Dog Food For Rats?

rats arent popular pets here and there are no available rodent foods like mazuri,harlan and zeigler here, so the only thing available that's big enough not to go through my 1/2 inch mesh is dog food. i was wondering if this might affect their breeding, litter size etc..

i would like to hear from your experiences. thank you very much.

raymond

I've been feeding dog food for a couple of years, seems to work OK though I have been supplementing a bit with table scraps lately.

Isn't it too high on protein alone? I am hoping that someone with a more scientific background than I will chime in. I know that many use the higher-quality dog food in their mixes.
I would see about mail-ordering lab blocks offline. I use the SunSeed brand name.

Depends on the Dog food. I use a brand that has 18% protein, which is the same as most rodent chows. You have to shop around a bit to find the right one.

this is what i am hoping to feed them:
Crude Protein min 21%
Crude Fat min 10%
Fibre max 3.5%
Moisture approx 8%

the name of the brand is vitality classic.

what are the negative effects on feeding them a high protein diet?:confuzd:

thank you

raymond

Make sure there are no dye's in the dog food.

yes, i already made sure that there are no red dyes and vitality is not part of the food recall by the fda.

thank you.

Raymond

There are rats out there with allergies to certain food products, and having too high of protein can cause skin problems, and internal organ problems, and I think urinary tract problems.
I don't know the specifics, but it's best to get dog food that has no more than 18% protein for nursing mothers. I think 21% is too high, and your better off mimicking Mazuri or Harlan for percentages of protein, fiber, and ingredients.

I could be massively wrong about this, perhaps Becky will chime in on the specifics.

Raymond, have you tried contacting feed stores in your area? They may be able to order the rodent block for you if they don't stock it already.

Yea, where are you located, I'm sure there are some members close by or have been around that can help you locate some rat feed. ;)