Cheap feed from farm stores for mice and rats?

[JayRo626]

Okay, so I currently make my own mix of food, but I'm wanting to expand my rat/mouse breeding project. So, the current food will get way to expensive. I want some food that's convenient for me to get though, and cheap. So, does any one know of any feed that they sell at like, Tractor Supply or Rural King, for around $10-$15 for a 50lb bag? Like, this feed

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...b?cm_vc=-10005

Idk if you could feed this to them, but the price is awesome. (Nine bucks for fifty pounds!!)

Thanks!

[BCS]

I am no pro on rats but I know that I use 16% protein hog feed and chicken scratch for my ASFs. Costs me about 35$ for both bags about 45kg per bag. Both bags last me about 8 months for the 5 colonies I have. With mice you do not want to feed more then 13% protein and I know my farm store here sells 13% hog feed as well mixed with bird seed.

I am not an expert on mice and have no clue about rats at all. But 13% hog feed and chicken scratch/bird seed will be fine for mice.

[Paul's Pieds]

when i used to breed my own rodents i always used commercial pig feed. they will eat anything and this is much cheaper than rodent food. i supplemented their diet with household leftovers. any veg that was getting too old to look nice i would add to the feed. sometimes i would buy a huge bucket of carrots or apples that are usually sold as horse feed. these are actually fit for human consumption even but often rejected as not being a nice shape for supermarkets.

[bondo]

Here is some cheap rodent food for you. http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...g?cm_vc=-10005

[Rhasputin]

If you order from Pet360 your first order gets 20% off, and if you order 5 50lb bags of native earth rodent block it comes out to $80 with free shipping (regularly $100 with free shipping) So that's less than $20 per bag for your first order, and $20 per bag after that.

You can also use pig food, but you HAVE TO check the nutrition information to make sure that it's close to rodent chow. I used I THINK Mazuri Sow and piglet feed? Something like that.

Keep in mind the pig food is cheaper (about $16 a bag) but it also gets wasted more than the blocks.

It's basically down to preference. I recently switched from pig food to Pet360 orders of lab block.

[Rhasputin]

I am no pro on rats but I know that I use 16% protein hog feed and chicken scratch for my ASFs. Costs me about 35$ for both bags about 45kg per bag. Both bags last me about 8 months for the 5 colonies I have. With mice you do not want to feed more then 13% protein and I know my farm store here sells 13% hog feed as well mixed with bird seed.

I am not an expert on mice and have no clue about rats at all. But 13% hog feed and chicken scratch/bird seed will be fine for mice.

With mice you actually want to look for about 18% protein, and no more. 13% is WAYYYYYYY low for rodents. Check any professional mouse diet, and I doubt you will see the protein levels dip below 16% because that can lead to canibalism. Too much (over 20%) can lead to alergic reactions and hot spots also.

[francisco_24]

Can I ask what brand of pig food you were feeding?

I was getting 200 lbs of lab block from pet360 for around $87 (tax included) but they are no longer offering the 20% coupon and shipping is now $4.99 on top of the price increase(up to $103.99) . The total for my last order was $117 and some change. A $30 increase just from my last order so now here I am searching for a possible alternative.

Thanks.

If you order from Pet360 your first order gets 20% off, and if you order 5 50lb bags of native earth rodent block it comes out to $80 with free shipping (regularly $100 with free shipping) So that's less than $20 per bag for your first order, and $20 per bag after that.

You can also use pig food, but you HAVE TO check the nutrition information to make sure that it's close to rodent chow. I used I THINK Mazuri Sow and piglet feed? Something like that.

Keep in mind the pig food is cheaper (about $16 a bag) but it also gets wasted more than the blocks.

It's basically down to preference. I recently switched from pig food to Pet360 orders of lab block.

[Tsanford]

Can I ask what brand of pig food you were feeding?

I was getting 200 lbs of lab block from pet360 for around $87 (tax included) but they are no longer offering the 20% coupon and shipping is now $4.99 on top of the price increase(up to $103.99) . The total for my last order was $117 and some change. A $30 increase just from my last order so now here I am searching for a possible alternative.

Thanks.

My first order was from here, great stuff. I was going to try and order again since I pay 25 locally for Mazuri.

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[Rhasputin]

Fransisco, I can't recall what the brand was. It came in a big green bag and I think it was called 'sow and piglet' formula. It was probably Purina brand, as it came from tractor supply company.

[PitOnTheProwl]

I tried to order last week and they are not doing the free shipping.