Feeding Rats Dog Food?

It's all about reading labels. I've been using Sprout Dog food from Mills Fleet Farm for many years now. I occaisionally suppliment with sunflower seeds, but not too often. It doesn't seem to affect production.

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Originally Posted by Bruce Whitehead

I give my rats a combination...

Rat Chow, dog food (low protien), pasta, and some dried breads... half Rat chow, the rest is a combo of the other products.

Bruce

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Pretty much the same here. The dog food is high protein, but I offer it rarely. I also offer Total cereal and rolled oats as part of the add ons to the base (Mazuri). Every once in a while I'll offer a tiny bit of salad, Cheerios, fruits, etc. as treats. I have to say, I have 3 rats + 2 litters right now and it really doesn't smell much at all. And they all have really good sizes on them.

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

be careful with sunflowers seeds and amounts....

they are super high in fat, if your rats plump up big, back off.

I feed block/hog feed/seed

Seed is the thing that the amount you offer is based on how the rats look.

Rats can live very happily on block alone....hog food stretches the lab block

The seed is more of a treat that anything but it does add minerals

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I just feed them the sunflower seeds to add some healthy fat to their diet. I definitely don't over do them.

I'm curious if anyone is concerned about the BHA in the Mazuri? I know it's controversial, but I don't feel comfortable feeding that to any animals (or myself!). Do you think it's possible to be somehow stored in the rodent and then into the snake?

I'm currently using a mix of dog foods on my pet rats, and the Kaytee Block. ProPac and Natural Balance Vegetarian are the two dog foods I use. I'm looking into getting the Harlan too, but was just curious about the BHA and if it's a concern at all.

Thanks for all the info and ideas everyone, I'm learning a lot for when I start raising feeders. :)

Is Rabbit food OK for rats? The one I was looking at seemed to be about the same nutrient-wise, but I dont know if the difference in ingredients (more alfalfa, less seed/nut/corn) would cause any issues. The reason I ask is that its readily available at wal-mart for only $7/20lb bag.

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Originally Posted by Mike@OutbackReptiles

Is Rabbit food OK for rats? The one I was looking at seemed to be about the same nutrient-wise, but I dont know if the difference in ingredients (more alfalfa, less seed/nut/corn) would cause any issues. The reason I ask is that its readily available at wal-mart for only $7/20lb bag.

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No, they can't digest the alfalfa and won't thrive on that food. I buy Mazuri 6f for $18/50 lbs, so it is a little cheaper than the rabbit food, and I know that my rats are getting a balanced diet. You can also try one of the "people-food" mixes (as I call them) for your rats, if the Mazuri is out of reach.

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Originally Posted by sassy-pants

No, they can't digest the alfalfa and won't thrive on that food. I buy Mazuri 6f for $18/50 lbs, so it is a little cheaper than the rabbit food, and I know that my rats are getting a balanced diet. You can also try one of the "people-food" mixes (as I call them) for your rats, if the Mazuri is out of reach.

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Thank you. Good thing I asked :gj:

I'll probably try to pick up some Mazuri from White Plains tomorrow. I have been feeding low protein dog food but its causing the nasty poo problem ( I assume due to the meat content )

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Originally Posted by sassy-pants

No, they can't digest the alfalfa and won't thrive on that food. I buy Mazuri 6f for $18/50 lbs, so it is a little cheaper than the rabbit food, and I know that my rats are getting a balanced diet. You can also try one of the "people-food" mixes (as I call them) for your rats, if the Mazuri is out of reach.

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where are you located?

Colorado. Why?

