Timothy hay is suitable for house pets like a goat, sheep, horse and guinea pig.
If you have Timothy hay in abundance in the backyard, you might be wondering if it is safe to serve Timothy hay for the pet rat as a treat.
In this blog post, you are going to discover if it is safe to serve Timothy hay for the rat as a treat. You will also know the effect of Timothy Hay on pet rats if they managed to eat it.
Can pet rats eat Timothy Hay? Timothy hay should not be served for the rat. Timothy hay does not go down well with the body system of the pet rat. Rats usually find it difficult to digest Timothy when they consume it.
Table of Contents
Why is Timothy Hay not good for pet rats?
What is the essence of a rat eating something and finding it difficult to digest? That is the case with Timothy Hay.
If you serve Timothy hay for pet rats, most of them are going to ignore it, especially the male rats.
The female one can manage to eat Timothy hay but they may find it difficult to digest.
There are some exceptions, you may have somec pet rat owners claiming that their pet rats are eating Timothy Hay and nothing happens to them.
Whenever a situation like this occurs, it is good to base conclusion on the effect of the treats on a large number of the pets involved.
While I was researching about feeding Timothy hay for the pet rat, a lot of pet rat owners kicked against the idea of feeding Timothy hay for the rats.
What will happen if pet rats nibble on Timothy hay?
Rats can still manage to have some nibbles on Timothy Hay, but they are going to have it difficult to digest the hay.
When Timothy hay stays longer in the digestive system of the pet rats, it can lead to bloating and the rats are going to fall sick over time.
This means you will still need to spend some extra cash taking good care of the sick pet rat.
You may not be relieved as you will constantly need to check on the pet rats until they are healthy.
Treats that are safe for pet rats
These are some of the healthy treats you can serve the pet rat in place of Timothy Hay.
Peanut
Rats can eat peanuts. If you have peanuts at home, you can simply cook them and serve them for the pet rats. Peanuts are a good source of protein and fiber for the pet rats.
You can serve the peanuts with shells for the rat. They are going to crack the shell with their teeth and have access to the peanuts inside.
Lettuce
Lettuce is one of the vegetables you can serve the pet rat as a treat. Lettuce should be served in moderation for the pet rats.
Pet rats are going to give out watering poop if they eat too much lettuce. Better still you can serve lettuce with some other vegetables for the pet rat.
Cheese
Cheese is good for the pet rats but you should serve it for them in moderation. Rats like to munch on cheese.
I will advise you to cut the cheese into smaller pieces before you start them for the pet rats.
Hamburger
Just as you know rats are capable of eating anything we consume. This means you can serve hamburgers as a treat.
Rats are going to eat the hamburger and still look out for more if they find it delicious. You can also serve them some other snacks like fish pie pizza etc
Corn
Rats can eat corn. They can eat both fresh and dried corn. I didn’t know that rats are capable of eating dried corn until a few days ago.
A neighbor showed me that the pet rat had eaten the corn he kept in the sack in the kitchen. Corn is a good source of heat and caps for the rat.
Cashew
If you throw cashew to the pet rats they are going to finish the fruits you serve them.
Cashew provides the pet rats with vitamins and minerals. Cashew nuts should not be provided for my pet rat as they are not going to eat it.
Poisonous treat for pet rat
The following are some of the traits that are poisonous for the pet rats and you should avoid serving them.
Chocolate
Chocolate is not good for the pet rat. Chocolate contains a lot of sugar which can be very difficult for the pet rats to digest in their body system. Chocolate also contains a toxic substance which can harm the rats.
Avocados
Avocados should not be part of this thing if you are going to serve the pet rat as a treat. Avocados after the substance all over their body which makes them unsuitable for the pet rat as a treat.
Caffeine
Caffeine is not good for the pet rats as it renders them restless. Try to check on the labelings of any drinks or beverages you want to serve the rats. Caffeine intoxicates rats and some other pets in the house.
Conclusion
Timothy should not be safe for the pet rats as a treat. Pet rats usually find it difficult to digest Timothy Hay. It is good to avoid serving Timothy Hay for the pet rat in order to prevent bloating and some other things which are likely to occur.
Reference
https://www.reddit.com/r/RATS/comments/96cw7x/is_timothy_hay_ok_to_give_rats_my_girls_always/
