diet: split peas and lentils

i also find my ratties won't eat the split peas or lentils... so i've decided to leave them out this next time i make the mix.

i've started going to the market and buying whatever is on sale or sounds yummy... i try to change it up each time i make it to give them variety.

i keep forgetting to give them the lab blocks though. ugh. we've had a problem with pantry moths so it has to be kept in the freezer and i keep thinking "i have to take this out" and it never seems to leave the freezer :eek:

they do, however get other foods daily. silkworms (protien), butterworms (calcium), cooked egg whites, bread with olive oil, chicken, bones, cooked rice, pasta... whatever is available that day.

but i've got to get those lab blocks back out of the freezer now that the moths are gone... (we've had to start keeping all our bird food, cat food etc in our freezer)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

I've heard it alot too, and read it on alot of inexperienced or unknowing peoples' websites.

---

Everyone feeds according to what they feel is best. That doesn't make someone more right because they don't agree. I hear you are a vet tech. Promising career yet keep in mind vets are not perfect. About any natural food is good if given in the right balance. Protien is great when not overdone. I don't shoot someone down because they believe in feeding a certain way. There are many things in this world you will come to realize when you have been a practicing vet for a while. One thing is that your cutting remarks and putting words in someones mouth will not help in your line of work. To treat an animal you must first have the trust of your client.

I'm sorry, but I don't see anywhere that I put words in others' mouths. I was just citing that I had read and have been told that these things were bad for rats by people who hadn't properly researched and were just going off of what someone else told them.


On the internet, everything should be read as a calm, flat tone of voice. If you don't, you'll take someone's words wrong and come up with what you thought I had as a tone of voice, Nancy. I don't belittle anyone, I just try to share my knowledge the best way I can. I am a very straight-forward type of person, and will say something if it needs to be said(especially if someone is feeding their dog or cat Dinner Time or Ol' Roy crap...).

I was just stating that I have heard others say these exact same things on a rat forum I visit. They were misinformed so I helped inform them that these things are good to feed and will help their rats live longer, healthier lives if they eat them. I'm very passionate about helping animals and their owners, even if it means correcting something they are doing wrong. If it helps them not have to take their animals to the vet every other week, I'll say/do it.

Back to the topic:
Yeah, I try to change up their mix everytime I make it. They get alot of organics(while I eat generic food...LoL), cereals, pastas, fresh foods, etc. My rats eat better than I do(although I do eat some of their mix now and then.. Hehe).

How about cracked or whole corn as an ingredient?

My "temporary" feeders (we get them a few days early each week before feeding day) don't eat the split peas or lentils either - nor the in-shell, unsalted peanuts....nor the Nutro Senior dog food. =P But they absolutely snarf down the rest of it!

I thought corn was bad...can't remember why tho. =P

corn is not good unless it's fresh and then, only in small amounts occassionally.

;) well the ratties went nuts when i brought their lab blocks out of the freezer today. they looked at me like "finally, she remembered!" :D

hahahahaha

What is wrong with corn? A lot of people use grain with cracked corn for horses.. is it b/c it's too abrasive for their digestive tracts?

It's because of the aflatoxins(mold) that grows on dried corn. It is poisonous and will slowly kill them. Not to menion, corn has no nutritional value other than to fill them up and make them think they are full. Like crappy dog foods(Ol' Roy, Kibbles N Bits, Purina junk, etc), the main ingredient is corn, which dogs can't digest(cats can somewhat). They have to eat so much of that nasty dog food to even get anything out of it nutrition-wise, and what goes in must come out in double quantities. Higher quality dog and cat foods such as Nutro, Science Diet, Wellness, Blue Buffalo, etc, have their first ingredient as an actual meat(deboned chicken, Turkey, buffalo, lamb). A bi-product can contain anything really, even just a bit of blood and sawdust can be classified as a "chicken bi-product, or beef bi-product". And these by-products can contain anything such as chicken beaks, feet, nails, feathers, skin, bovine ears, tails, hide, etc. It's always interesting for me to look on ingredient lists for certain dog foods and marvel at what junk they really put in them.

Horses can digest the corn because they can ferment these grains in their hindgut and can actually use the carbohydrates produced, not to mention they are grazers by nature and aren't harmed by a little fungi(Fun Guys, woot!). Rats cannot and the mold will slowly build up in their system and kill them.

It's just not a good quality source of nutrition. It would be like feeding your breeding dogs/cats Ol' Roy and wondering why they have skin/fur issues, are losing weight, and the puppies/kittens are small and not developing properly. Know what I mean? :)

Also, did you know that being "corn-fed" (like in beef cattle), it's not a good thing? The high amounts of corn can result in yellowing of the meat. You are what you eat. A proper diet goes such a long way in providing healthy, robust feeders for our snakes.