Are Sweet Potatoes Bad For Rats?
WouterIf you have a sweet potato patch in your garden, it is a good idea to keep rats away from them. Sweet potatoes are often infested by a fungus called Alternaria brassicicola, which produces toxins in the form of alcohol. These toxins will kill rats by destroying the liver. If you notice a dark brown tint in your sweet potato patch, it means your rats are infected. It can take between two and four hours for your rats to succumb to the infection.
Ingestion of raw sweet potato is not a problem for rats if they eat it in small pieces. However, if you notice any signs of negative health in your rat after it eats a piece of sweet potato, take it to a vet right away. You may want to consider avoiding raw sweet potatoes altogether.
Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene and vitamin C, which are important nutrients for rats. However, sweet potatoes also contain a compound called beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A in the body of the rat. In large amounts, sweet potatoes will kill the rat.
Research on mice has found that raw sweet potatoes can lead to cyanide buildup in their stomachs, so it is best to feed your pet rats with cooked sweet potatoes instead. This food will contain the same amount of vitamins and minerals as raw sweet potatoes. Furthermore, citrus rinds can cause liver and kidney cancer in male rats, although female rats do not carry the protein that causes the reaction. However, citrus fruits can be safely consumed if the inner fruit is rinsed thoroughly before ingesting.
