Can Rats Eat Dog Treats?

Rats are capable of eating some of the dog foods because they are omnivorous. 

If it happens that you have lots of dog treats at home, you might be wondering if you can serve the dog treats for the rats. 

In this blog post, you are going to discover if it is safe to serve dog treats for the rats. 

Can rats eat dog treats? Rats can eat dog treats. You can serve dog treats for the pet rats once in a while. Dog Treats are a good source of proteins for the pet rats. 

Are dog treats safe for the rat?

As a pet rat owner, it is your duty to determine if a treat is safe for the pet rats before you introduce it to them.

In this case, some dog treats are safe for the pet rats. Dog treats which do not offer much protein are good for the pet rats. 

Photo by MART PRODUCTION

Try to always check the labeling of the dog treats you wish to serve the pet rats for percentage composition of pet rats. 

You should never serve any dog treats which have a high proportion of protein for the rats, especially when you have adult rats. 

You can still mix up the dog treats if you serve the young pet rats assuming that the treats offer lots of protein. 

In order to be certain about serving dog treats for the pet rats, I did some research both online and offline.

I learnt that some other pet rat owners serve dog treats for the pet rats. A member of the rats forum said he serves dog treats like fruitable for the rats, but occasionally. 

There are some other people who do the same, I see some of the members of reddit also feed the dog treats for rats. 

How much dog treats can rats eat?

Now it’s clear that you can serve dog treats for rats once in a while. That does not give you a free pass to serve dog treats for the pet rats anyhow. 

If you are going to serve dog treats for the rats, it should be in moderation. It’s better to let dog treats represent a fraction of the entire treats you want to serve the pet rats. 

How can I introduce dog treats to the pet rats?

You should never have any trouble introducing dog treats to the pet rat if you have been serving them varieties of things in the past. 

You can wait until the rats are hungry before you introduce the dog treats to them. 

The rats will have no other choice than to eat the treats when they have nothing else to eat. 

You can also mix the dog treats with fruit salad for the rats. The rats are not going to take notice of the dog treats you include in the fruits.

Can I serve dog treats for the rat everyday?

Never embark on serving a particular treat for the rats everyday, it’s not a good practice. The same thing goes for the dog treats. 

It can be very tempting when your pet rats accept the new treats you serve them and you have it in abundance  at home. 

No matter what, you should not serve dog treats more than twice in a week if you have lots of them at your disposal. 

Can dog treats cause bloating in rats?

It is possible for the pet rats to experience bloating if the dog treats you serve them do not go down well in their body systems. 

This is the reason why you should be observant whenever you want to serve new treats for the pet rats. 

It is also good to go slow at first when you want to serve dog treats or new pets for the pet rats. 

Can baby rats eat dog treats?

The short answer to this question is No. Apart from the fact that the baby rats would not be able to digest dog treats, they do not offer much nutritional value apart from excessive proteins. 

Other treats you can serve the pet rat

You can still serve some of the treats in place of dog treats for the pet rats. They are healthy and are easy to get for the pet rats. 

Chickens

If you are thinking of serving healthy meat for pet rats, chickens should be the first that will come to your mind.

Chickens contain less fat compare to other meats which you can serve the pet rats. Rats can also eat grilled chickens. 

Peanuts

Rats can eat peanuts. They like to crack on the shell of the peanuts. The rats make use of their teeth to break down the shell and bring out the peanuts inside.

Peanuts are a good source of proteins and fiber for young rats. Peanuts are best serve cooked for rats. 

Apples

Rats like to eat apples. Apples provide the rats with fiber and some other vitamins. You can serve apples alone or together with other fruits for the rats.

Peel off the skin and cut the apples into small cubes for the rats. However, apple seeds should be served for the rats. 

Cabbage

You can serve cabbage for the rats if you think of the vegetables to serve them. Cabbage provides the rats with vitamins and minerals. 

Cabbage is a good course of Antioxidants for rats and other pets. Try to slice the cabbage into pieces before you serve the rats. 

Scrambled eggs

Do you like to prepare scrambled eggs for your family? If yes, you can also prepare the one you are going to serve the rats as a treat. 

Scrambled eggs are one of the treats pet rats will always look out for for more.

Just ensure that the scrambled eggs you are serving the rats do not contain much salt as sodium is not good for the rats. 

Treats that are poisonous for rats

These are some of the treats you should not serve the pet rats even if the main feed you serve the rats is no more. 

Moldy food

Moldy food should be served for the pet rats. Moldy food can cause a great harm to the body system of the pet rats. Never turn rats or any other pets you have into cabbage cleaner just like some pet owners do. 

Avocados

You should avoid serving avocados for the pet rats. Avocados contain substances which are poisonous for the pet rats. Instead, you can serve potatoes or yam for the rats. 

Sugar

Any treat which contains a high amount of sugar should be served for the rats. Pet rats usually find it difficult to digest excessive sugar in their body system. 

Conclusion

Rats can eat dog treats which do not offer much protein. Dog treats are best served for the pet rats with other treats.

Dog treats should not be served more than two times in a week and it should be in between the meal. Serve dog treats for the rats in moderation. 

Reference

https://www.reddit.com/r/RATS/comments/74k5mo/rats_and_dog_treats/