[Binky]

I know that rats should not be fed raw nuts, roasted is best, but what is the real reason for this? Does it cause toxins, organ failure, etc.? A rat owner I follow on instagram insists that raw nuts are not hurting her babes and includes them in her own homemade mixture but just because you can't see signs of harm doesn't mean they aren't happening...

 

[Gribouilli]

I believe it is only for peanut. Raw peanuts are bad for rats, can even kill them. I give my rats raw almond, hazelnut, walnut, pecan, pumpkin, macadamia, and pine nuts in small quantity a few time a week. All of those are raw. They love them.

Raw peanuts contains to-nutrients and causes red blood cell clumping.

 

[Gribouilli]

Raw beans, raw potatoes are also VERY BAD for rats.

 

[Dan203]

Raw peanuts are the only ones you're not suppose to feed them. And it's almost impossible to find raw peanuts anyway. Peanuts aren't really nuts, they're legumes. Which is why they're different then other nuts. I feed mine all sorts of other raw nuts and they're fine. (bought a bag of mixed nuts in the shell at Trader Joes)

Edit: Doh! Type too slow

 

[Isamurat]

Raw potato as long as its not green is actually fine. Its not really a beneficial food stuff as its so starchy but its not toxic either. Green potato is the issue and the one that needs to be avoided at feeding

And yes the raw nuts is just for peanuts (and actually pretty much all dried beans / legumes apart from peas and mung beans) due to the amount of antinutrients they contain.

Theres actually a lot of myths out there, and a lot of things that are misunderstood or exaggerated. For instance the fact mould on blue cheese is toxic and going to kill them if they eat it. I recently did a trawl of the scientific papers involved and discovered that the rats would need to eat over 11g of the worst kind of blue cheese in order to have any effect on the body, more in order to cause injury / illness. Whilst its still not something you want to feed its not well communicated or understood. Another good example is Garlic, its a super food, great for the heart, immune system (when fed raw) and a natural antiparasitic, yet its also toxic in large amounts (its a member of the bulb family after all like daffodils). Feed a small amount in this case and its beneficial (around 1-2 raw cloves per rat per week-month, they can tolerate more cooked but its not as beneficial), feed too much and its bad.

 

[Binky]

Thanks! I've always given cooked food to my rats and they have only ever had almonds and pecans.

 

[Gribouilli]

My rat won't eat raw onion or garlic. But if I cook it for 1 min in a little olive oil, they go crazy for it I do it at low heat so as not to destroy too much of the nutrients.

 

[KayRatz]

what are antinutrients? never heard of that.also, peanuts packaged for animals can contain aflatoxin so i would always buy thr human grade, non salted roasted.

 

[Gribouilli]

what are antinutrients? never heard of that.also, peanuts packaged for animals can contain aflatoxin so i would always buy thr human grade, non salted roasted.

Antinutrients are substances that interfere with your body natural ability to properly absorb and/or process certain vitamins or minerals. Some antinutrients bind to calcium for instance and your body won't be able to use that calcium anymore, resulting in a potential deficit in calcium.