# Cherries



## AlienMando (Jan 19, 2008)

What is in cherry pits/stones that makes that part of the cherry bad for rats?


----------



## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

Ooo good question. I don't know but it sounds interesting enough to want to find out


----------



## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

Ahh .. did a bit of research. Cyanide, I think, is why they are dangerous to pets. Like apple seeds etc



> Keep cherry pits, peach pits, pear pips, plums pits and apricot pits far away from your pets. Like apple seeds, they all contain cyanide. There's also the danger that an animal may choke on large pits.


Full article; http://www.wfsb.com/family/15665425/detail.html


----------



## cjshrader (Feb 15, 2007)

Ration1802 beat me to it. They have very small amounts of Cyanide in them. Not enough for humans to worry about, but for rats it can be an issue.


----------



## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Mmm... cyanide... how I love thee... Takes me back to undergrad.. Anyway.

Yeah, the cyanide... Same reason humans should eat the pits out of most fruit, especially apricots.


----------



## AlienMando (Jan 19, 2008)

Oh wow! 

Thanks!

As I started reading the answer, I was like oh no.... I've swallowed cherry pits accidently before! lol

Good to know! And kinda scary, no matter the amount.


----------



## selfdestructingturnip (Nov 17, 2007)

I never knew that and i have fed my rats a few cherry pits before. they just ate the cherry off of it and not the pits. They seem fine...


----------



## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

The cyano-producing compounds are mainly within the pit. Hence, if the pit is not broken, very little cyanide if any will be ingested.


----------

