Can rats eat bananas?

Yes. Banana is safe for rats. Offer a coin-shaped slice about half an inch (just over 1 cm) thick — peeled, mashed or sliced.

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Serving

½-inch coin slice

How to prepare

Peel, mash, or slice

Benefits

Rich in potassium and gentle on sick stomachs.

The details

Banana is rich in potassium and soft enough to be gentle on a sick rat's stomach. It is high in sugar and energy, though, so it stays a treat rather than a staple. A rat that stops eating needs a vet, not a tastier snack — the RSPCA lists not eating or drinking among the signs to call a vet about.

How treats fit into a rat's diet

Most of what a rat eats each day should be a complete rat pellet or nugget, weighed out from the pack guidelines. Fresh fruit, vegetables and treats come out of that daily allowance, not on top of it: the RSPCA warns that extra sugar and fat lead to obesity and health problems, and rats gain weight easily. Remove any fresh food that hasn't been eaten within a few hours.