Strawberries are a popular food during summertime. Then there is the question of whether rats can eat strawberries.
Let’s take a closer look at the answer to this question in this article.
Rats In The Wild
Rats living in the wild tend to eat what they can get a hold of. In that way, they are omnivores and opportunistic eaters. They tend to eat grain, fruit, and seeds in the wild. Rats living wild in the urban environment tend to eat garbage, discarded human food, and what else they can find.
Rats Kept As Pets
Because pet rats don´t have the option to look for food as in the wild, it is very important to make sure their diet is good as possible in order or them to be happy and healthy. That means their diet should include the following:
- pellets made especially for rats
- fresh food, such as vegetables and fruit
- sometimes seeds
The pellets should be the main food, but daily fresh vegetables/ fruit is also very important for the health of your rat.
Can Rats Eat Strawberries?
So, are strawberries good for rats? Well, in the wild rats eat berries and fruit, so it is ok to give your pet rat strawberries. Just make sure you start slowly and offer them little pieces of thoroughly cleaned strawberries as an occasional treat.
How To Prepare The Strawberries
Make the strawberries fresh and without blemishes. Make sure the strawberries are thoroughly washed to remove pesticide residues and cut them into small pieces to prevent choking.
Benefits Of Strawberries
Strawberries are a great option for a healthy treat for rats. Strawberries contain many important nutrients: minerals and vitamins, like vitamins C, B, and K, and magnesium, potassium, and iron. Strawberries are also an excellent source of fiber and antioxidants. Antioxidants found in strawberries are found to be beneficial for rats’ brains and learning processes.
Other Healthy Fruit And Veggies For Rats
If your rat doesn´t like strawberries, then there are still many healthy fruits and vegetables to choose from.
FRUITS:
- apples
- grapes
- watermelon
- plums (remove the pit)
- cherries (remove the pit)
- bananas
- raspberries
- peaches (remove the pit)
- cantaloupe
- blueberries
- papaya
VEGETABLES:
- cabbage
- squash
- potatoes (boiled, steamed, or cooked)
- sweet potatoes (boiled, steamed, or cooked)
- peas
- carrots
- cucumber
- cauliflower
- broccoli
- carrots
- kale
- lettuce
- green peppers
- celery
Just make sure to cut the fruit into small pieces and remove the pits (from cherries, plums, peaches, etc) before giving those to your rat.
Any hard vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc, should be boiled or cooked before serving them to your rat.
Foods To Never Give To Your Rat
There are foods that you should never give to your rat. Even though rats may eat those in the wild, you should only feed your rat foods that are beneficial to them. Some of the foods, you should never feed your rat, include:
- raw or uncooked beans
- carbonated drinks
- rhubarb
- green banana
- raw artichokes
- raw red cabbage
- raw brussels sprouts
- raw sweet potato
- raw onion
- blue cheese
- chocolate
- citrus foods
- mango
- apple seeds
- avocado skin and pit
- citrus peels
- sticky food
Final thoughts
Strawberries can be a healthy option as a treat to give to your pet rats.
If you are looking for more info, then check out the article about the rat´s diet and foods to avoid.
