I shall have ALL the babies!

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Originally Posted by tejanastar

I usually get 4 females to 1 male. When they get pregnant I put 2 in each aquarium and keep the male separate. So they have bonded before time. I have tried lab blocks, but they are not only expensive at PetCo/PetSmart, but they also only eat a little of it, then put the block down, and grab another, then put it down, and since they don't eat it all, I notice that if I don't refill their dish that they refuse to eat. So, I have to throw out the 1/2 eaten blocks and put new in. It was such a waste of money for me. So, as soon as they get pregnant I start feeding them hard-boiled or scrambled eggs, also apple cores, almonds, and a good variety of food. I have talked to other rodent breeders and they told me to go get puppy chow or another good protein dog food small enough bites for them to eat. That is what I am using now.

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A lot of feed or tractor supply stores will carry Mazuri block, otherwise there's another brand that I'm blanking on right now, Nature Farm or something? They have much cheaper shipping than Mazuri does. If you like making your own mix, or if it is that much more cost-effective for you, look up the Suebee rodent mix, it's one you can make at home that covers all the dietary needs. You can alter or supplement it as you like, but use it as a reference to make sure you're getting all their needs met. If you want to just use dog food, it should be either "diet" or "elderly dog" food, that comes the closest to meeting rat's diet needs.

Rats do tend to be "grazers", nibbling at blocks. Just measure out the amount each cage should get (depending on what you're feeding them, this will change obviously. With my rats I just eyeball it, roughly 6 blocks per rat in the cage), and just give them that much per day. If they want to eat wastefully, they'll figure out pretty quickly that that's not gonna work.

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Originally Posted by LotusCorvus

A lot of feed or tractor supply stores will carry Mazuri block, otherwise there's another brand that I'm blanking on right now, Nature Farm or something? They have much cheaper shipping than Mazuri does. If you like making your own mix, or if it is that much more cost-effective for you, look up the Suebee rodent mix, it's one you can make at home that covers all the dietary needs. You can alter or supplement it as you like, but use it as a reference to make sure you're getting all their needs met. If you want to just use dog food, it should be either "diet" or "elderly dog" food, that comes the closest to meeting rat's diet needs.

Rats do tend to be "grazers", nibbling at blocks. Just measure out the amount each cage should get (depending on what you're feeding them, this will change obviously. With my rats I just eyeball it, roughly 6 blocks per rat in the cage), and just give them that much per day. If they want to eat wastefully, they'll figure out pretty quickly that that's not gonna work.

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When I first started breeding rats I bought the 3lb. bag of Lab Blocks at PetCo for I think about $8. I would give them some blocks, then in the morning, I would look and they would all be half eaten, so I would pick them up from the bedding, clean them off and put them all back into the bowl again, then the next morning I would notice that they wouldn't eat. I would leave it and check again the next morning, after about the 4th morning, I would feel bad and change their food, so I just started changing the food everyday and that 3lb bag for $8 lasted about 1 1/2 weeks! How would I get them to learn to eat all the block not just "what they want" Rats are smart! My mom has owned pet rats for 4 years. Her last one died of RI and was 3yrs old. That Rat was so big it was about the size of a dinner plate. Couldn't even walk, had to drag its legs behind him. That was the biggest Rat (besides sewer, which is completely different anyway) that I have ever seen. So, I have learned that Rats are WAY to smart for their own good!!! lol

Thanks for all the information. =) Congrats on your new babies! =):)

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Originally Posted by tejanastar

When I first started breeding rats I bought the 3lb. bag of Lab Blocks at PetCo for I think about $8. I would give them some blocks, then in the morning, I would look and they would all be half eaten, so I would pick them up from the bedding, clean them off and put them all back into the bowl again, then the next morning I would notice that they wouldn't eat. I would leave it and check again the next morning, after about the 4th morning, I would feel bad and change their food, so I just started changing the food everyday and that 3lb bag for $8 lasted about 1 1/2 weeks! How would I get them to learn to eat all the block not just "what they want" Rats are smart! My mom has owned pet rats for 4 years. Her last one died of RI and was 3yrs old. That Rat was so big it was about the size of a dinner plate. Couldn't even walk, had to drag its legs behind him. That was the biggest Rat (besides sewer, which is completely different anyway) that I have ever seen. So, I have learned that Rats are WAY to smart for their own good!!! lol

Thanks for all the information. =) Congrats on your new babies! =):)

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No problem, and thank you! :D

Rats really are way too smart. I've also never seen a rat willingly starve themself, so if there's left over food, then they most likely ate their fill. I'm really lucky that I live in range of the Scott Smith All Animal expo, so I can get a 50# bag of Mazuri for cheap (as long as I get there around opening, they sell out FAST). I give them fresh blocks each morning, unless I notice they still have a good pile of leftovers, then I'll skip a day. Eventually I'll be switching over to rat racks though, which will be nice. Then I can just fill the 'trough' section of the screen over their tubs, and only be able to see who needs more food at a glance.

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Originally Posted by LotusCorvus

No problem, and thank you! :D

Rats really are way too smart. I've also never seen a rat willingly starve themself, so if there's left over food, then they most likely ate their fill. I'm really lucky that I live in range of the Scott Smith All Animal expo, so I can get a 50# bag of Mazuri for cheap (as long as I get there around opening, they sell out FAST). I give them fresh blocks each morning, unless I notice they still have a good pile of leftovers, then I'll skip a day. Eventually I'll be switching over to rat racks though, which will be nice. Then I can just fill the 'trough' section of the screen over their tubs, and only be able to see who needs more food at a glance.

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That is what I was hoping to do this last month, but "something" came up. Isn't that crazy that right when you think you have the money to do something and then BAM "something" comes up. This month it was an unexpected bill. :mad: What ya gonna do?? :rolleyes: Anyway, I was researching that rat rack system and on Youtube Justin Kobylka shows a really good detailed way of doing it. Im hopefully going to do it next month or the beginning of next year. lol. Thanks for all the info! You are very knowledgeable. :):gj: