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Yes, rats can eat sweet potato, but only cooked. Rat Guide lists cooked sweet potato as a vegetable choice and puts raw sweet potato on its never-feed list, and Burgess lists uncooked sweet potato among foods to avoid. Give a teaspoon or so of plain baked, boiled or steamed sweet potato, cooled, as one of the day’s vegetables, a few times a week.
| Safe? | Cooked yes, raw no |
|---|---|
| How much | About a teaspoon per rat |
| How often | A few times a week |
| Best served | Baked, boiled or steamed, plain, cooled |
| Watch out for | Raw sweet potato; butter, salt, sweet potato fries |
Cooked vs raw sweet potato
This is the part that matters. The same food is fine cooked and on the avoid list raw.
| Form | OK? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked sweet potato, plain | Yes | Rat Guide lists cooked sweet potato on its daily vegetable menu |
| Raw sweet potato | No | Rat Guide lists raw sweet potato as never to feed; Burgess lists uncooked sweet potato to avoid |
| Sweet potato skin, cooked | A little | Wash well before cooking |
| Sweet potato fries, crisps, mash with butter | No | Fat, salt and dairy |
| Ordinary potato | Separate food | See our rat food list |
How much sweet potato can a rat have?
Rat Guide suggests about 1 to 2 teaspoons of vegetables per rat a day, chosen from up to three vegetables. Cooked sweet potato can be one of those: about a teaspoon. It is starchy and sweet, so a few times a week is better than every day, with leafy greens on the other days.
How to prepare sweet potato for rats
- Wash and cook it plain. Bake, boil or steam until soft, with no salt, oil or butter.
- Cool it right down. Hot sweet potato holds heat in the middle.
- Cut small or mash. A teaspoon-sized piece per rat, or a little mash.
- Clear away leftovers. Cooked food goes off quickly in a warm cage, so remove it after a few hours.
If your rat has eaten raw sweet potato, take any left away and watch them for the next day. If they seem unwell, stop eating or have an upset stomach, ring your vet.
Who should go easy?
Overweight rats should have starchy vegetables less often. Rat Guide says peanut butter and mashed potatoes need thinning before serving plain because thick, sticky foods are a choking risk, so serve mash soft and in a thin layer.
A thin smear of plain mashed sweet potato is a good way to hide a dose of medicine your vet has prescribed, as most rats will lick it up.
Other vegetables to rotate
Try butternut squash, carrots and peas. See our safe food list for rats, the rat diet guide and the pet rat care hub.
Questions owners ask
Can rats eat raw sweet potato?
No. Rat Guide lists raw sweet potato as never to feed, and Burgess lists uncooked sweet potato among foods to avoid. Always cook it first.
Can rats eat sweet potato skin?
Cooked skin is fine in small amounts, once the potato has been washed well. Raw skin is not.
Can rats eat sweet potato fries?
No. Fries are cooked in oil and salted, which Rat Guide lists as unhealthy for rats. Bake or boil it plain instead.
Can rats eat sweet potato every day?
Cooked sweet potato is on Rat Guide’s daily vegetable menu, but it is starchy and sweet, so a few times a week with greens on other days is better.