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Yes, but only shop-bought mushrooms. Plain button (white), chestnut or oyster mushrooms, washed and cut small, are safe for rats as an occasional treat: a thumbnail-sized piece per rat, once a week or less. Never feed wild mushrooms you have picked, and never mushrooms cooked with butter, garlic, onion or salt. If your rat eats a wild mushroom, ring your vet.
| Safe? | Shop-bought only |
|---|---|
| How much | A thumbnail-sized piece (about 3 g, 0.1 oz) per rat |
| How often | Once a week or less |
| Best served | Washed, plain, raw or lightly cooked with nothing added |
| Watch out for | Wild mushrooms, garlic and onion, butter and oil |
Are mushrooms safe for rats?
Shop-bought ones are. A vet-reviewed guide from The Vet Desk says mushrooms that are safe for people are generally safe for rats too, naming button and oyster mushrooms as fine in moderation. They are low in calories and bring a little protein and B vitamins. Mushrooms do not appear on the RSPCA or Burgess lists of foods to feed, though, and Burgess's rule is that if you are unsure about a food, it is best avoided. So we treat mushrooms as an occasional extra, not a regular vegetable.
Why wild mushrooms are a no
Wild mushrooms are very hard to identify, and some common ones are seriously poisonous. The Vet Desk advises avoiding them unless you are completely sure they are safe, and we would go further: do not feed wild mushrooms to rats at all. That includes ones from your garden or lawn, which can pop up overnight in autumn near a free-roam area or outdoor run.
If your rat has eaten a wild mushroom, take any pieces away and keep one in a bag to show the vet. Ring your vet straight away, even if your rat seems fine, as some mushroom poisoning takes hours to show. Signs include drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, wobbliness, shaking or a rat who goes very quiet.
How much mushroom can a rat have?
A thumbnail-sized piece per rat, about 3 g (0.1 oz), once a week or less. Start smaller the first time and check droppings the next day. Not every rat likes mushrooms, and there is no need to push it.
Which mushrooms and how to serve them
| Type | OK? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Button, white, chestnut (cremini), portobello | Yes, occasionally | Wash well and cut small |
| Oyster | Yes, occasionally | Named safe by The Vet Desk |
| Wild or foraged mushrooms | No | Risk of poisonous types |
| Fried, buttered, garlic or creamy mushrooms | No | Fat, salt, onion and garlic |
| Tinned or pickled | No | Salt and vinegar |
| Medicinal or supplement mushrooms | Only with a vet | Safe amounts for rats are unknown |
Raw and cooked are both fine if nothing is added. To cook, steam or dry-fry briefly and let it cool. The RSPCA lists onion among foods rats should avoid, and garlic appears on the RSPCA Australia avoid list, so mushrooms from your own dinner are usually off the menu.
Better everyday vegetables
For a regular fresh food, broccoli and cauliflower are on every safe list, and ripe tomato makes a juicy treat. Foods that really are a hard no, like avocado, are on our safe food list for rats. See also our rat diet guide and pet rat care hub.
Questions owners ask
Can rats eat raw mushrooms?
Yes, if they are shop-bought and washed well. Raw button, chestnut or oyster mushrooms are fine as an occasional treat. Lightly cooked with nothing added is also fine, and some rats prefer one or the other.
Can rats eat cooked mushrooms?
Yes, if cooked plain by steaming or dry-frying, then cooled. Mushrooms fried in butter or oil, or cooked with garlic, onion or salt, are not suitable, so leftovers from your own plate are usually a no.
What if my rat ate a mushroom in the garden?
Ring your vet straight away, even if your rat seems well, and take a piece of the mushroom with you. Some poisonous mushrooms take hours to cause signs such as vomiting, diarrhoea, wobbliness or shaking.
Are mushrooms toxic to rats?
Shop-bought eating mushrooms are not. Some wild mushrooms are seriously poisonous and are hard to tell apart from safe ones, so never feed foraged or garden mushrooms to rats.