My female rats are losing weight but eating. Do they need vitamins?

If she will allow, check her teeth. Rats need to chew to keep their teeth from becoming overgrown. If necessary, have your veterinarian trim the teeth then provide plenty of chew toys to prevent recurrence. Feed a commercial pelleted or block diet supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. You can also offer food such as pasta, beans and boiled egg in small amounts. Take her out of her cage for some playtime several times daily. This will give her a break from a small cage as well as provide a bonding experience for the both of you.

A few things you can try are using a smaller dish for your rat and make sure to wash it weekly, daily if need be. One just big enough to hold one feeding block is plenty. And feed fortified food. 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. And avoid the generic “rodent formula” foods available at pet stores, as these often don’t provide an adequate amount of protein for your rat. Limit treats. 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 rat's regular food and make sure to clean the treat bowl daily. Feed her at night, when she is most active, and if you notice her stashing food in her cage, you're giving her too much. Rats are intelligent animals who need a great deal of mental stimulation and activity. If you’re trying to help your rat lose weight, making sure it has plenty of activities will help it stay healthy and happy. If you have room, buy or bulild a multi level cage so she has to climb from level to level and feed her at the top or bottom and put her nest area at the other end. Play with her, they love interaction with their people. Provide an exercise wheel, tunnels, igloos, ropes, ladders, blocks, and child or baby safe toys for your rat to play with. Wooden gnawing blocks make great chew toys. You can also offer rawhide chew sticks or hard dog biscuits. Old soup bones or chicken bones are fine for a rat to chew on

Hello. The majority of the diet ( 80% ) should be a rodent chow like Oxbow. The chow should be around 16% protein & 4-5% fat. Fruits & veggies can be offered at about 1 teaspoon per day. You can also offer a reasonable amount of nuts & seeds, also about 1 teaspoon per day. Vary the treats each day & Pika will be a happy, healthy girl. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Rats have a gestation period of 21-23 days. Have her examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating pocket pets. He or she may be able to confirm pregnancy or diagnose illness or injury. Check her teeth to rule out overgrowth or malocclusion. Either could cause her to go off her food. The antibiotic (Baytril?) may also cause some GI upset.

Thanks for reaching out about Oreo. Are you sure they are both males? Some animals grow at different rates. Is the smaller one skinny? Diseases such as bacterial/parasitic enteritis, metabolic disorders, dental disease, can all prevent weight gain. Weight can be controlled by offering a balanced diet which is pellets, versus seed which is high in fat. If the problem persists, a veterinary visit should be scheduled. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Regi and including pictures. By the pictures, she doesn't seem that unusual in size. But individuals can range in size just like people. If you have other rats, are they're any intact males? Widening in the abdomen could be the storage of fat, but also something medical. If you continue to be concerned, seek an examination with a veterinarian. Good luck.

Hello, thank you for asking your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is not as critical to provide an additional chewing substrate for rats as it might be for other rodents, so if Roux does not seem to enjoy the sticks, you do not have to provide them. You might offer her another type of rat food made by Mazuri. This comes in a biscuit form that she might enjoy gnawing on. In addition, a treat such as yogurt or dried fruit treats manufactured specifically for rodents should be provided 2-3 times a week. If Roux has normal dentition, then the teeth will naturally keep in alignment. Hope this helps. Take care.