Rats have a wide and varied diet. They are known as opportunistic eaters, and are omnivores so anything is on the list. They love seeds, nuts, and things high in carbs. They tend to go after things that have an intense smell as well. The list on a rats diets includes: seeds, nuts, berries, roots, nut butters, meat (they will even cannibalize their own) eggs, bugs, snakes, worms, amphibians, pet food, animal food, bird food, garbage, carrion ( other dead things) and more. Whether or not they eat dog poor is a highly debated topic. In Chicago, rated “rattiest town in America” because of their rodent problem, there is an ordinance requiring all pet owners pick up their doggies business on public and private land.



The cite reason being rats. They claim that rats are attracted to the droppings due to their strong odor and high fat content. Many claim to believe that rays will not only be able to survive on this food source, but will thrive. Steve Sullivan, senior curator of Urban Ecology at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum says that this cannot be proven. He goes on to say that, a rat would prefer to eat its own young before chowing down on your hounds droppings. Most extermination sites must agree with Sullivan because they do not list dog poop as a staple in a rat’s diet. In the same vein, many pet sites echo the concerns voiced by the Chicago city council. We can all agree that rats are not fussy eaters, so if faced with starvation, they might just consider dog poop.

Whether or not rats will regularly dine on doggy do-do does not really matter. The two important facts here are
1) PICK UP YOUR PUPS POO!Not only is it stinky, it attracts bugs, and contains a number of bacteria and germs that can make you, your other pets, and your family sick. It is toxic to grass and gardens and can spread a variety of worms, salmonella, and parvo among other things. The eggs of many parasites (especially worms) can be deposited into the soil where they linger for years. Any animal, two, or four legged, can be infected by simply walking on the ground.
2) Wild Rats are disease-spreading vermin, and we should go to great lengths to remove any possible rat attractants like; open garbage, improperly stowed dumpsters, unattended pet food, standing water, open feed bins, accessible bird feeders, areas suitable for nesting, and YES animal poop.

Keeping your home and family safe is a full time job. Maintaining your area is just one more thing you can do to help ensure their safety and well-being.

Read the How to get rid of rats page for helpful information and to learn more about Do rats like dog poop

Do rats like dog poop