The Rat Fan Club

The Nutritional Requirements of Rats

as set by the National Research Council, USA

(g = gram, mg = milligram, mcg = microgram)

A rat will typically eat about 15 g of dry food blocks a day. So a kg of diet will feed between 52 and 76 rats, depending on their size. A rat needs about 60 calories a day depending on size.

Macronutrients

Fat 5%

Protein

growth & breeding 15%

maintenance 5%

Essential Fatty Acids 0.6%

Micronutrients

Approximate need

Vitamins for one rat per day

A 0.6 mg/kg of diet 0.11 - 1.2 mcg or 0.37 - 4 IU

D 1000 IU/kg of diet 13 - 19.2 IU

E 35 mg/kg of diet 0.46 - 0.67 mg or 0.69 - 1 IU

Niacin 20 mg/kg of diet 0.26 - 0.38 mg

Pantothenic Acid 8 mg/kg 0.1 - 0.15 mg

Riboflavin 0.8 mg/1000 kcal of diet about 0.05 mg

Thiamin 4 mg/kg of diet 0.053 - 0.077 mg

B6 7 mg/kg of diet 0.09 - 0.13 mg

B12 50 mcg/kg of diet 0.66 - 0.96 mcg

(For Vitamin A, 1 IU = 0.3 mcg, for Vitamin E one IU = 0.67 mg)

Vitamin A is one of the few vitamins that can cause problems if the dose is too high. Chronic toxicity symptoms are hair loss and dry rough skin

Minerals

Calcium 5 g/kg of diet 0.066 - 0.96 g

Phosphorus 4 g/kg of diet 0.05 - 0.77 g

Flouride 1 mg/kg of diet 0.013 - 0.019 mg

Iodine 0.15 mg/kg of diet 2 - 2.9 mcg

Chloride 5 mg/kg of diet 0.066 - 0.96 mg

Iron 35 mg/kg of diet 0.46 - 0.67 mg

Copper 5 mg/kg of diet 0.066 - 0.96 mg

Magnesium 800 mg/kg of diet 10.5 - 15.4 mg

Potassium 35 mg/kg of diet 0.066 - 0.0.67 mg

Manganese 50 mg/kg of diet 0.66 - 0.96 mg

Sulfur 3 mg/kg of diet 0.039 - 0.058 mg

Selenium 0.1 mg/kg of diet 1.3 - 1.9 mcg

Zinc 12 mg/kg of diet 0.16 - 0.23 mg

Chromium 0.3 mg/kg of diet 3.9 - 5.8 mcg

(note: other research has shown that giving chromium picolinate at 189 mcg/lb daily extends the lifespan of rats)

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