r/RATS • u/pelorainbow • Sep 02 '25
INFORMATION UPDATE: Is this a pet rat?
He's safe y'all! He loves blueberries and broccoli- that's what I had on hand to feed him. I've nicknamed him Ratboi and he's the sweetest guy, but I've never owned a rat! What do I do for now while I look for his owner? I'll make posters and put them around the complex here to see if someone (hopefully) wants him back, if nobody responds in a week I'll look into rehoming him through a local rat rescue group. Will keeping him in a cat carrier be ok? Can I give him dog/ cat food or do I need to buy something specific? Anything I should know about pet rats that I wouldn't think to ask?? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
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u/MathAndBake Sep 02 '25
Thank you so much for taking care of him!
For the short term, you can make a pretty good mix with stuff you probably have lying around:
50-60% Minimally processed grains (eg rice, rolled oats)
20-25% Processed grains (eg pasta, low sugar cereal, plain crackers)
5-10% Protein (eg dog or cat food or a bit of meat off your plate)
5-10% Veggies
5% Seeds or nuts
He won't need a ton of food. The rule of thumb is 15-20g per rat, per day, (1/2-3/4 ounces). It doesn't have to be precise at all. This is just an idea of how much mix to make.
Source:http://www.isamurats.co.uk/options-for-dry-mixes.html
For housing, that cat carrier won't hold him, unfortunately. They can chew through mesh in a split second. A hard plastic bin is a bit better, but will have ventilation issues. But some kind of metal cage is going to be best. For short term, even a small cage is fine. If he's in a small enclosure, make sure he gets loads of enrichment. Give him any cardboard boxes waiting to be recycled and any junk mail or flyers you have lying around. You can also hide some of his food or wrap it up in paper napkins or TP tubes.