Updated
Small mammal food safety
Can Small Mammals Eat Potato Sprouts?
Unsafe
No. Potato sprouts are unsafe for small mammals. If sprouts, eyes, green skin, old potato pieces, or sprouted potato scraps were eaten or chewed, remove access and call an exotic-pet veterinarian or poison hotline.
Potato sproutsCall before guessing
If any small mammal ate or chewed potato sprouts, potato eyes, green skin, old potato pieces, or sprouted potato scraps, call an exotic-pet veterinarian or poison hotline with the species, weight, plant part, amount, time, and symptoms.
Guinea pigs
Call if exposed
Do not feed potato sprouts to guinea pigs. If potato sprouts, eyes, green skin, or sprouted potato scraps were eaten or chewed, remove access and call with the species, weight, plant part, amount, time, and symptoms.
Syrian and dwarf hamsters
Call if exposed
Do not feed potato sprouts to Syrian and dwarf hamsters. If potato sprouts, eyes, green skin, or sprouted potato scraps were eaten or chewed, remove access and call with the species, weight, plant part, amount, time, and symptoms.
Rats
Call if exposed
Do not feed potato sprouts to rats. If potato sprouts, eyes, green skin, or sprouted potato scraps were eaten or chewed, remove access and call with the species, weight, plant part, amount, time, and symptoms.
Mice
Call if exposed
Do not feed potato sprouts to mice. If potato sprouts, eyes, green skin, or sprouted potato scraps were eaten or chewed, remove access and call with the species, weight, plant part, amount, time, and symptoms.
Gerbils
Call if exposed
Do not feed potato sprouts to gerbils. If potato sprouts, eyes, green skin, or sprouted potato scraps were eaten or chewed, remove access and call with the species, weight, plant part, amount, time, and symptoms.
Chinchillas
Call if exposed
Do not feed potato sprouts to chinchillas. If potato sprouts, eyes, green skin, or sprouted potato scraps were eaten or chewed, remove access and call with the species, weight, plant part, amount, time, and symptoms.
Ferrets
Call if exposed
Do not feed potato sprouts to ferrets. If potato sprouts, eyes, green skin, or sprouted potato scraps were eaten or chewed, remove access and call with the species, weight, plant part, amount, time, and symptoms.
Sprouts are the warning sign
Sprouted potatoes are not chew enrichment. The sprout, green skin, old potato, and plant material details matter when you call.
Check hidden scraps
Small mammals may carry potato pieces into bedding or hides. Remove old scraps before another bite happens.
If exposure happened
- Remove sprouted potatoes, loose sprouts, potato eyes, green skin, peel, old potato scraps, and any contaminated food or bedding.
- Keep the animal contained and calm while you call an exotic-pet veterinarian or poison hotline.
- Write down whether the animal reached sprouts, green skin, peel, raw potato, cooked potato, or plant leaves.
Avoid
- Potato sprouts, potato eyes, green potato, raw peel, potato leaves, stems, old potatoes, compost scraps, and kitchen scrap piles.
- Cutting off sprouts and offering the rest as a treat.
- Letting small mammals chew old potatoes during floor time or kitchen cleanup.
Helpful food-safety supplies
Optional tools for measuring, storing, serving, and cleaning up small portions safely.
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