What do you feed your mice

1) lab block
2) dog food ( bag)
3) other
4) food leftovers

Mazuri 6F and leftovers.

6f and other stuff

what is 6f?

type of lab block from Mazuri

Harlan Teklad 8604.

So other than supplementals... ASFs, mice, rats, can all subsist on a staple such as Mazuri or Harland (?)... just asking as I have all 3 and have decided to stop mixing my own, and want to start using a premixed feed for my breeders.

Bruce

I feed my Mice mouse food i get from petco its called Sunseed Vita- plus for mice. I have noticed this makes their poo a funny shade of yellow so I'm going to switch them to Lab blocks. Can I get that at pet co too?

I feed my mice and my rats Mazuri rodent diet and the breeding female rats get 6F. I get it from Blue Seal feeds for about $25 for the rodent and I think $40 for the 6F can't remember though it lasts a while lol.

My mice get the same as my rats. I use hog feed from Southern States. I know many rodent breeders that use this food too. I myself have used this food for over 3 years now. Price runs 12.50 per 50 lb bag.

Just got a small mouse colony today, but bred rats/mice before.
Harlan Teklad 8604
Brown's Hamster Seed Mix
Leftovers

I'm going to be switching the Harlan because the petstore just discontinued it. I'm currently checking into different poultry feeds for the correct nutrient levels and ingredients to feed to the rodents. The hamster mix I use for several reasons. One, it gives them a little bit of stimulation, two, it can keep them healthier, with the necessary oils and such in the seeds that the blocks don't always provide. The leftovers are fed to add more variety (and stimulation), and because I'm a stickler for not wasting food.

Teklad 2018

Basically anything I can get my hands on. Fresh veggies/fruits, bagged mice food, dog food, dog treats, random leftovers. Lol!

Question about hog feed: Have the effects of excessive copper in snakes been studied? (For that matter, how do the rats fare with that much copper in their diet?) I was tempted by hog feed as well, as it seems nutritionally to be VERY similar to rat lab block...but that copper really put me off). There's enough copper in hog feed to kill a sheep who gets into it and eats it.

What might that do to our reptiles?

Copper is so heavily supplemented in hogs because they have a HUGE tolerance to it, and it's believed to help them put on weight faster. They're given megadoses of it, it's almost impossible to find a hog feed that doesn't contain loads of copper. Excessive copper can cause digestive problems and liver and kidney disease.

So, do ball pythons have a high tolerance for copper...or a low tolerance? Not knowing the answer to that question, I would never feed them rodents raised on hog feed. Those rodents certainly will contain large amounts of copper.

Information on the dangers of excessive copper in sheep: http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/coppertox.html

A very unknown risk for our animals. It's a shame, because hog feed IS very cheap, and comes in convenient blocks.

Other:

Blue bag cat food from wally-world.

My Mice:
Lab blocks, either Mazuri or the brand petco carries depending on where I manage to shop when I run out.
The pregnant and nursing ones also get some good quality dog food because the petco brand lab blocks are a little low on protein.

My Rats:
Have the lab blocks available at all times but also get a bowl of seed mix once weekly, and get treats in the form of dog food and yogis.... I'm a little attached to my rats. :D

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Mazuri 6F and leftovers.

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Most of my leftovers go to the rats, but ditto on the 6F.

Rats and mice both get lab block, sunflower seeds, and bird seed mixture.

Mine get what is left over in my big bag of rabbit food when we had one. They eat everything but the little pellets picky mice. Once that is gone I will prolly end up feeding them the $65 dollar bag of Wellness dog food since I get it free.

My own variation of Becky's Rodent Mix, plus Mazuri block and Science Diet senior dog food. With this mix I haven't lost a single litter, except once due to crowding issues. :)

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Question about hog feed: There's enough copper in hog feed to kill a sheep who gets into it and eats it.

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what is that doing to US is my questions!!:weirdface I currently feed Mazuri 6f, but when it's gone I am switching to FRM rodent feed. Half the price.

My rats and mice all eat the same thing, i get dog food but they also get some puffed rice/wheat cerial, and leftovers, and anything anyone gives me to eat that I think is gross.
(all I get comes from Walmart, the only store in town that has animal suplies-aside from the more expensive ranch suply store)

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Originally Posted by grammie

what is that doing to US is my questions!!:weirdface I currently feed Mazuri 6f, but when it's gone I am switching to FRM rodent feed. Half the price.

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What is FRM?

I can't find f6 for the life of my in my area currently feeding Mazuri Rat and Mouse diet, but I noticed this contains more crude protein (about 23%) is that bad?

I don't breed mice, but do rats. I feed the rats Purinas Lab Diet 5001.

i breed asf rats and feed them a special asf formula from kent
16.00 for a 50lb bag

I buy a rat or two at a time to feed my BP. I don't have them long enough to feed them anything special. Whatever's around.

Harlan 2018 .. I get bigger litters and bigger babies(kittens) compared to the waxy looking rat pellets with high fat.

Lately I've been feeding a mix of lab block (Harlan) and Dog food. I keep meaning to give them table scraps too but I keep forgetting.

I feed my rodents a 50/50 diet. 50% of their diet is made up of fresh fruits, veggies, grains, cooked egg, and cooked meats. The other half is made up of Mazuri brand lab blocks.

