Can Rats Eat Bananas? [5 Important Things To Know For Safe Feeding]

Have you ever asked yourself: can rats eat bananas? You’re not alone. Many rat owners ask themselves the same question, so it’s time for a closer look!

For me, feeding your pet rat is one of the most interesting parts of being a rat owner. Since rats can eat a large variety of different kinds of fruits, vegetables, and even meat, it’s a very fun process to discover what they like and dislike. However, while it’s definitely true that rats can eat almost anything, there are some foods that are best avoided because they are not good for our furry friends. Finding out which foods are safe for your rat to eat can sometimes be tricky, but I’m here to help.

Today, we’re going to take a closer look at whether or not rats can eat bananas. To give you the most complete answer possible, I will discuss whether it’s safe for them to eat, if it’s healthy for them, how much of it they can eat, and any precautions you should take when feeding.

If you need a quick answer, here it is: Rats can eat bananas as an occasional treat. It shouldn’t be a large part of their diet, but giving your rat a small piece of banana on occasion is not bad for them and can even be beneficial. Bananas are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals while being relatively low in calories and fat, making them an excellent treat as long as you follow the tips I’ll give you.

Do read the whole article to get the most complete information on feeding these yellow fruits to your furry friend.

---

Can rats eat bananas and should they do so?

What I always like to do when I’m trying to find out whether or not something is good for our pet rats to eat is take a closer look at what exactly the food we’re about to feed them contains. That way, we get a better idea of what exactly we’re feeding our precious pets.

1 medium-sized banana (around 100 grams) contains the following macronutrients:

• 89 calories
• 75% water
• 1.1 grams of protein
• 22.8 grams of carbs
• 12.2 grams of sugar
• 2.6 grams of fiber
• 0.3 grams of fat

As we can see, bananas are low in fat, which is great because rats do not need a whole lot of fat in their diet. On the other hand, bananas do contain quite a bit of sugar. Because of that, rats can only eat bananas occasionally.

But that’s not all, bananas also contain many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They’re especially rich in potassium, which is an electrolyte that helps your rat’s nerves to function and their muscles to contract. In addition, they’re a good source of vitamin B6, which helps the body use and store energy from protein and carbs.

Do make sure that if your rat has never eaten a banana before that you introduce them to this new food slowly. Start off by giving them a very small piece to see how they react and to give their body time to adjust to this new food. If you give them too much at once, it can lead to diarrhea.

Also, you should make sure that the banana is ripe (yellow) because unripe (green) bananas can be hard on your rat’s digestive tract.

So, on the whole, bananas are a healthy treat for rats, as long as you give it to them in moderation. A small piece of banana as an occasional treat is good, but make sure not to overdo it. The high sugar content is not good for rats in large quantities and can lead to weight gain. Do not replace the regular diet of your rat, ideally consisting of 80% pellets and 20% fresh fruits and veggies, with too many bananas.

How often can rats eat bananas?

Only around 20% of your rat’s daily food intake should consist of fruits and vegetables. However, you do have to make sure that they eat a variety of different kinds of fruit and vegetables, not only bananas. The reason for this is that fruits and veggies have different nutritional contents. By giving your rat a large variety of different kinds of fresh produce, you can ensure that they’re not missing out on anything.

With that being said, I recommend that your feed your rat no more than a few slices of banana a week.

Can rats eat banana peels?

Now that you know that bananas are safe for rats to eat, you might wonder whether they can eat the peels. The fact of the matter is that they can indeed eat the peels, but that you do have to be a little careful.

Banana peels often contain pesticides, especially if they’re non-organic. Because of this, you have to make sure that you wash the peels properly. The best way to get rid of pesticides on fruits is by soaking them in a mixture of baking soda and water and rinsing them afterward with cold water. Keep in mind though, that it’s very likely that your rats will ignore the peel in favor of the more delicious flesh of the banana.

You could also choose to feed your rat only the flesh of the banana and throw the peels away. That’s what most rat owners do. That way, you won’t have to worry about washing the banana because the pesticides are only on the peels, not on the flesh of the fruit.

Can rats eat banana chips?

Technically, your rat can indeed eat banana chips. It will not kill them, but it’s not necessarily good for them to eat. They can be a choking hazard and contain even more sugar than regular bananas, so I do not recommend feeding them to your rat. If you do decide to give them some banana chips, check the ingredients first. If they’re just dehydrated bananas it shouldn’t be a big problem to give them a very small amount, but some banana chips have added sugars, spices, or are deep-fried, making them a very unhealthy option.

Do rats like bananas?

Rats are naturally drawn to food that’s high in fat or sugar because it gives them the energy they need to live their life. Since bananas are relatively high in sugar, most rats love eating them. Nevertheless, rats do have their own likes and dislikes, so it’s possible that one of your rats is not very interested in this particular fruit. To find out if your rat likes bananas you can simply offer them a small piece of it. If they like it, they’ll eat it and if they do not like it they will just ignore it. If they ignore it, make sure that you remove the banana from their cage before it starts rotting.

If your rat(s) do not like this particular fruit, worry not, there are plenty of other fruits and veggies they can safely eat so there’s no reason to try to force them to eat bananas.

Alternatives

If your pet rat doesn’t seem to like bananas very much or if you’re simply looking for some other fruits and veggies that you can feed your furry friend, here’s a quick list of ideas:

• Apples
• Grapes
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Romaine lettuce
• Blueberries
• Apricots
• Blackberries
• Cherries
• Watermelon
• Figs

Keep in mind, the list above is not exhaustive. There are many more fruits and vegetables that rats can safely eat. To find out more about what rats can eat, I suggest you check out my guide teaching you what rats eat. In there, you’ll find a large overview of the fruits, vegetables, and other things that rats can safely eat. It also contains a list of the foods that are toxic and should be avoided and an overview of the ideal rat diet.

---

Final words

So, now you know that you can safely feed bananas to your pet rat. To recap, here are the 5 most important things that you need to know before feeding bananas to your pet rat.

1. Bananas are a treat, not a staple of their diet. In small quantities, bananas can be a healthy addition to your rat’s diet, but you do have to be careful not to overdo it. If you overdo it, it can lead to nutritional imbalances. Make sure that their diet consists of around 80% pellets, and 20% fresh fruits and vegetables (which can include bananas, but should also contain other fresh fruits and veggies).
2. Introduce slowly. When you first introduce a new food into your rat’s diet, it’s recommended to start slow. That way, your rat’s digestive system can get used to this new food.
3. If you feed the peels, make sure to wash them properly. The peels are not toxic to rats, but you have to make sure that you wash them properly to get rid of any pesticides.
4. Make sure the banana is ripe. Do not feed your rat unripe bananas, unripe (green) ones can be hard on your rat’s digestive tract, and should be avoided.
5. If your rat doesn’t like it, try a different fruit. Not all rats like the same things. Most rats will like bananas, but if yours doesn’t you can simply try feeding them a different fruit instead.

Good luck feeding your rat! As long as you follow the tips I’ve given you above, I’m sure everything will go great and your rat will love his new treat!