Can rats eat potatoes?

Cooked only. Plain potato, boiled or baked without salt, is fine for rats in a small piece. Never feed raw potato or any green parts.

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Serving

Small piece, cooked

How to prepare

Boil or bake without salt; cut away green parts and sprouts

Benefits

Cooked potato is a nice carb treat.

The details

Green skin, sprouts and eyes contain solanine, which is toxic, so cut all of them away. Raw potato is also hard for rats to digest. Cooked potato is a carbohydrate treat, so keep it occasional; sweet potato, cooked the same way, adds beta-carotene and fiber.

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.