Dates are delicious and they taste similar to pure honey. Dried dates are arguably the healthiest fruit in the world.
If you have dates in abundance at home, you might be wondering if it is good to serve the fruits for the pet rat as a treat.
In this blog post, you are going to discover if it is good to serve both fresh and dried dates for the rats.
Can rats eat dates? Rats can eat dates. You can serve both fresh and dried dates for the rats as treats. Dates are a good source of fiber and antioxidants for the rats. Rats prefer dried dates more as the fresh ones stick to their teeth.
Table of Contents
Are dates safe for the rat?
This is the question that will come to your mind if you have never fed dates for the Rats in the past.
Dates are safe for the pet rats. Dates do not contain any toxic substance that can affect the well-being of the rats.
Dates provide lots of health benefits for the rats but it’s good to serve the fruit in moderation.
Dates seem strange to most people as they are not familiar with it. You will not know how delicious the dates are until you have a taste.
While I was doing research about dates, I discovered that some other pet rat owners also serve dates for their pets.
A member of the rat hack forum stated that his rats love eating dates anytime he serves the fruits for them. A host of other members said the same thing.
Can rats eat date pits?
Date pits are the seeds found on each of the dates. Date pits are not edible for the rats as well as humans. The pits are very hard, despite having sharp teeth, rats cannot eat them.
So it is very important to take them out whenever you want to serve dates for the pet rat.
If you know how to go about it you can make use of the date pits to plant date trees if you have space in your garden.
How can I introduce dates to the pet rats?
There are so many ways to go about it if you want to introduce dates for the pet rat.
You can serve dates for the pet rat directly. They are going to consume the fruit if the fruit is palatable.
You can mix the dates together with other cases of the pet rat. You can serve dates along with fruits like apples, peanuts, hazelnuts etc.
Another way is to take advantage of their hunger. You can wait until the rats are very hungry before you serve them the dates.
How to serve dates for the pet rat
Before you serve dates for the pet rat as a treat, you need to first remove the pit in the dates.
If you are going to serve them dried dates, it is important to wash them first before you take away the pit in the dates.
The next thing is to soak the dried dates in water for a while to make them soft. It is going to be easy for us to consume the dates way.
You can cut the dates into halves to make it easier for the rats to eat. Then you can put a small portion of the dates in the feeder for the rats.
Can I serve dates for the rat everyday?
Dates should not be served everyday for the pet rats. You can serve dates for the pet rats once in a while and it should be in between the meal whenever you want to serve them.
Can dates make rat poop?
I will say this depends on the body system of your pet rat. Pet rats are going to give out numerous stools if the dates you serve them do not go down well with their body systems.
Therefore, it is very important to invigilate your pet rat whenever you serve them something new. You don’t wait until a certain treat can affect your pet rat before you stop serving it for them.
Can baby rats eat dates?
Baby rats do not need dates as a treat at their early stage. They need food that will provide them with all the essential nutrients that enhance their growth and wellness.
Health benefits of dates to pet rats
Dates are a good source of antioxidants for pet rats. Dates also provide the rat with carbs fiber and some other essential nutrients that will improve their overall health.
Other treats you can serve pet rats
It is very important to maintain a good number of treats which you serve the rats. This will prevent serving only a few of the treats for the rats.
Apples
Apples are one of the healthy fruits you can serve the pet rat. Apples do not contain any toxic substance except for the seed in them.
Apples are a good source of fiber for the pet rats. Turn off the skin and cut into cubes before you serve the fruit for the pet rats.
Bread
Bread is one of the favorite treats you can serve a pet rat. You can serve only bread for the rats alone or together with some other treats. You should serve bread only in moderation for the pet rat to prevent them from choking on it.
Bananas
You can also serve bananas for the pet rat to have a treat. Bananas are a good source of fiber for the rats. Bananas also provide vitamins and minerals for the rats. Peel off the skin and cut the inner fiber for the rat.
Papaya
Rats also like eating papaya. So nothing should stop you from serving the fruit for the rat if you have them at your disposal.
Peel off the skin whenever you want to serve papaya for the rats and cut into smaller sizes.
Cooked rice
Cooked rice is also good for the pet rat. Rats will not eat uncooked rice. Cooked rice should be served in moderation for the rats. You can also serve vegetables along with cooked rice for the pet rat.
Kale
Kale is one of the healthy vegetables you can serve the pet rat as a treat.
Kale is a good source of antioxidants which helps to boost the immune system of the rats and other pets you feed them with.
I prefer to serve kale with spices for the rats. They seem to enjoy it most of the time.
Conclusion
Rats can eat dates. You can serve both fresh and dried dates for the pet rat.
Try to soak the dried dates and get rid of the pits before you serve them for the pet rat as a treat.
Dates should be served once in a while for a rat. Remember, moderation is the key when you are feeding the rats.
