Despite their reputation, rats are not indiscriminate eaters. They have preferences just like humans do.
Rats love fruit and vegetables. The best fruits for them include bananas, apples and pears; veggies like carrots, peas, corn and beans are also popular with rats. Bananas are one of their favourite treats!
As far as non-protein snacks are concerned, rats love sweet things — particularly fruit — but they also enjoy salty foods like potato chips. Keep this in mind if you leave food out that can attract a rat to your premises.
Here are some of the foods that rats tend to enjoy and hunt for:
Almonds
Rats like almonds so much that they’re nicknamed “almond-eaters” in many parts of the world. They also enjoy walnuts and hazelnuts.
Avocado
Rats love avocados too. Keep them out of reach because they may not only eat them but also gnaw into trees or branches to get at them if they’re high up on a tree branch or in another tree nearby.
Bananas
Like humans, rats love bananas but should only eat them occasionally as they contain high levels of sugar which can cause dental cavities and digestive problems over time.
Vegetables
Rats love vegetables and can survive on a diet of just vegetables alone. They especially like root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and beets. They also like fruit but will only eat it when there is no other food available.
Grains
Rats love grains such as oats, wheat and rice. They will also eat corn if it is available but prefer other grains to corn kernels. Grains are an important part of their diet because they provide essential vitamins and minerals that wild rats cannot get from other sources.
Rats prefer food with a high-fat content so you will often find them nibbling on nuts and seeds, peanut butter and cheese. They also enjoy fruits and vegetables but these should only be given as treats because they are high in sugar and carbs. Rats can also become obese if they overfeed with too much sugar or carbs.
What do wild rats eat?
In the wild, rats eat bird eggs and chicks, small animals such as mice and squirrels, insects and even dead animals (including carrion). They also feed on plants including grains and grasses. They will eat pretty much anything they can find.
Do rats eat their own faeces and dog poop?
Rats eat their own faeces, or rather their poop because they need the nutrients from it to survive. Rats do not fully digest the food they eat and so the undigested waste material is excreted as faeces. They have also been known to eat dog poop.
Rats will then eat these faeces and so get the nutrients from them that were not absorbed when it was first eaten. This is known as coprophagy and is normal behaviour for rats.
Rats have a very short digestive tract, so they cannot digest all of their food, so they have evolved to digest it twice instead. The first time is in the mouth where bacteria in the saliva break down some of the proteins and carbohydrates into simple sugars, which can be absorbed directly through the stomach lining. The second stage occurs in their large intestine where bacteria break down any remaining undigested foods into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by intestinal cells.
This process means that rats do not need to eat as much as other mammals, but it also means that they need extra nutrients from somewhere else – such as their own poo!
What foods are harmful to rats?
Rats are omnivores, which means they eat both plant and meat products. Rats will eat almost anything, but there are some foods that are particularly harmful to them. When it comes to food, wild rats are cautious and when they can stick to food they know is safe.
Wild rats also have a very good sense of smell and will avoid any food that smells bad. This includes meat that has gone off as well as any type of food that is stale or mouldy.
Rats are scavengers, eating anything from grains and vegetables to meat and even faeces. This means that rats are often carriers of disease, with some diseases being passed on through the consumption of infected food or water.
Wild rats have a varied diet, eating anything they can find. They will scavenge for scraps in bins and gardens or steal human food from kitchens and restaurants. Rats need to eat between 20% and 25% of their body weight every day just to survive so it’s not surprising that rats can consume a lot of different things.
Rats don’t eat everything though – some items are poisonous or simply don’t appeal to them. Some foods are nutritionally deficient and may cause nutritional problems such as vitamin A deficiency in rats which causes night blindness. Other foods cause stomach upsets, diarrhoea or even death if eaten in large enough quantities by rats.
Conclusion
Rats are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. They are opportunistic feeders and will eat a variety of foods, including:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Grains
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Insects
- Fish
- Meat
- Garbage
Rats are very good at finding food, and they can eat a lot of food in a short amount of time. They are also very good at storing food, and they will often build nests near food sources.
Rats are a nuisance when they invade our homes, but they can also be a health hazard. Rats can spread diseases, such as rabies, leptospirosis, and salmonellosis. They can also contaminate food and water with their urine and feces.
If you think that you may have rats in your home, it is important to take action to get rid of them. Rats can cause a lot of damage to your home, and they can also carry diseases. Here are some tips on how to get rid of rats in your home:
- Call a professional pest control company. A professional pest control company will have the experience and tools to get rid of rats in your home.
- Seal up all holes and gaps. Once you have gotten rid of the rats, it is important to seal up all holes and gaps in your home to prevent them from coming back.
- Keep your home clean and free of clutter. Rats are attracted to food and water, so it is important to keep your home clean and free of clutter.
- Store food in airtight containers. Rats can chew through plastic, so it is important to store food in airtight containers.
- Set traps. You can also set traps to catch rats. Make sure that you use traps that are designed for rats.
By following these tips, you can help to prevent rats from getting into your home and causing damage.
If you suspect you have a rat problem, contact the rat removal specialists at Eliminate Solutions today at 0800 206 2679. If you are looking for pest control in Blackpool and surrounding areas, get in touch with Eliminate Solutions today!
