ASF food?

[carlisleishere]

I am looking for information on making my own ASF food. I was going to get mazuri 6F, but that was over 50 dollars for the 50 pound bag. I looked at hog feed as well, and there are no suppliers near to where I live. What food is good for them? I've heard that alfalfa should be avoided, as it is indigestable. I was looking at getting gerbil food (protein is at 15%), and mixing in some wild bird seed. I am looking for any help whatsoever, I need all the help I can get.

Thanks

[spitzu]

I've been feeding mine Ol' Roy dog food from Walmart for the past 6 months. I have no idea if that's a good idea or not, but it's cheap and the rats have been fine so far as I can tell.

[Rhasputin]

Go to any feed store and buy oats, millet, and barley in 50lb bags for $10, $14, and $15-20 accordingly.

Add in some sort of holistic dog food, that's the only thing that is expensive. And you'll have an okay mix. Use mostly the oats and barley.

You can also buy sweet feed for horses for $10 for $50lbs, and mix that in aswell. Brown rice, thistle seeds, pumpkin seeds, saflower seeds, sunflower seeds, brown and green lentils are all good things to mix in as well.


You might want to look over on the ASF forum, I've posted a list of foods that ASFs can and cannot eat, and it's a good thing to look at when you're thinking about mixing a food.
There are also several sites that suggest mixes for rats and mice, and these are both fine for use with ASFs. My mice, rats, ASFs, and spiny mice all eat the same diet, and are all fat and healthy, and raise great litters.

Here's a link to the ASF forum: http://www.asfrats.info/
And here's where the food list is posted: http://www.asfrats.info/viewtopic.ph...8&p=2476#p2476

[carlisleishere]

Rhasputin,
That was exactly what I was looking for, thanks!

[Rhasputin]

Welcome!

[Jeremy78]

Hey Carlisle,

If you want a cheap and good food for ASFs try lab block 5012. It's made by purina and is superior to anything I've ever tried.

I've tried: dog food, cat food, bird seed, mixing my own foods, leftovers....this stuff is way better.

Within a couple months of switching I noticed that the rats were already having bigger litters then I've ever recorded. They were taking care of all the pups in the litter. The pups were reaching size much quicker then before. All around better fOod.

Also the stuff comes in blocks so it is perfect for food hoppers! It costs me $30 a 50lb bag in Ontario.

[carlisleishere]

Jeremy78,
You are lucky then! I was looking at that Purina lab block, and unfortunately it was the same price as the Mazuri I was looking at. I was designing my tubs to use hoppers as well, and that has to change. Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it. If I find that Purina block or Mazuri for a half decent price I will definitely try it out.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Hog grower feed by purina is the best food period. It is the cheapest, at under 10 bucks for 50 lbs at any local feed store, and is all you need.

Sure, you can spend way more then that on a complicated mix of ingredients, or even rodent specific feed but the end result will be ASF's equal to or less healthy then mine who eat 100% hog feed their entire lives.

[Rhasputin]

Sure, you can spend way more then that on a complicated mix of ingredients, or even rodent specific feed but the end result will be ASF's equal to or less healthy then mine who eat 100% hog feed their entire lives.

Not true. If you feed any animal a more varied, and species specific diet with carefully measured amounts of nutrients, they will always be more healthy than an animal fed a non varied, cheap diet.

Dog food is a good example of this.
Dogs have lived on crummy corn and soy dog food for a long time, and they seem to get on okay.
But a dog fed a holistic diet, or even a raw diet, is much healthier, has a better coat, better teeth, better lifespan etc. The cost is directly an effect of the good quality ingredients.

I can guarantee my ASFs have a better coat, and longer lifespans than yours, and i'm not saying that you aren't allowed to do your hog food thing. But in my case i need my asfs to grow large, and have nice beautiful coats and long lifespans, whereas you do not.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

LOL, no offense Rhasputin but honestely, in this instance, you are full of crap. Seriously. I guarantee you that my rats are just as healthy, live just as long, get as big or bigger, and have just as many babies. How do I know this? Do some reading and find out.

To the OP, go ahead and feed the complciated stuff if you'd like. We all do it in the beginning as Rasputin suggests. In a couple years when you get tired of the hassle, switch over to what I am suggesting. When you see the same exact results you will laugh at yourself and understand what I am talking about. Even better yet, keep the detailed spreadsheets of all data just as I did in case you start to second guess yourself.

Rasputin is the kind of person that would would argue with a 114 year old person that they have been eating wrong their entire lives...


LOL