Mint is one of the herb plants with a strong fragrance.
If you have mints in abundance at your disposal, you might be wondering if it is good to serve mint leaves as a treat for the rats.
In this post, you are going to discover if it is good to serve mint leaves as a treat for the pet rats.
Can rats eat mint? You can have mine leaves. You can include mint among the vegetables you serve the rats as a treat. Fragrance doesn’t have much effect on the rats.
There is nothing to worry about when you are planning to serve mints for the rats. You just don’t go overboard when serving the mints for the pet rats.
Table of Contents
Are mints safe for pet rats?
It is very important to treat this question before any other thing on this topic. There is some controversy around serving mints for the rats.
Some pet owners believe that it is risky to serve mint for the rats. This belief stems from the fact that some rodent repellents have peppermint as part of the ingredients.
With this, they have already concluded in their minds that mints are not safe for the rats and other rodents.
I would like to tell you that it is safe for the pet rats to eat mints. Mints have a strong fragrance, no doubt about that. But the plant does not contain any toxic substance.
You see, one can never be too careful when it comes to feeding your pet rats. The rats have delicate and highly responsive body systems.
This is the reason why the rats respond quickly to any toxic substance served to them.
Therefore, it is very essential to do little research about the new treat which you want to introduce to your pet rat.
Try to know the nutritional values as well as the toxic substance present in the treat.
You can serve the treat for the rats if the toxic substance found in the treats is minimal. Otherwise, you should avoid the treats completely.
A member of the Reddit forum stated the his pet rats usually help themselves with the mints he has in the kitchen.
One of the members on the rat forum said the rats first push mint plants around for a while before they start eating the plant.
How do I introduce mint to my rats?
Introducing mints to the pet rats should be simple if you have been serving the rats with vegetables in the past.
You can place the mint leaves closer to the feeder box. Watch how the rats will react towards the new treat.
The rats are going to try the leaves after a while. They are going to finish everything you put into the box if mints seem palatable to them.
Another method is to wait until the rats become hungry before you introduce mints to them.
Since the rats have nothing else to eat, they will try out the mint and finish it all in the feeder box.
You need to watch closely to see if the rats are showing a great enthusiasm towards the mint you served them.
If it is positive, you need to take a wedding mint from the pet rats before they finish everything. You are doing this in order to raise the rats appetite’s towards the mint.
At first, this little technique also makes the rats look for more. Other, mint will be part of the treat for your pet rats.
How often do I feed my rats with mint?
You already know that it is safe to serve mint for the pet rats. You should never go all out and start serving mints you have in the garden in the kitchen for the pet rats.
You should not serve mint for the rat more than two times in a month. This will give room for other treats in the meal plan of the rats.
Health benefits of mint to the rats
Mint leaves contain some of the essential nutrients which help to boost the immune system of the rat.
Vitamin A is one of the things the pet rats are going to derive from eating mint leaves. Vitamin A helps to improve their Vision of the pet rats. They will be able to see clearly at night.
Other treats you can serve the rats
Carrots
Carrots are one of the treats you can serve your pet rats. You can also include carrots on some of the fruits you serve the pet rats. Carrots are a good source of vitamin A for the pet rats.
Banana
Bananas are healthy treats which you can serve your pet rats as a treat. Bananas provide the pet rats with fiber as well as vitamins and minerals. Of course, you need to peel off the skin before serving the fruits for the rats.
Cooked Beans
In the real sense, raw beans are poisonous for the pet rats and other rodents.
But what do you do when you have lots of them at home? You cook some of the beans and serve them for the pet rats as a treat.
Apples
Apples are one of the fruits you can serve to the pet rats as a treat. Get the apples you want to serve the pet rats, rinse them thoroughly if they are store bought, slice into pieces and serve for the rats.
Plums
I don’t really like plums that much but my companions are there to assist me with the plum. They are going to finish it in no time. They don’t care if I don’t have a bit on the fruit.
Bread
Bread is one of the things you can serve your pet rats as a treat. You should always serve the fresh ones to prevent choking. Do serve bread that has stayed long on the shelf for the rats.
Treats that are poisonous to the rats
Citrus
Citrus fruits like orange tangerine nectarine etc are not good for the body system of the rats. Citrus fruits can cause kidney damage in the male rats.
Chocolate
You should not serve chocolate cookies or candy for the pet rats. Chocolate contains a toxic substance called Theobromine which can cause tummy upset in the rats.
Avocados
Avocados are one of the treats you should make in an attempt to serve your pet rats. All parts of avocados contain toxic substances that harm the health of the pet rats.
Conclusion
Rats can eat mint leaves though the leaves have a strong fragrance. You can serve mint leaves alone or together with other veggies for your pet rats. You can soak the leaves in the water to reduce the fragrance on them. Do this before you serve the mints for rats.
Reference
https://www.reddit.com/r/RATS/comments/h8wece/my_entitled_rat_helped_himself_to_a_mint_leaf/
