Can rats eat mango?

In small amounts. Mango flesh is a sweet, vitamin-rich treat, but it is high in sugar. Remove the skin and stone and offer a small piece occasionally.

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Serving

Small piece of flesh, occasionally

How to prepare

Remove the skin and stone

Benefits

A sweet, vitamin-rich treat, but high in sugar.

The details

Mango skin contains d-limonene, the same compound found in citrus peel, which has caused kidney damage in male rats in laboratory studies. That is why the skin must go and why portions should stay small, especially for males.

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.