I give a 20% protein lab block. I tried a 14% and my rats didn't do as well on it.... they seem to thrive on the 20% protein lab block.

Meat is a very occassional treat, and I only give pieces about the size of my pinky nail. Once or twice a year I will cook and egg and give it to them to have fun with, but it is far too much protein to give often especially with the staple I am feeding.

 

Is blocks pretty much their primary diet? I've looked all over for a good block that I could get near by, but I could never find one, and it's too much of a pain in the butt for me to order them online. Shipping prices kill me! What brand do you use?

 

Yes, my rats get mainly free fed lab block.

Some veggies if we happen to be eating them at dinner.

I'm lucky and a local feed company actually manufactures a lab block. It is based off of a Purina diet though, and then just modified slightly.

 

Just started feeding Mazuri 6F (16% protein)...the rats love it. I free-feed lab blocks, with veggies, occasional fruit and occasional protein.
Before this I was feeding LabDiet 5001...much higher protein but it was all I could get at the time.

 

picasso sorts her food and avoids the mazuri lab-blocks like the plague, so i throw in soynuts for her since they're an awesome source of protein with no salts or other useless crap. i don't think she eats very many of those either though, and since she's hairless she needs a little bit more protein than mozart, so she gets chicken and egg sometimes.

 

I use buy in the bag rat food (apparently compleate diets) but top up with what i'm eating but usually before its cooked so there no added stuff. If giving them protien I also just give them tiny bits-they go mad of tuna. Tonight Im at my grans and we had roast lamb-I dont cook meat like that so they're getting the bone to chew seens as its their holidays