I've been trying to get my hands on some Mazuri6f for a while. Ordering it online costs me $55 for a 50lb bag and that is just too much so I'm calling around today to see if anyone can order it in for me for a cheaper price. I've been feeding some cheap block food since my only other option is paying $7/2lb of Mazuri or feeding dog food, so I've been feeding a mix of dog food and this block and everyone is doing fine on it. I have two mice that just had decent sized litters (19 babies total). I'm about to go check the dog food's ingredients and see if this would be an acceptable diet until I can get block. They are greasy on it and smell bad though, so maybe I won't use it once its gone. Can anyone recommend a diet that won't make them greasy but is a good price? (other than Mazuri and such, as I am having a hard time finding someone to order those types of foods)

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

I've been trying to get my hands on some Mazuri6f for a while. Ordering it online costs me $55 for a 50lb bag and that is just too much so I'm calling around today to see if anyone can order it in for me for a cheaper price. I've been feeding some cheap block food since my only other option is paying $7/2lb of Mazuri or feeding dog food, so I've been feeding a mix of dog food and this block and everyone is doing fine on it. I have two mice that just had decent sized litters (19 babies total). I'm about to go check the dog food's ingredients and see if this would be an acceptable diet until I can get block. They are greasy on it and smell bad though, so maybe I won't use it once its gone. Can anyone recommend a diet that won't make them greasy but is a good price? (other than Mazuri and such, as I am having a hard time finding someone to order those types of foods)

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Have you thought about feeding a home made diet like this one? http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=28391

I feed a variation of that and my rats and mice do very well on it.

I just read the ingredients on the dog food I have for the rats as emergency food (though I have been feeding it to them on an almost daily basis because I have not gotten a bag of mazuri yet) has red #40 in it. :O Guess I'm just going to throw away what is left and stick with the block food I found.

I was thinking about doing a home-made diet but I'm going to wait and see if I can get some lab block ordered in for less than $30.

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Originally Posted by sassy-pants

Colorado. Why?

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curious where mazuri was $18/bag...

mine just hiked up an extra $5...and I buy it by the skid

Jay, (or anyone) try Kent rodent food. It's cheaper than Mazuri, and seems to be that a lot of feed retailers can order it.

Thanks! I'll stop by the store tomorrow and see if they can order it in for me. :D I just showed my husband some numbers on how many feeders we go through a month and while we only have 11 snakes, he was shocked at how many we go through and how much each one costs. I think I have the go ahead to start breeding more rats and mice. :D

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

curious where mazuri was $18/bag...

mine just hiked up an extra $5...and I buy it by the skid

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Might be shipping. AFAIK, there's a Purina factory around here in the state that makes the 6f, which would drop shipping costs a bunch. I might be wrong, but I remember my supplier saying something along those lines.

I just switched over from dogg food to kent 23% rodent diet and they love it and its only 13.50 for a 50lb. bag. it the only rat food I can gt with out spending 55 or so per bag. all my breeders are doiing real good so far on it my mice production seems to be doing real good and i dont think they are eating so much either.:)

Eric

I couldnt find any rodent food on the kent website.

I am relatively new to the forum but have been a (lurker) for some time now. I read as much as I can because you folks really put out a lot of good information in your threads. I have been raising a small colony of mice and rats for about 9 months now with all the info I have gleaned I now feed my stock a 50/50 mix of cheep 17% protein Retriever Dog food from Tractor Supply and Harlan Lab block.

I have two tubs of mice (1.4 each) that will not eat the Harlan and are doing horrible. They have thinning oily hair are fat and have stopped breeding. I am in process of stopping the dog food and feeding only the Harlan. The other 2 mice tubs and the 3.9 rats in their respective tubs are eating the Harlan mix and really look great and produce outstanding healthy litters. I was using only the Retriever Dog food at first but after contacting Harlan and finding a supplier about an hour away, I have begun to shift to a 100% Harlan diet. As I shift, I see my stock getting healthier and my litters are getting bigger. However, some rodents do not prefer the Harlan and I hope I can get them to accept it or I may have to replace them. I believe it is like anything else if you get the choice of Twinkies or broccoli, well you get my point even rats are what they eat.

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Originally Posted by pastorD

I have two tubs of mice (1.4 each) that will not eat the Harlan and are doing horrible. They have thinning oily hair are fat and have stopped breeding.

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How old are they? They may not be able to breed any more due to age. Old ex breeders tend to get fat.

They are about ten to eleven months old. I purchased all my breeders from two different breeders at the same time to get different lines to start with. I think it has to do with eating just the dog food as they devour that stuff super quickly and they smell very strong. The other tubs that eat the Harlan Mix do not smell as badly.