Is Cheese Safe for Pet Rats to Eat?
A major question every rat owner gets to ask after a while of owning a rat is; is it okay for rats to me at cheese?
This question is indeed a good question. Unfortunately, there is no concrete answer to it. The answer to this question can be no. It can also be yes.
A lot of people that own rats, as well as those that have never owned rats, believe that rats are lactose intolerant. Regardless of how many people believe this, it is simply a myth. Although the belief that rats are lactose intolerant is a myth, it does not imply that it is okay for rats to eat all types of cheese.
What is the Ideal Cheese for Rats?
Although rats can feed on most types of cheese, there are certain types of cheese that we must not give our rats.
It is important to note that although rats, in general, are not lactose intolerant, some rats are actually. This makes it vital to be on the lookout for signs which reveal that your rat cannot cope with cheese. Some of these signs are loose stools and diarrhea.
While there are various types of cheese, it is best to give your rat semi-hard cheese or hard cheese which have been washed to take out excessive whey.
Cheeses You Can Feed Your Rat
- Red Leicester
- Cheddar
- Gouda
- Emmental
- Appenzeller
- Colby
- Edam
- Gruyere
It is okay to feed your rat with any of these cheeses if they have goats or cow milk as their source. This, however, should only be done if there are no additions like certain greens and chilis.
Cheese to Keep Away from your Rat
Due to the ingredients, they are made from and the processes they have to go through before attaining maturity, some types of cheese are bad for your rat.
Cheeses like Feta, Mozerella, and Brie might not have unwanted ingredients. Regardless, they are not good for rats because they are extremely soft.
Rats lack molars which are needed to break food down. Due to this, these soft cheeses will be too stressful for them to chew. They can choke on these cheeses. Now, choking might seem normal with humans. Unlike humans, it is an extreme condition for rats as they lack natural gag-reflex.
Cheeses Rats Can’t Have
- Feta
- Mozarella
- Camembert
- Brie
- Cottage cheese
- Blue cheese
- Ricotta
- Cream cheese
- Stilton
- Queso Blanco
- Gorgonzola
- Mascarpone
These are not all the cheeses rats can’t have. There are others that your rat should never have a taste of. Feeding your rat with the wrong cheese by mistake is possible. To ensure that this mistake is avoided, all you need to do is do your research properly, and every form of mistake can be avoided.
Conclusion & Can Pet Rats Eat Cheese
It is okay to give rat cheese occasionally. It is, however, important to be careful while giving your rat cheese. If you feed your rat with cheese that is not good for it even occasionally, it might have very unwanted effects on your pet.
