Can Rats Eat Green Beans? What You Need To Know

I’m guessing you clicked on this post to find out if rats can eat green beans. I asked myself that exact question back when I owned a pet rat, but couldn’t ever seem to find a conclusive answer on the internet. This bugged me for some time, as I heard people saying both yes and no. 

While I was still not 100% sure if it was okay or not, I ultimately decided to try it out, and my rat turned out to love them.

Well, now I’ve done some research, and I am happy to tell you that I have the answer. 

Can Rats have Green Beans?

Yes, rats can eat green beans. Green beans provide numerous health benefits to the animals, so you should absolutely consider including them in your rats’ diet. I’ve heard that some rats will only eat them cooked, so if your rat or mouse won’t touch the raw ones, try cooking them!

Back when I owned my pet rat Chilli, I often gave him green beans as snacks or threw in a few with his food. He used to love them, and I never saw any signs of illness or discontent afterward. I usually cooked them for him before, as I had heard that raw beans could be bad for both humans and rats, but even in the raw form he seemed to love them.

Can Mice Eat Green Beans?

Yes, mice can eat green beans. Just as with rats, they usually like them as treats. Green beans do provide some health benefits to mice, and I will write more about that below.

While I’ve never owned a pet mouse myself, I have had friends who’ve tried giving their pet mice green beans. They say their pets did eat them, but weren’t overly enthusiastic about this specific food. Just remember to not give too much. Mice are super-tiny after all, and too much of any food could potentially cause problems.

As with all new foods, you should introduce them slowly into your mouse or rat’s diet. Don’t go overboard in the beginning, since drastic changes often cause problems with their stomachs. I used to give my rat a few beans at a time, and I recommend you try the same. If he likes them, you can consider giving them regularly.

Why are green beans good for rats and mice?

Green beans are high in fiber. Fiber is important for many of the bodily functions our pets rely on, but most notably it helps with heart and gut health. It keeps the digestive system working as intended, which is absolutely essential for these animals. 

In my experience, rats usually get enough fiber from a varied diet, but a little extra shouldn’t hurt. Maybe you’ve noticed signs that your rat or mouse could need a fiber boost? Then green beans are perfect, and should do the trick! 

Fiber comes with more benefits though:

It is also known to improve colon health, stool quality, and could reduce cholesterol levels.  Some people give their rats or mice fiber supplements, but I’ve always preferred going the natural route if I can.

How to feed green beans to rats or mice

I would say there are 2 great options here. Most obviously, you could give them as-is, either as snacks or mixed with their regular food. 

Another good idea is to mash them into a paste. Either spoon-feed your rat or mouse this paste or blend it with their other food.

Can rats have frozen green beans?

Yes, rats can eat frozen green beans as well. They might not like them as much as the raw or cooked kind, though. They won’t be harmful to your rat, but if he or she will eat them, you can feed them without worries.

Can mice eat raw green beans?

Yes, mice and rats can eat raw green beans. I’ve fed my rat raw green beans numerous times, and never had a problem. Try it out and see if your pet likes them raw. If so, you can feel safe knowing they won’t be harmful as long as you feed them reasonable amounts.

Other (Fiber-rich) foods to feed your rat

Fiber are plant-based carbohydrates that are not digested in the small intestine. We’ve already covered why fiber is good for pet rats and mice, in the section above.

Here’s a list of other foods that are high in fiber and safe to feed to your rats. 

• Wholegrain foods such as breakfast cereal and pasta
• Fruits, such as Oranges, Apples (avoid the seeds), & Bananas
• Vegetables, good ones include Asparagus, Eggplant, & Beetroot
• Berries, such as Blueberries, Blackberries & Bilberries
• Peas
• Beans (Green, Brown, & Legume to name a few)
• Potatoes (Serve with the skin for extra fiber)

This list is by no means conclusive, and there are many other food options to provide your rat with fiber. This is a good starting point though.

By the way: You might want to read our article on rats and garlic?

Conclusion

I hope this article has given you all the information you were looking for in regards to feeding your pet rats green beans. As I wrote above, I’ve fed these beans to my own rat without problems, and he always seemed to love them.

Because of green beans’ high fiber contents, they are beneficial for rats in many ways. Most prominently, green beans improve gut health, help keep the colon in good shape, and improves the quality of the stool. All in all, they are great! Try giving them to your rat and see if he or she likes them!