[kancerr]

is there any rat mixes that dont have dried corn? right now the best i can do for them is mix the mix seed stuff with lab blocks and some senior dog food and pastas as their daily food. ive yet to find a rat mix that doesnt have dried corn in it. any suggestions? may be websites that sell mixes?

 

[KayRatz]

I wouldn't use a mix at all. :\ I make my own mix, though I don't quite remember the recipe. A modification of SueBee's.

 

[CaptainFlow]

Seed mixes are no good at all, far too high in fat and lacking in nutritional necessity.

Take a look at the Suebees. Then, just head to the store and pick out some good cereals (make sure one of them is Total, and make sure that the sugar levels are as low as possible! No rice crispies. Kashi is usually a good brand) and some rolled oats. It's super cheap this way, too. I made some Suebees with all the bells and whistles, cost me maybe $15 and it's lasted well over four months.

 

[KayRatz]

I basically grab whatever is healthy and looks good, my rats aren't picky at all, they eat everything. I also mixed in some dog food and occasionally feed lab blocks.

 

[CaptainFlow]

I basically grab whatever is healthy and looks good, my rats aren't picky at all, they eat everything. I also mixed in some dog food and occasionally feed lab blocks.

Make sure that your staple diet is nutritionally complete. "Occasional" lab blocks might be leaving them with deficiencies. I use HT blocks and only feed small handfulls of Suebees to distract my girls from the fact that I'm leaving (one small pile in front of their faces distracts them long enough for a guilt-free getaway!). Mixes should not be a staple, just a treat.
And what kind of dog food? Most isn't any good for rats, it's too high in protein. Take a look at the diet sticky to make sure you're using one that's good for your babies!

 

[KayRatz]

It's very very low protein, like 16%. Trust me, I know what I'm doing :] Did my research long ago. Feeding lab blocks more often does sound like a good idea, though.

EDIT: Here's the link to the dog food I am using:

Click!