hello im new to breeding rats. I keep seeing a lot of people who saying dog food isn't a good choice to feed rats. I have been feeding ol'roy that has the high protein and high fat. 27% protein and 13% fat. they love it. I also keep seeing that you should keep the protein under 20%. my thoughts is that if females are breeding heavily wouldn't they want as much protein and fat as they can especially when they are nursing? As im new to this im just looking for tips. I haven't been able to find a good supplier of mazuri anywhere. I live in Wichita ks. I aslo give them carrots and celery everyday which they love. I pay 22 bucks a bag for the dog food currently. is there any reason I should switch to something else? im having high numbers in my breeding. babies range anywhere from 12 to 18 per litter and haven't lost a 1. I have about 150 females that are about 8 to 10 weeks old but haven't produced a litter yet. when can I expect them to start breeding? any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks