Baby food and rats

[jendry101]

How often do you give your rats baby food?  I have found that it's a great supplement, and I give 3 spoonfulls every night (for two rats).  I was thinking about giving it in the mornings now as well.  One of my boys has a sensitive tummy, and fresh food seems to upset it, so I am really careful about giving them anything that would set Ty off.  I feed Suebees mix, and lab blocks.  Does that sound reasonable?  Different baby foods, to get in a good mix?

[dwankrista]

my girls loooooooooove their baby food!  i feed lab blocks and modified suebee's as well, but they adore their baby food.  they get some flavor each day, usually in the mornings.  i also make them warm rice and oat baby cereal or oatmeal in the mornings and i find it's an extra treat to mix in a couple of spoonfuls of fruity babyfood.  they love it and even the mice seem to enjoy it. 

[punksjunk]

baby food is a great idea! i like to get the one for 3 year olds as the ones for younger kids tend to make my boys' poops more squishy/wet. i only get them the fruity ones, usually something with banana. i just bought a new jar today, and was boggled by how many flavors there were! if someone could suggest other fruity flavors, that'd be great!

also, i can't quite fathom feeding them the weird entree type ones, like turkey and veggies since i definitely wouldn't dare to taste it...but don't think you'll find me nibbling on lab blocks either!

[ilovedorks313]

Mine Looooooove baby food. I give them the "weird entrees"  and they love it.  Turkey and veggie and chicken and veggie are huge hits here.  I mix them up with some fresh veggies or noodles.  They also like the fruity ones too.  I usually get them the fruit medley since I can't stand the smell of banana anything...

[merlin7676]

I don't give it out every day (except lately since I have one boy on baytril) but if I'm at the grocery store and happen to remember it I will grab a jar or two. I don't ever get any of the fruit ones though...I get the entree ones though...they absolutely go nuts for the turkey and veggie or chicken and veggie dinners. Also they are pretty fond of the mac and cheese.

merlin

[DolciLady]

Since I picked up two baby rats five weeks ago, and needed to supplement their diet, everyone's been getting baby food every morning.  I mix up some oatmeal or multigrain cereal, sometimes toss in a scoop of baby formula, and mix in a jar of baby food.  I split it between two rat cages and four hamsters.  They go hog wild over their warm breakfast.  Never thought I'd be buying baby food every week.

I do caution folks about using the papaya one, as papaya is a laxative. 

Robin

[jendry101]

I'm giving all sorts of different ones, although the medlies seem most popular.
Thanks for the papaya tip...With Mr. Stinky Ty, a laxative is the LAST thing I need.     

[love2teach]

If you want a guarenteed fight amoung my boys, put baby food in the cage.  It has gotten to the point that I have three separate bowl on three separate levels so that no one gets left out.  The grosser (is that a word ), the more they fight over it.

love2teach

[RKEM]

If you can I recommend making your own. The commercial ones (unless you go for the high end stuff) have a lot of starch and water and the veggies are rather overcooked in them to make them safer. Most veggies (except potatoes and corn) freeze really well.

Personally, I think the color difference speaks for itself. This is my pea puree besides the commercial one



I had bought some jars for my old girl, opened it and was completely disgusted at the color and smell so I resolved to make my own. All you need is a blender or food processor. It's dead easy and less expensive.

[Auntie Crazy]

Hmmm, do my ratties like baby food?

http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/topic,4002233.0

 

[mandycoot]

I should have thought of making my own! Much cheaper and more natural My parent made all my baby food when I was little...oh man, I am turning into my mom 

[TheChicagoCrew]

Jarred baby foods are a long time favorite around here. We feed our rats different baby foods about three times a week. They also get baby cereals on other days, or oatmeal, and such. They like the fruit, the veggies, the weird mixtures. Geez...with the types of slurries I make for them (where I just dump different good foods into a blender and make a yucky but yummy tasting mush) I'm surprised they'd turn up anything, really. LOL

-Melina

[Panda Phil]

I've never had a rat that didn't love the stuff. Right after bananas it seems to be their favorite treat so they get it about once a week. Put in a jar one evening, take out a shiny clean jar next morning.

 The preferred flavor seems to be Gerber 2 Veg, Turkey and Barley. The Tender Harvest brand at least claims to be organic.

[myzoo2]

My rats have always loved baby food... I sometimes make my own... Right now they are eating cooked frozen fancy mixed veggies, cookied tri color rotini, and i mix in a fruit gerber baby food i think it is blueberry, apple and pear, and then i mix it all up and sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top to make it extra special and they are happy   there is never any leftovers they get that twice a week as a treat... i usually do a different type of fruits or Banana oatmeal or one of their other favorites.

For other ideas i use cooked rice and cooked tri color noodles and i either use baby food in either turkey, chicken or if i have that on hand i just cook it with no seasonings and chop it up and though it in the mix another favorite...

other than those types of goodies they get lab blocks, Nutro dog food  and a grain mix, fruits & veggies..  and every now and then i make them a batch of rat cookie treats... and my dogs love those too

[Leonakitty]

My girls LOVE babyfood.  They aren't fond of the fruity ones so much (weird!) but dig the sweet potatoes, winter squash, peas, etc.  Bananas were also a big hit.  I use Organic Baby... no fillers, no artificial sugars, etc.  They only thing they like more are carob chips and cooked couscous (dear lord, they LOVE couscous!  I almost loose a finger putting the dish in!)

Leona