Can I give my rats stuff from the butchers. like marrowbone, pigs ears etc.?
Obviously, without added salt, flavourings etc.
What about meal worms or live foods?
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1 Answer
You absolutely can. They're tasty and great for keeping their teeth trimmed. Pig's ears are very, very fatty for them though, so bear that in mind. Meal worms are great too, as a tasty source of protein, alive or dried. They can also have other live foods such as crickets etc, though I prefer to only feed these dried as rats tend to stash food and you may discover a bunch of mealworms living in your cage. It can get messy. I'd recommend only feeding live in small doses and at times when you can make sure the rats aren't stashing!
Bones are a particular favourite of mine, I gave them a chicken carcass today actually.
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Some vendors sell dried defatted ears or puffed ears (for dogs), both I'd consider with noticeable less fat (the puffed ones being a lot cleaner as well). Rabbit ears might be another option. As for chicken bones, I'd be careful regarding small/sharp bone fragments though.– MarioCommented Jan 19, 2015 at 8:00
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Rats are very sensitive to fats, but the dried defatted ones should be fine in moderation. Chicken bones are 100% fine for rats, they are one of the few animals that can eat them safely. They chew in such a way with their front teeth that there are no small fragments, the bone is basically chewed into a mulch. It's the same reason not to worry if they chew plastic. They will spit any large pieces out to be eaten later or ignored.– PiperCommented Jan 19, 2015 at 13:23