Are Carrots Safe for Rats? (Feeding Guide)

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Can Rats Eat Carrots?

Male and Female Rats can both eat carrots in moderate amounts.

You should treat carrots just like any other treat that you would feed your rat.

Vegetables are a great treat to feed to your rat, but you do need to watch out for certain vegetables and know how to properly prepare the veg before feeding them to your rat.

READ MORE: Can Rats Have Pineapple?

Can Rats Eat Carrots?

Adding vegetables to your rat’s regular diet is a great way to improve their health as it provides them with lots of nutrition [1].

Carrots are a healthy treat that is safe for rats to consume in small amounts. Overfeeding your rat carrots can cause diarrhea [2].

Severe diarrhea can lead to dehydration which can kill your rat, so you need to make sure you’re only giving them fruit and vegetables in small to moderate amounts.

Long story short, if you notice that your rat starts to get diarrhea, you simply need to cut down on how many fruits and vegetables you are feeding them.

The good news? It’s quite rare for a pet rat to die from dehydration but it can happen so you need to be aware of it.

Take a look at this rat enjoying a carrot:

Preparing Carrots for Your Rat

Before giving your rat carrots you need to properly prepare them.

To prepare your carrots you first need to wash them under clean running water. This removes all the pesticides that might have been on the carrots from the growing process [3].

Next, you simply need to cut the carrot up into small little chunks.

Once you’ve done that you can now feed them to your rat.

As of today, there are no known cases of rats being allergic to carrots, but allergies can happen at any time to any creature.

So start off by giving them a small amount and see how they react to it. It’s wise to do this with all types of food the first time you feed your rat.

Carrots Are a Treat: Feed-in Moderation

Just like any other fruit or treats such as apples, rice cakes, or cheese, it is important to feed them to your rat carrots in small amounts and only twice to three times per week.

Overfeeding your pet treats that are high in sugar and water can cause diabetes, obesity, liver problems, diarrhea, and other health problems.

It isn’t very healthy for your rat to consume treats often so it is important to not give them too much.

If your rat gets diarrhea, that’s a good sign you’re overfeeding them and you need to immediately stop feeding them treats. Diarrhea can cause dehydration which can lead to death if it goes on for too long.

Benefits of Carrots: Are They Good for Your Rats?

Carrots are an excellent source of protein, vitamin C, and iron. Per 100g carrots contain 930mg of protein, 5.9mg of vitamin C, and 300 mcg of Iron.

Not only are carrots delicious they are a good source of water and can keep your rat hydrated.

When carrots are fed in small they are a great healthy treat for your rat.

pdsa.org.uk is a great resource for learning more about your rat’s diet.

Can Rats Eat Carrot Tops / Stems?

It is safe for rats to eat the tops of carrots (the stem green leafy part) as long as you cut them up into small pieces and have properly prepared the vegetable by washing it (instructions above on how to correctly prepare carrots).

Carrot stems are actually really healthy for both humans and rats to consume.

Can Rats Eat Uncooked / Raw Carrots?

Rats have great digestive systems and can eat cooked and uncooked carrots. The only food you should really above is citrus fruits, acidic foods, and foods that are high in fats and salts.

Although rats can eat uncooked carrots some other vegetables should be cooked before serving to your rat. It’s recommended to do some research before feeding your rat a new type of vegetable or fruit.

When you first give them a new food to try, it is also recommended to first give them very small amounts to see if the food agrees with your rat.

Make sure to check our list of the best rat foods!

Do Wild Rats Eat Carrots?

It is very common for many types of wild rodents to have a nibble on carrots that are grown in gardens and allotments.

Wild rats do eat carrots as it provides them with a good source of nutrients and easily accessible food. Usually, they will eat the stems and tops of a carrot, as well as other foods that grow in gardens.

What Other Vegetables Can Rats Eat? (Alternatives)

Vegetables can be a great healthy treat for your rat. Vegetables are also much lower in sugar and water content compared to fruits.

Before giving any of these treats to your rat, make sure you’ve properly sized them by cutting them up and have washed them underwater properly. This makes sure all the pesticides and removed.

Here’s a list of our favorite vegetables that are safe for rats to consume:

• Cabbage – You can cook cauliflower by boiling it a pot of water until it’s soft enough to eat. You should avoid feeding your rat red cabbage is it is a health concern but normal cabbage is safe for rats to eat.
• Cooked Cauliflower
• Chicory
• Peppers – Sweet peppers have a high vitamin C content and can served both raw and cooked. You should avoid chili peppers.
• Cress
• Broccoli
• Peas
• Broad Beans

It’s important to not overfeed vegetables to your rats as some veg such as Brussel sprouts and cabbage can cause a build-up of gas and can be a health concern. It is also recommended to cook vegetables first.

Related: Can Rats Have Cucumber?

What Other Fruits Can Rats Eat? (Alternatives)

Cucumbers are very high in water content which may put you off giving it to your rat.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of other safe fruit alternatives that can be given to your rat as a treat.

Before giving any of these treats to your rat, make sure you’ve properly sized them by cutting them up and have washed them underwater properly. This makes sure all the pesticides and removed.

• Apples – Rats can eat apples but make sure you remove all the seeds as they are a hazard
• Bananas – Some rats love bananas
• Blackberries
• Blueberries – Can be a little messy at times but lots of rats love them
• Cherries
• Grapes – Rats love green and purple grapes. Purple grapes have also been known to prevent cancer growth in rats
• Kiwi
• Peaches – Remove the pits/seeds before giving them to your rat as they can be a hazard
• Raspberries
• Strawberries – A great healthy rat and easily accessible at supermarkets
• Watermelon – High in water content so feed in small amounts

FAQs

Can rats eat yogurt?

Rats can surprisingly consume yogurt but in very small amounts. Yogurt is full of fat which can be harmful to your rat when overfed. Yogurt that is low in fat such as fairtrade yogurt is the healthiest for rats.

Can rats eat eggs?

It is safe for rats to eat cooked eggs that have had their shell removed.

Can rats drink milk?

Milk that is low in fat is safe for rats in very tiny amounts. It’s important to not feed your rats too much milk as it can potentially make them ill in excessive amounts.

References

• 1. June. AFRMA – Beginners’ Corner – Nutritional Requirements in Rats [Internet]. Afrma.org. 2016 [cited 2021 Dec 7]. Available from: https://www.afrma.org/bc_nutritreqrats.htm#:~:text=Estimated%20Nutrient%20Requirements%20for%20Maintenance%2C%20Growth%2Cand%20Reproduction%20,%20%203.0a%20%2043%20more%20rows%20
• 2. June. AFRMA – Medical – Diarrhea in Rats [Internet]. Afrma.org. 2014 [cited 2021 Dec 7]. Available from: https://www.afrma.org/med_diarrhearat.htm
• 3. Pesticide Action Network. What’s On My Food :: Pesticides on Carrots [Internet]. Whatsonmyfood.org. 2021 [cited 2021 Dec 7]. Available from: https://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=CR
• 4. Your rat’s diet [Internet]. Pdsa.org.uk. 2021 [cited 2021 Dec 7]. Available from: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/small-pets/your-rat-s-diet

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Andreea Juganaru

Andreea is a very passionate content creator and her purpose is to provide you with the most interesting articles, while constantly discovering new facts. She’s been freelance writing for the past five years and has created numerous articles and educational materials while managing her own mom blog.
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