Can You Eat Rats Raw?
Rats are considered pests in many parts of the world, but eating them is still common. There are several different species of rats that are eaten, and they are often caught specifically for consumption. However, the meat that comes from eating rats is not recommended for human consumption. This is because poison may be used during the process of catching and processing rats for consumption.
The meat of a rat is quite flavorful and similar to chicken. However, the tail is not very tasty and tastes sort of crunchy. Also, consuming rat meat could cause you to develop rat-bite fever, which is treatable but potentially fatal. You might also contract salmonellosis, a bacterial infection caused by rat feces. This illness will cause diarrhea and a fever, and severe cases may require hospitalization.
Rats are a popular source of protein in many parts of Asia. In China, for instance, rats are often consumed as a main dish. They are even sold by street vendors, skewered on sticks. If you’re unsure of whether or not to try rat meat, make sure to ask the seller where they got the meat from.
Rats love grains of all kinds. You can give them unseasoned pasta, corn, sunflower seeds, and muesli, but you should avoid cereals with high sugar content, as these are harmful for rats. Meat is also an important part of a rat’s diet, so you can give it unsalted, unseasoned meat.