Can rats eat branches?

Yes for gnawing, but only a little to eat. Germany’s Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare (TVT) says rats always need something to gnaw on. It names fresh unsprayed twigs and untreated pieces of wood. The RSPCA suggests bits of fruit tree branches, such as apple wood, and Switzerland’s federal veterinary office (BLV) recommends wood or fresh branches from nontoxic, unsprayed deciduous trees. The Merck Veterinary Manual warns against wood treated with potentially toxic substances. In its guide, the Zurich animal welfare society (Zürcher Tierschutz) calls hazel, apple, pear, birch and alder well suited, but its website lists branches with leaves as an occasional food, so for eating, we err on the side of caution.

How to serve it: fresh and unsprayed (TVT), from nontoxic deciduous trees (BLV)

Good to know: Skip branches from conifers, yew, oak, chestnut, thuja or cypress – the Zurich animal welfare society (Zürcher Tierschutz) calls them unsuitable to poisonous. Rats can’t vomit, so the RSPCA warns that even a small amount of something harmful can kill them. If you’re worried your rat has come into contact with anything harmful, the RSPCA says to contact your vet immediately.