Yams are one of the tuber crops we eat, though not very common among the people.
If you have some yams at your disposal, you might be wondering if it is good to serve the tuber crop for the rats as a treat.
In this blog post, you are going to discover if it is safe to serve yams for the pet rats as a treat.
Can rats eat yams? Rats can eat both raw yam and the cooked ones. You can serve some yams for the rat as a treat. Yams provide the rat with carbohydrates.
If you have some leftover yams in the kitchen, you can simply serve them for the rat in moderation.
Table of Contents
Are yams safe for the rats?
Yams are tuber crops which are safe for the rat. Yams do not not contain any toxic substance which can harm the well-being of the rat.
It is safer to serve cooked yams for the rat as a treat. The cooking process would have reduced any toxic substance that may still present the yams.
The cooking makes the yams pretty much safe for the rats in this way.
Tuber crops like cassava should not be served for the rats. The reason is that cassava contains cyanide in them and this can be very dangerous for the well-being of the rats.
As a pet owner, your own is to your pets to research about the new treat you are planning to introduce to your pet.
You might have discovered the new treat for your pet from different places. This can be from other pet owners or online.
The proper thing is to first do research about the treat before you can go ahead to serve them for the rat.
Just because other pet owners said that a certain treat is good for the rats does not mean you too should go ahead and start serving the same treat.
They might make the statement out of ignorance. They may not even know when a certain treat does not have any effect on the well-being of their pets for a while.
Try to know if there is any toxic substance present in the new treat which you want to serve the rats.
If the toxic substance in the new treat is minimal, you can serve the treat once in a while for the rats otherwise you should ignore it completely.
It does not make any sense to harm your pet with what you feed them. So you need to know the nutritional value of every treat you are going to place before your rats.
How do I introduce yams to pet rats?
You should never have problems serving yams for the pet rat if you have been serving them potatoes or something similar in the past.
You can introduce your arm to the Rats when they are hungry. Just make sure that the yam is well prepared before you introduce the treat to them when they are hungry.
This will make the rats accept and gobble down the yam you serve for them.
There is another trick you can do if you want them to always look out for more of the trees you serve the rats.
You need to watch the rat closely when you serve them the yam, trying to determine if they show a great alacrity for the treats.
If the rats show a great enthusiasm towards the yam, you should take it away and never allow them to finish it.
This will raise their appetite and they will always look for more of the yam. They might exhibit some protest but you should ignore.
How do you feed yams to rats?
Feeding your pet rats with yams is straight-forward. The first thing you need to do is to peel off the skin and cook the yam.
Ensure that the yams are a bit soft before you take them off the fire. Try to slice the yam into smaller pieces. Add some spices to the yam and serve them for the rats.
How often do I feed my rats with yams?
Yams are not part of the major feeding your serve the pet rats. Therefore, you need to regard yams as treats. This means you only feed the rats with yam once in a while.
I know it can be very tempting when you have certain treats, which you can serve for the pet rat, in abundance at home. But you need to exercise patience.
You should not serve yams for the pet rats more than two times in 30 days at intervals of two weeks between every serving.
Health benefits of yams to the rats
Everyone believes that carbohydrates are the only essential nutrients provided by the yam.
It should be known that Yam is a good source of vitamin A for the pet rat. This is essential for maintaining good vision in rats.
Other treats you can serve the rats
The following are some of the healthy treats you can also serve pet rats.
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the healthy vegetables for the rats. Broccoli provides the rat with antioxidants which help to boost the immune system of the rat.
Strawberries
If you have some strawberries at home, you can also serve them for your pet rat as a treat. Strawberries provide the rat with vitamins and minerals. However, strawberries should be served in moderation for the rats.
Melon
Rats can eat different types of melon. You can serve them watermelon as well as honeydew. You only need to slice them into pieces for the rats to consume easily.
Peanut
Peanuts are one of the healthy treats you can serve the Little rodents. Peanuts are a good source of protein for the rats. Rat found cooked peanuts more delicious.
Cooked beans
Rats can eat beans. It is very essential to cook beans before you serve them to the rat. Cooked beans also provide the rat with protein.
Cooked pasta
If you have some left over cooked pasta or you prepare some for your family, you can simply serve some for the rat to eat as a treat.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are part of the treaty which are safe for the rat. Sweet potato is a good source of fiber for the pet rats. Also, it is good to cook the sweet potatoes before you serve them for the pet rats.
Conclusion
Yam is one of the tuber crops which you can serve the pet rats. It is preferable to cook the yam before you serve it for the rats. You can introduce the yam to the Rats when they are hungry. Yam should be served in moderation for the pet rats.
