Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
Yes, rats can eat turkey, cooked and plain. Rat Guide lists cooked or boiled turkey as a treat of one or two bite-sized pieces, and PDSA suggests small pieces of lean meat as occasional treats. Plain white meat from the roast is fine. Skin, gravy, stuffing, sauces and processed turkey slices are not.
| Safe? | Yes, cooked and plain |
|---|---|
| How much | One or two bite-sized pieces per rat |
| How often | A few times a week at most |
| Best served | Plain roast or boiled white meat, cooled |
| Watch out for | Skin, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey slices |
Is turkey good for rats?
Yes, as a small treat. Turkey is a lean meat, and Rat Guide names it with chicken and beef as a cooked meat treat. Rats are omnivores and enjoy it, but it sits on top of a complete diet: Rat Guide says the staple food should be at least 80% of what a rat eats.
How much turkey can a rat have?
| Source | What they say about meat and protein treats |
|---|---|
| Rat Guide | Chicken, turkey or beef, cooked or boiled: only 1 or 2 bite-sized amounts |
| Unusual Pet Vets | Boiled chicken and cooked lean red meat in moderation: a pinch, 1 to 3 times a week |
| PDSA | Small pieces of lean meat as occasional treats |
| Burgess (quoting PDSA) | Small pieces of cooked, lean meat as occasional treats |
That adds up to one or two pieces the size of your fingernail per rat, one to three times a week.
Christmas turkey: what is safe?
| From the table | OK? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plain white meat from the middle of the joint | Yes | Lean and cooked; pick pieces with no seasoning |
| Turkey skin | No | Fatty, often salted or buttered |
| Gravy | No | Salt and fat, often onion |
| Stuffing | No | Usually onion, which PDSA lists as harmful to rats |
| Cranberry sauce | No | Sugar |
| Pigs in blankets, bacon | No | Processed, salty and fatty |
Before anyone adds gravy, set aside a small piece of plain white meat for your rats. Cool it, cut it into fingernail-sized pieces and keep it in the fridge for a day or two of treats.
Processed turkey
Turkey ham, deli slices, turkey bacon and turkey sausages are high in salt and often have preservatives or flavourings. Rat Guide lists high-sodium foods as unhealthy for rats. Plain cooked turkey only.
How to prepare turkey
- Cook it plain. Roast or boil with no salt, butter or herbs.
- Use lean white meat. Take off any skin and fat.
- Cool and chop. Bite-sized pieces, fully cooled.
- Remove leftovers. Take away uneaten meat after a few hours.
Other protein treats
Rotate turkey with chicken, beef and egg. See our safe food list for rats, the rat diet guide and the pet rat care hub.
Questions owners ask
Can rats eat turkey skin?
No. It is fatty and usually seasoned. Rat Guide lists greasy and high-fat foods as unhealthy for rats.
Can rats eat Christmas leftovers?
Only plain white meat. Stuffing usually contains onion, gravy is salty, and sauces are sugary, none of which suit rats.
Can rats eat turkey ham or deli turkey?
No. Processed turkey is high in salt, and Rat Guide lists high-sodium foods among those to avoid.
Can rats eat raw turkey?
No. Rat Guide lists turkey as cooked or boiled. Cook it plain and cool it first.