Can rats eat lentils?

Yes, as an occasional protein treat: a teaspoon of plain cooked lentils per rat. No salt, onion or garlic.

Checked against 4 sources on

A rat holding a blueberry

Yes, rats can eat lentils. PDSA lists lentils among occasional treats, and Burgess, quoting PDSA, says cooked lentils, beans, peas and chickpeas are good occasional treats. Rat Guide lists cooked lentils as a protein option. Give a teaspoon or so of plain cooked lentils per rat a few times a week, with no salt, onion, garlic or curry spices.

Safe? Yes, as a treat
How much About a teaspoon per rat
How often A few times a week
Best served Plain cooked, cooled
Watch out for Dhal, soups and curries with onion, garlic or salt

Are lentils good for rats?

Yes. Lentils are a plant protein, and the rat sources treat them as a good extra. PDSA names lentils with lean meat, egg, beans, peas and chickpeas as occasional treats. Rat Guide lists cooked lentils and cooked beans as protein options. Woodgreen includes lentils as one protein source in its home-made rat mix.

Cooked or dry lentils? Not every source agrees

Burgess and Rat Guide both say cooked lentils. Woodgreen's home mix lists lentils among dry protein sources without saying they should be cooked. We would follow the cooked advice: it is the more careful option, and cooked lentils are softer and easier to measure as a treat.

How much lentil can a rat have?

About a teaspoon of cooked lentils per rat, a few times a week. Rat Guide says treats should be bite-sized, and that healthy adult rats do well on about 11 to 18% protein overall, so lentils top up their food rather than replacing it.

Which lentils and dishes?

Form OK? Notes
Red, green, brown or puy lentils, plain cooked Yes Boil in plain water
Tinned lentils in water, no salt Yes Rinse first
Dhal, lentil soup, curry No Onion and garlic, which PDSA and Burgess list as harmful
Spiced or salted lentil snacks No Salt and seasoning

How to prepare lentils

  1. Rinse and boil plain. Cook in water with nothing added until soft.
  2. Drain and cool. Let them cool fully.
  3. Measure a teaspoon. One small spoonful per rat.
  4. Freeze the rest. Freeze in small portions so you always have plain lentils ready.

A spoonful of cooked lentils pressed into a cardboard tube or scattered in a dig box turns a protein treat into a foraging job.

Other protein treats

Rotate lentils with cooked beans, chickpeas, peas and boiled egg. See our safe food list for rats, the rat diet guide and the pet rat care hub.

Questions owners ask

Can rats eat uncooked lentils?

Woodgreen includes lentils in a dry home mix, but Burgess and Rat Guide say cooked lentils. We would cook them, the more careful option.

Can rats eat tinned lentils?

Yes, if they are in plain water with no added salt. Rinse them and give a teaspoon or so.

Can rats eat lentil soup or dhal?

No. Both usually contain onion and garlic, which PDSA and Burgess list as harmful to rats.

How often can rats eat lentils?

A few times a week as a protein treat. PDSA describes lentils as an occasional treat.

Sources

Check another food

Read next

Sometimes

Can rats eat beans?

Cooked beans yes, as a treat of one or two bites. Raw dry beans never. Skip baked beans and chilli.

Sometimes

Can rats eat chickpeas?

Yes, as an occasional treat: one or two plain cooked chickpeas per rat. Not hummus or roasted salted chickpeas.

Yes

Can rats eat peas?

Yes. A few plain peas, fresh, thawed frozen or lightly cooked, are a good part of a rat's daily vegetables.

Sometimes

Can rats eat eggs?

Yes, cooked: half to one teaspoon of plain boiled or scrambled egg, once or twice a week.

What can rats eat? The safe food list

Pet rats eat rat nuggets as their main food, plus small daily pieces of veg, a little fruit a few times a week and cooked protein once or twice a week.

What to feed a rat: food chart and foods to avoid

Feed complete rat nuggets as the main diet, measured by the packet's feeding guide, plus small pieces of fresh veg, a little fruit and fresh water always.