Can Rats Have Oats?

Oatmeal makes a great breakfast and it is fast to prepare for the family.

If you have some oats at home, you might be wondering if it is good to serve them for the pet rat as a treat. 

In this blog post, you are going to discover if it is good to serve oats for the pet rats as a treat or not. 

Can rats have oats? Rats can eat oats. Oat makes a  treat for the rats. Oats are a great treat to serve the pet rats if you want them to gain weight quickly. Oats should be served for the rats in moderation. 

Are oats good for rats?

Oats are good for the rat. It is good to serve hot for the rat as a treat. Rats can eat both raw and cooked oats. 

Oats do not contain any toxic substance that can affect the well-being of the rat. The only thing is that you should serve the oats in moderation for the rat. 

Photo by vicky thorley

It is very important to always ask if the new treat you discover for your pet rat is safe for their health.

It does not make sense to go ahead and just serve anything for your pet rat without doing any research about it. If care is not taken, you can easily harm your pet rat with what you feed them. 

You need to know the nutritional values as well as the toxic substance present in the new treat you discover for your pets. 

You can get information online or you visit the nearest vet to have more information on the new. You should see nothing today’s if you truly care for your pet. 

In order to be certain about this, I went online to do research about feeding oats for the pet rats. 

In the little research I did, I discovered that some pet rat owners also feed the rats with oats. 

A member of the rat forum said he usually prepares oatmeal at home together with berries and gives some to the Rats as treats. 

Another said he usually gives oats to his male pet rats and it has gained weight over time. He said he usually gives them two or three rows in a day.

One member also said he usually serves oats having components of the large email which is out the rats.

If you have some heart to give the pet rats, you should never hesitate to do so; you just have to serve it in moderation. 

How can I introduce oats for the pet rats?

Introducing oats to the pet rats should not be difficult if you have been serving them grains in the past. 

You can prepare the delicious oatmeals for yourself and start eating it in the presence of the pet rats. 

When they see you eating something, they will always want the same thing for themselves. Do not give it to them quickly when they are probing for it.

Wait for a while to increase their eagerness for the new treat before you serve the oatmeal for them. They are going to gobble down everything you serve them. 

You can also introduce the oatmeal to the pet rats when they are hungry. They are going to eat the oatmeals when they have nothing else to fall back on. 

How often can I serve oats for the rats?

Now it is clear to you that you serve oats for the rat as a treat. This does not mean that if you go all out and start serving oats for the pet rat regularly. 

Oats ought be regarded as a treat. This means you can only serve the oats for the pet rats once in a while.

You should not serve out to the pet rat more than three times in two weeks, even if you have them in abundance at home.

Can pet rats survive on oats alone?

There is no way the pet rats are going to survive on oats alone. It is not a good practice to serve your pet a particular treat for a long time. 

Some people do something like this when they may feel they have exhausted the feed they serve the pet. 

It should be known that there are some essential nutrients which are lacking in oats. 

If you feed the rats with oats alone, you are going to deprive them of the essential nutrients which are not found in the oats. 

Serving oats alone can lead to overweight rats and they may not be able to move about again. 

Other treats you can serve the rat

The following are some of the healthy treats you can serve the pet in place of oats.

Lettuce

Lettuce is one of the healthy vegetables you can serve your pet rat as a treat. Lettuce provides the rats with essential vitamins and minerals.

Cabbage

Cabbage is another healthy vegetable which you can serve the rat as a treat. Cabbage is a good source of antioxidants in vitamin C for the rats. The two nutrients boost the immune system of the rat. 

Apples

Apples are another healthy fruit which you can serve your rats as a treat. Apples are a good source of fiber for the rats. You can slice the apples into smaller pieces to make it easy for the rat to enjoy. 

Cranberries

Rats also like Cranberries. You can serve cranberries together with other treats for the rat. I usually mix cranberries together with all the fruits for the rats to make a unique treat.

Bread

The rats over here like bread. They usually run around with the bread. Bread provides carbohydrates for the rats. However, you should never serve chocolate or moldy bread for the rat as a treat. 

Treats that are poisonous for the rat

Chocolate

Chocolate is one of those things you should never serve your pet rat. Chocolate contains a toxic substance that can cause a stomach upset in the body system of the rat.

Avocados

Avocados are also a poisonous treat which should not be served to the pet rats. Most parts of the avocados contain a toxic substance that can harm the well-being of the rat.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits like orange nectarine tangerine etc should not be served for the pet rat. Citrus fruits can cause kidney damage in male pet rats.

Conclusion

Rats can  eat oats. You can serve them both fresh ones as well as the cooked ones.

Oats are a good choice if you want your rats to gain weight, perhaps after some sickness. Just ensure that you serve oat in moderation for the rats to prevent urinary calculi in male rats. 

Reference

https://www.ratforum.com/threads/can-rats-eat-cooked-oatmeal.381225/