I use Sand Valley Rodent lab block. $21/40lbs.. I'd love to find a lower cost option that they'd still do good on, as I use about 50lbs. a week.

my mice get rabbit food, as its the cheapest thing here.. the rats get the same rabbit food, but also half a slice of bread per rat aswell, and any eadable leftovers from dinner etc. they often end up with a lot of veggies

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Originally Posted by cornmorphs

my mice get rabbit food, as its the cheapest thing here.. the rats get the same rabbit food, but also half a slice of bread per rat aswell, and any eadable leftovers from dinner etc. they often end up with a lot of veggies

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The problem with that is that rabbit food usually contains a great deal of alfalfa which rats can not digest very well.

I would have also thought rabbit food would be much too low in protein, as rabbits are strict herbivores, and rats and mice are omnivores.

By the way, I found the copper stats on lab block, and discovered it's already as high as it is in most pig feeds. That puts pig feed back on the table as a good alternative.

Both my mice and my rats receive an assortment of goodies. Their staple consists of Forti-Diet, mixed with a general "rodent" blend of loops, seeds and dried fruit. On top of this I give them all fresh pieces of fruits and vegetables (just be careful not to give Legume heavy items or things that could cause gas troubles). I find that bananas, peaches and apples are great fruit sources. Carrots, cabbage, lettuce...even cucumbers are great vegetable sources. I also feed them a decent amount of protein, such as peanut butter, pieces of cooked chicken or pork chops. As stated earlier, mice and rats are omnivorous, so a good balanced selection of foods really makes for healthier happier rodents. ;)

Sow cubes...

I'm learning more by reading this thread, had no idea I could feed dog food to these breeders! Now, that goes for both mice AND rats?

I have Purina Dog Chow for our dog, who also gets table scraps every so often.

But, I bought this bag of Rabbit, Gerbil and Other Small Animals with alfalfa hay but it seems like mice just ground it up and make a dust pile out of it, the rats won't even touch it so they've been stickin' to scraps?

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Originally Posted by revxus

I'm learning more by reading this thread, had no idea I could feed dog food to these breeders! Now, that goes for both mice AND rats?

I have Purina Dog Chow for our dog, who also gets table scraps every so often.

But, I bought this bag of Rabbit, Gerbil and Other Small Animals with alfalfa hay but it seems like mice just ground it up and make a dust pile out of it, the rats won't even touch it so they've been stickin' to scraps?

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Mice/rats don't need roughage like alfalfa. You basically wasted your money. Rabbits have different food needs than gerbils/rats/mice/hamsters. I just buy my mice gerbil/hamster food. They do quite well on it. I get an average of 5 or six mouse pups per litter.

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Originally Posted by Raptor

Mice/rats don't need roughage like alfalfa. You basically wasted your money. Rabbits have different food needs than gerbils/rats/mice/hamsters. I just buy my mice gerbil/hamster food. They do quite well on it. I get an average of 5 or six mouse pups per litter.

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I take that back, it's actually a Western Timothy Hay Essentials bag, 3lb bought at Walmart, and Petco employees said it was ok as long as it said "small animals" anyway, I think they're wrong just as much as I am. They're just grinding up the food and sleeping on it?

hi! i feed a mixture of small seeds (about 30 components, i have no idea what they are called in english :oops:), fresh and dried herbs/blossoms/vegetables, living and dried insects, cat or ferret food,...

my basic mix for ASFs
http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/u...ausels-086.jpg
...and for mice.
http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/u...h_weisse37.jpg

Rodent chow (Valley and Mazuri)
Cat food
Corn (cobs)
Apples
Oranges
Hotdogs (for fat content)
Left over chicken (again for fat content).

Rodent Chows and Catfood are mixed and served
Hotdogs or left over chicken once a week at cleaning time (especially to the nursing rats to reduce cannibalism),

Finally, I usually throw in on sale apples, oranges and corn every other week or so it's not set in stone, but this is basically their menu.

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Originally Posted by broadude

Rodent chow (Valley and Mazuri)
Cat food
Corn (cobs)
Apples
Oranges
Hotdogs (for fat content)
Left over chicken (again for fat content).

Rodent Chows and Catfood are mixed and served
Hotdogs or left over chicken once a week at cleaning time (especially to the nursing rats to reduce cannibalism),

Finally, I usually throw in on sale apples, oranges and corn every other week or so it's not set in stone, but this is basically their menu.

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All beef, pork or Kosher hotdogs? *lol* But really, beef or pork? Or does it matte?

I switched all my rodents over to hog food, like many have talked about, due to the expense of trying to obtain a decent rodent food. For the mice I have switched to a hog food with an 18 % protein in hopes of getting a bit bigger litters. The 16 % has worked awesome for the soft furred and rats but think the mice need a little more to get the average litter size where I think it outta be!

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Originally Posted by revxus

All beef, pork or Kosher hotdogs? *lol* But really, beef or pork? Or does it matte?

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I don't read the labels...I assume it does not matter. It's the fat content that I am trying to provide to the nursing mothers (so that they don't have to cannibalize the kits). I continue to get big plump litters until the dams are too old...then the numbers produced by that particular dam decrease...

I could be waaay off but this works for me, so I see no reason to change it, and I'd be happy to show pics of my litters of rats and mice anytime.:)

high protein dog food...22.5%

Pitoon

I feed a mix of 16% protein pig feed and 23% protein lab blocks.

pedigree large breed for my feeders.

Regular Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet

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Originally Posted by Weapon-x

What is FRM?

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Its a rodent pellet that can be found in the southeastern states(AL, FL, GA, SC). We feed FRM to our asf's, mice, and rats.

http://www.frmfeeds.com/80712/74012.html

cheese!:banana: