300 gr BP -- are 55gr small rats okay?

[Sonya610]

Ordering food for the first time online. She has eaten small rats (don't know the size, did not have a scale to weigh them) but I have had a hard time getting small rats locally (f/t) so I switched her back to mice.

She puts down two 22gr mice at one meal (every 6 to 7 days), so is a 55 gr small rat a good choice?

I am ordering from the Mouse Factory because so many here have said its a good source. The next size down would be 35 gr and this girl is growing like a weed.

Does 55 gr sound right?

[hondo1967]

Keep the rodents girth the same size as your BPs girth and u should be ok

[Sonya610]

Keep the rodents girth the same size as your BPs girth and u should be ok

That is the problem, I am ordering online and I don't know what the girth is based on weight. Maybe I will go to the pet store and pick up some frozen rats on tuesday (the only day they seem to have them, and I often miss it) and see what they weigh.

[kc261]

Keep the rodents girth the same size as your BPs girth and u should be ok

That's a good rule of thumb, but my guess is that it isn't going to help out in the case of ordering online.

I checked the mouse factory website, and it says that 55g is the average weight for their small rats. So as long as you start out feeding the smallest ones first, you'll probably be giving something more like 50g.

Since your BP is currently taking 44g in one meal, it sounds like she could probably handle 50g.

Another rule of thumb I have heard is to feed 10-15% of the weight of the BP. 15% of 300g is 45g. So that also indicates to me that your BP could probably handle 50g.

It does sound like if you order that size that it will be a little more than what your BP is used to eating, and a little more than the recommended range, so I would be cautious. When the rats arrive, if the smallest ones look bigger than her girth, maybe get the mice locally for a few more feedings to get her just a bit bigger. Also if you think the meal is slightly on the big size, you might give her 72 hours to digest before you handle her.

Also, I have never ordered from the mouse factory, but from what I've read, Edna is great and gives each customer personal attention. Maybe they'd be willing to give you a slightly mixed batch with a few rats on the smaller side? Couldn't hurt to ask...

[missi182]

That is the problem, I am ordering online and I don't know what the girth is based on weight. Maybe I will go to the pet store and pick up some frozen rats on tuesday (the only day they seem to have them, and I often miss it) and see what they weigh.

10% of the body weight is a good estimate. 15% max.

Last post sums it up well!

[Sonya610]

Thanks Missy, i appreciate you taking the time to look at the site. I will place the order by phone and ask if they can throw in some smaller ones. I am afraid a full 55 gr rat might be too big for her right now, but if some are a little smaller that may work out perfectly.