Is it ok to feed rats the hamster/gerbil food?

Is it ok to feed rats the hamster/gerbil food for a short period of time? or will she get sick from it?
Answers:
If it is the seed kind it is fine, but if it is the pellet kind I would be careful for how long you do it. The seed kind has the sunflower seeds, corn, and other little seeds in it, whereas the pellet kind are just big blocks of compressed food. It wont harm your rat. Just think about what kind of garbage a rat eats out on their own.lol. If by any change your rat does get a sensitive stomach and gets the runs. You can mix his water with 3/4 pedilight to 1/4 water. Good Luck.

---

It's not the best thing to do. They do have different dietary requirements. Unless you are giving them pet block.

---

I don't see why its not ok.

---

NO! Each animal has its own needs that are different from other animals. Do not what ever you do feed another animal another animals food! It's like trying to feed a cat dog food!

---

It's fine, and not just because rats can survive on almost anything, but because the ingredients of the food are nearly identical.

---

likely cause diahrea or something like that but it's not going to kill it.
just not really sure what foods it want to eat that hamsters eat.my hamsters eat seeds, veggies, some other stuff...

---

UMMMM. It depends on whay brand of gerbil food.
if you use gerbilicious, then they wont get sick from it at all and will actually get health benifits.
My rat loves the stuff. Can't get enough of it.

---

no they need their own mix, it has things specifically for them,it won't kill her for a few days but she needs her regular diet.

---

No, she won't get sick from it unless she's allergic to it. We feed our rats hamster/gerbil/guinea pig food all the time, its really not much of a difference from rat food.

---

no its not good for them, too high in fat for them. i suggest purina one kitten food. rats love it and its a great substitute for a lab block! plus its really healthy for growing rats!

---

Rats eat garbage I don't see how hamster food would hurt it.

---

My rats were fine they don't like the dried grass in gerty guniea pig

---

The best diet I have come across for rats is called sqaure meal. It is also used for laboratory rodents and their they are called lab blocks. They are very helpful in keeping a rats teeth from getting too long. No rodent hamsters gerbils included should have a diet high in sunflower seeds they may love these but they are high in fat. They a rodents dessert. They are best served as an occasional treat or motivation to do a trick.Ps rats are omnivores unlike hammies and gerbils they love and need protein. My rats have been known to try and fish out goldfish out of the bowl.Rats can be predatory and will even kill smaller rodents. The lab blocks contain fish meal. They kitties also love to try and eat the lab blocks too go figure.I also feed my rat crickets and meal worms from the pet shop only. They would eat these in the wild and they love to eat them. Do not feed wild insects as they may carry diseases and parasites.

---

i dont think so

---

you can if it is a very short period of time but since it is mostly seeds it is mostly fatty foods and the seeds present a choking hazard.

---

No, not as their primary food. Rats require different dietary needs than hamsters and gerbils. If they get into the hamsters food by accident, per se, it won't kill them... but as their staple, they require different nutrients. Commercial rat food is specially formulated for their needs. Personally, I prefer to make my own rat food following the suebee diet found here: http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html...
It's MUCH cheaper than buying commercial foods such as Kaytee. I have happy healthy rats who have lived well beyond three years and tumor free.