Food for rats?

I have a small colony 3 males 9 females that I have only had going for about 5 months now, and I was wondering what everyone feeds their rats. I have just been doing rat food from the local pet store and had not really thought long term about cost. Also bedding and smell, what is everyone's suggestions?

Mazuri has a great rodent food, and its typically quiet cheap. I belive most people use wood shavings or pine pellet bedding.

I feed my rats Doggy Bag dog food, which can be purchased at Tractor Supply Company. 40 pound bags only cost about $14.00 and the rats love it and do great on it. For bedding I put 2 scoops of pine pellets on the bottom of the tubs underneath of the pine wood shavings, which helps cut down on odors significantly...

You can find what I use and why in this thread https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...vings-Ya-or-na

I use Mazuri 6F (~$0.55/lb) and TSC Pine Flake (~$0.75/cu ft.)

I prefer Teklad 2920X soy-free (~$3.00/lb) and Aspen (~$3.50/cu ft.)

:)

I was wondering if you have a picture or link to the tractor supply dog food I’ve had a hard time finding it

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Originally Posted by Pattycake

I was wondering if you have a picture or link to the tractor supply dog food I’ve had a hard time finding it

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This thread is five years old. I'm still here though.

I had switched over to Doggie Bag dog food a few years ago due to Mazuri price increase, but, Tractor Supply discontinued Doggie Bag it because there were many complaints over their dogs having digestive issues...which is no surprise since the #1 ingredient was wheat middlings...which makes ideal rodent food *not dog food*.

I think I was paying $18/40lbs. of Doggie Bag. (~$0.45/lb) before they discontinued it-vs. $1.50/lb. for Mazuri.
I now use https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...ce-chops-50-lb
Choice Chops is $25/50lbs ($0.50/lb).
I think it is the same manufacturer as Doggie Bag, but, they improved the ingredients for dogs.
It comes in chicken and beef flavors. The Chicken flavored pellets are slightly larger than the beef ones (they are both kinda small).

Do keep in mind that changing your rodents diet to dog food may make them sick temporarily, but, mine adapted after a few weeks.
I have been using the Choice Chops for several years now-without issue. :)