to accumulate in the abdomen.
Liver and kidney disease, which can cause fluid build up in the abdomen.
Megacolon is a condition of the nervous system, where the nerves to the large intestine don’t effectively allow for the colon to push out feces.
As a result, the colon becomes backed up.
Both the colon and the stools become larger than usual.
Urinary blockage also can result in a rat’s appearing swollen and overweight.
If the bladder is blocked, then the urine can become backed up, feeling like a balloon in the center lower abdomen. , While rats may enjoy a wide and varied diet similar to your own, there are certain foods that are hazardous to your rat.
Dried corn, for example, has high levels of fungal contaminants which have been linked to liver cancer in rats.You’ll also want to limit the amount of nitrates in your rat’s diet.
Nitrates are found in beets, celery, eggplant, lettuce, cucumber, radishes, spinach, collards and turnip greens.
Never give your rat any food that’s moldy or spoiled. -
Step 3: Limit your rat’s treats.
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Step 4: Feed your rat at night.
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Step 5: Wash your rat’s food bowl weekly.
-
Step 6: Check for specific conditions.
-
Step 7: Steer clear of hazardous foods.
Detailed Guide
A small ceramic (not plastic) food dish that’s only large enough to hold one feeding block will suffice.
The larger the bowl, the more your rat will eat.
Small bowls serve as natural portion control.Make sure your feeding bowl is sturdy so that it doesn’t tip over as your rat eats.
Your rat may chew a plastic bowl.
There are good quality commercial rat foods available through pet stores and veterinary offices.
These foods can be found in either “block” or “seed” type forms, and a mixture of both is recommended.
If you’re trying to help your rat lose weight, feed it no more than 3 tablespoons per day.Rat blocks contain a complete supply of vitamins and minerals.
Avoid the generic “rodent formula” foods available at pet stores, as these often don’t provide an adequate amount of protein for your rat. , One tablespoon of chopped fruit or vegetable is the best treat for your rat.
Including apples, strawberries, bananas, and squash as treats rather than regular part of your rat’s diet will help support its weight loss.
Feed treats in a separate dish from your rats regular food and make sure to clean the treat bowl daily.Frozen peas in a dish of water is a wonderful summertime treat that your rat can enjoy year-round.
Avoid sticky foods like peanut butter as they can create a choking hazard.
Feed your rat a hard treat, like a dog biscuit, once per week to keep its teeth sharp. , Rats are nocturnal creatures by nature, which means they’ll tend to be most active during the nighttime hours.
It’s good to feed them early in the evening, when they’re most likely to be alert and awake.If you notice small stashes of food around its cage, it’s likely you’re overfeeding it and should cut back on the amount of food you’re providing.
Don’t skip your rat’s meals, or your rat may become hungry, anxious and unhappy. , Make sure that it doesn’t get caked with old food, which can lead to diseases.
Scrub old food off with a wire brush or sponge, and use plenty of soap and water.
Allow the food bowl to air dry.It’s a good idea to wash out the food bowl at the same time as you clean out the rest of your rat’s cage.
Place your rat’s food bowl at an opposite end of the cage from the rat’s bathroom area. , If your rat looks like it’s gained weight, it’s possible that it’s pregnant, particularly if you have more than one rat.
The most common reason for bloated-looking abdomen in rats is pregnancy.
For any medical conditions in rats, you’ll want to consult with your veterinarian.Other possible conditions that may result in increased size include:
A tumor in the abdomen.
Not only can the tumor cause a bulge in the abdomen, but it can also cause fluid to accumulate in the abdomen.
Liver and kidney disease, which can cause fluid build up in the abdomen.
Megacolon is a condition of the nervous system, where the nerves to the large intestine don’t effectively allow for the colon to push out feces.
As a result, the colon becomes backed up.
Both the colon and the stools become larger than usual.
Urinary blockage also can result in a rat’s appearing swollen and overweight.
If the bladder is blocked, then the urine can become backed up, feeling like a balloon in the center lower abdomen. , While rats may enjoy a wide and varied diet similar to your own, there are certain foods that are hazardous to your rat.
Dried corn, for example, has high levels of fungal contaminants which have been linked to liver cancer in rats.You’ll also want to limit the amount of nitrates in your rat’s diet.
Nitrates are found in beets, celery, eggplant, lettuce, cucumber, radishes, spinach, collards and turnip greens.
Never give your rat any food that’s moldy or spoiled.
About the Author
Diane Campbell
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in practical skills and beyond.
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