Best food on a budget

[Gizmo]

What is the best asf food for someone like me on a budget? I was buying mazuri, but they are hard to find here... I read something about pig food... is that good for them? It has to be cheaper if I get it at the farm store... right?

[Rhasputin]

Sow and piglet pellets from Tractor supply is what I get. It's $16 per bag. The only downside is it gets wasted, because the pellets are so small. So make sure you feed them only what they can eat, or it'll just get peed on and wasted.

[Gizmo]

I made food hoppers with 1/4 hardware wire, will they fall through that?

[Rhasputin]

Maybe. Probably. I haven't tried it yet. I just toss mine on the bedding.

[ROACH]

I have been giving my rats Pedigree Dog food here lately. Its got big chunks.

[The Serpent Merchant]

I have been giving my rats Pedigree Dog food here lately. Its got big chunks.

Dog food really isn't any good for rodents...

[ROACH]

Ive fed them dog food off and on for several years and havent had any problems. Mostly I give them Mazuri, but I switched them every few months. Back when I stared breeding rats, the rat breeders I talked to told me thats all they feed their rats was dog food. I just decided to switch back and forth.

[Gizmo]

Maybe. Probably. I haven't tried it yet. I just toss mine on the bedding.

How big are the pieces of food? In relation to say a pelleted cat/small animal litter are they thinner or thicker?

I won't feed my rats dog food, it makes their pee smell terrible.

[Rhasputin]

Dog food is good in a mix, but not as a main diet.

The pieces are a bit smaller than cat food or dog food. They look exactly like rabbit pellets.
Size is my only complaint. They fall through the bars on my lab bins, but they only have bars going one way, and I think they're 1/4 inch. Mesh might make a difference though.

[Gizmo]

I have seen, at least with fancy rats and mice, that dog food will make their pee smell really strong, even in a mix.

The hoppers I made are 1/4 inch mesh. I think it will be okay.