Food wasted in Hoppers.

Okay so I finally built myself some hoppers about a month ago. Before that I was rationing my lab blocks one and a half per mouse in the tub every morning. As you can imagine it's a hassle to put food in everyday. Before that I was just filling the bowls but I felt I wasted too much when I cleaned tubs and threw out all the stuff they'd urinated on.

Anyway I built my hoppers but I think my mice are going through the food faster than ever. They empty them in 2-3 days and it should be more than enough food for a week or even two. It looks like they're shredding the blocks down to a fine powder and not eating it. I find a layer of the stuff under the bedding when I clean.

Is there any way to keep mice from wasting food?

A pic of one of my hoppers,
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/DSCF3516.jpg
It's a 1/2inch hardware cloth tube set in a cheap plastic bowl. A little hot glue, bend some wires and there yah go.

Tub setup,
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/p...s/DSCF3515.jpg
The hopper goes all the way to the top of the tub so when I lid is on they can't get inside it.

Small wire, use the 1/4. I had the same problem with asfs shredding it and playing with their food, and once I went smaller I did not have a problem.

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Originally Posted by Beardedragon

Small wire, use the 1/4. I had the same problem with asfs shredding it and playing with their food, and once I went smaller I did not have a problem.

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Okay, I'll try it. I just used the leftover 1/2inch I had from making my rat tubs but I'll got buy some 1/4inch.

My regular rats shred the food too. Do they eat okay through 1/4inch? I've heard they can actually chew the 1/4inch cloth up which is why you shouldn't try to contain them with it.

Any other ideas out there?

No for the big rats, I do not think they would be able to eat through it at all

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Originally Posted by Beardedragon

No for the big rats, I do not think they would be able to eat through it at all

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I didn't think so either.

Darn! I hate that they waste food. It's very frustrating watching my money go in the garbage.

i know how you feel i go through food like crazy.

What is stopping them from climbing up the hopper and carrying the food down to the bottom, hence wasting it? I agree, use the 1/4 inch cloth for Mice and ASF's....1/2 inch for rats.

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Originally Posted by dmaricle

i know how you feel i go through food like crazy.

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Do you provide chews for your rodents?
I've noticed they waste less if I provide something like a chew stick. but they still waste.

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Originally Posted by ThyTempest

What is stopping them from climbing up the hopper and carrying the food down to the bottom, hence wasting it? I agree, use the 1/4 inch cloth for Mice and ASF's....1/2 inch for rats.

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The hopper goes all the way to the top of the tub so when the lid is on they can't get inside it.

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/DSCF3518.jpg

My rats don't ever waste food but my ASF's shred it,only give a little each day they make powder out of blocks,I have lab cages so have no choice in wire size,when I kept mice they did'nt go through food either.

you might want to try a excersise wheel,and i use 1/4 " hardware cloth with mice with no waste.have fun!