Why Can’t Rats Eat Citrus?
WouterRats are known to gnaw on the branches and bark of citrus trees, and will occasionally eat the pulp of citrus fruits. However, they will never eat the rind. Oranges contain a chemical called d-limonene, which is toxic to rats. This compound is also found in many other foods, including mangoes and papaya, though rats do not ingest a large quantity of these.
Citrus fruit is acidic to a rat’s digestive tract. If your rat tries to ingest citrus juice, it will experience a sour stomach, and it will most likely vomit. In addition, citrus is not good for rats’ health because it contains high levels of citric acid. If you give your rat citrus, monitor his health closely to ensure he doesn’t get any unpleasant side effects.
Another reason rats prefer citrus is because of its sweetness. Rats also feed on tree bark, but they prefer the sweet taste of fruit. They may also be getting extra vitamins and minerals from citrus fruit. This could be why rats prefer citrus trees over other types of plants. Rats, also called roof rats or Norway rats, damage crops worth $19 billion in the US each year.
It is thought that green bananas contain an enzyme that inhibits the digestion of starch, so rats should avoid eating green bananas. Instead, try giving them unripe yellow Cavendish bananas, which contain a chemical called amylase, which is good for digesting starch. You may want to try substituting raisins with fresh grapes instead, because raisins contain high levels of sugar. In addition, berries are good for rats, and contain lots of vitamins and antioxidants.
