What rodent chow you guys use? I've tried them all including good ol cheap ass dog food...I'm using Kent 23% now and I like it...Cheap too - $12 a 50 lb bag...

I use horse crunch and sun flower seeds.

Right now im just using cheap dog food. They seem to be doing great with it and production is really good.Also BT how many rats do you produce a month?Do you have any pics of your rat room?:D

I use F-R-M rodent feed for the breeders. 23% protein , 9% fat and it does OK but I'm thinking of supplementing it with 25% protein 23% fat dog food. I weas paying $10 a 50 lb bag for the F-R-M but due to ther push for Ethanol it is now $20 a bag since the main ingredient is corn.

I use Sweetfeed for the mice & ASF feeders supplemented with cattle range blocks that are 23% protein , 3% fat and the rat feeders get straight cattle range block.

Right now im just using cheap dog food. They seem to be doing great with it and production is really good.Also BT how many rats do you produce a month?Do you have any pics of your rat room?:D

I have 16 breeder tubs - I do 1.4 and average around 16 per litter so I'd say in the neighborhood of 1000 a month...I do a small number of mice and ASF's too...Mice suck...I'll have to get some pics -

I use mazuri. Its starting to get expensive. People say they use dog food, but what kind to get?

I use Mazuri 6F, $21 for a 50lb bag.

I use mazuri. Its starting to get expensive. People say they use dog food, but what kind to get?

What you want to look for is a dog food with no dyes a high protein level ( 20% or higher ) and a fat % of at least 12%.

Dyes - The rodents can't expel most of the food dyes from their system and they can cause problems with your collection as I've read the reptiles can't expel them either.

Protein content - Mommas need a lot of this to pump out the litters. Low protein is one of the main causes of litter eating.

Fat content - Mommas need this for the milk to keep it rich enough to feed all them hungry mouths. Protein plays a role in this too but a good fat content makes for better litters.

I have been using the mazuri 6F for awhile and we did use dog food in the past. Both work fine but I like the mazuri with the caging I am using since it doesn't all just fall into the cages.

we use mazuri 5m30. we pay 16.90 a bag. Not much more than good quality dog food. The cheap stuff contains red dye which we were told can be toxic to the snakes. DP

Harlan is what I use. I am lucky and have one 10 minutes from the house.......

I have been using the mazuri 6F for awhile and we did use dog food in the past. Both work fine but I like the mazuri with the caging I am using since it doesn't all just fall into the cages.

That's the problem I've been having. All the dog food is kibble sized chunks now.

That's the problem I've been having. All the dog food is kibble sized chunks now.

I was using some good size chunk (wouldn't fall thru your racks) dog food from Tractor Supply - It's called "Doggie Bags"...$12 a 50 lb bag - Pretty cheap stuff - Price and quality...

I'll have to check there next time I go. All I can find locally is kibble sized.

Thanks, some good info.

Since we switched over to Mazuri I have found my rats having larger litters as well on a consist basis.

I use Purina Rat Diet, which I am told is the same as Mazuri. It is $26 for a 50lb bag at my local feed store.

I am using Mazuri 6F right now, I only have 17 total rat tubs going at the moment, but it is getting expensive to feed these rats at 26.99 per 50 pound bag. BT I just searched for the Kent Food, and I don't have a distributor within 100 miles of me. I have heard Sow Cubes work great and the protein and fat percentage is perfect for rats, but my local feed stores don't carry it.

I use Harlan. My rodents love it.

What rodent chow you guys use? I've tried them all including good ol cheap ass dog food...I'm using Kent 23% now and I like it...Cheap too - $12 a 50 lb bag...


I was using Harlan until they put the big :):):):) to us all.

And where the hell you find Kent at? PLEASE SHARE!!

I was using Harlan until they put the big :):):):) to us all.

And where the hell you find Kent at? PLEASE SHARE!!

I had the local "The Tractor Supply" company start carrying it...

I had the local "The Tractor Supply" company start carrying it...

Yeah the one buy my house is ran by a prick. If it aint in the store already he aint wasting his time ordering anything special. Old #%$#$%@%!!

Yeah the one buy my house is ran by a prick. If it aint in the store already he aint wasting his time ordering anything special. Old #%$#$%@%!!

Yep we have to use 2 different little private operated garden centers to get it now, they only order it when they put in dog food orders which isn't as often as we need...tried to even get them to call when they are going to order and I will come in and prepay for multiple bags but they won't/can't/refuse to do it...

That's a shame...The manager at mine is cool as a fan...

I use Purina Lab Diet 5001, I think it works great for my rats. I've been using it for quite awhile with good litter production:
http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn399/ArabesqueBoa/DSC01919.jpg
http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn399/ArabesqueBoa/DSC01923.jpg

I use Purina Lab Diet 5001, I think it works great for my rats. I've been using it for quite awhile with good litter production:

Same here. I use the same stuff and really like it.

Chad and or Eddie,

What are you guys paying for a 50 pound bag?

I pay $29.70 for a 50 lb bag locally. Pretty high but not much of a choice in my area.

I pay $29.70 for a 50 lb bag locally. Pretty high but not much of a choice in my area.

I pay $26 at the local feed store.

What rodent chow you guys use? I've tried them all including good ol cheap ass dog food...I'm using Kent 23% now and I like it...Cheap too - $12 a 50 lb bag...

Hey BT I went to the Kent website and can't find which food has the 23% protein? There is a dealer 9 miles from me though.

Up here in Canada I use horse crunch or beef range cubes they work great a lot cheaper than dog food around $11.00 for a 50 lbs. bag been using it for well over 15 years now . I figure if this will keep a 1200 pound horse healthy it should be kust fine for a one pound rat or a two ounce mouse.

I used to use Frm. But found the smell was horrible. It appears that alot of the fat in their product came from Chicken fat. Not sure why that made the rats smell worse, but it did. I currently use Southern States Hog Cube.
About 12 dollars a bag for 50 lbs. I do supplement it with seed. I have been using it off and on for 5 or so years. A friend has been suing it for alot longer. Seems to work. Even if you just mix it with the Mazurai it would lower your food bill. Todd

I use Mazuri... 25$ for a 50lb bag and it lasts me quite some time... I'm only feeding 30 rats so its worked out nicely for me. Hopefully will have my first litter in a couple weeks so Ill know how well it works then.

Mazuri 6F for me also......

one thing that helps and I'm sure it varies by the area your in and the show schedule, but every time I go to shows, I stock up on the Mazuri - straight from their table. I believe the last time I bought 4 or 5 bags and it was $16/50lb which kicks ass over any feed store. If I run out between shows, I end up going to the feed store and paying about $25 when its all said and done. Thats $16 for a 50Lb bag! I'm guessing thats what they wholesale the stuff at??

Mazuri for me as well. Ive tried other brands but Im sticking with Mazuri. It doesnt stink, they eat it and thrive on it.

We have been using the Ziegler Rodent RQ 18-6 and seem to have good results with it. The rats and ASF's all like it. We have also used Nutro Natural Choice dog food. The rats seemed to like it also but I was paying way to much for that.

I've had great success with Mazuri. However, it's about $19 a bag now. I was paying around $12 a year ago. Another feed store around me sells FRM. They have two versions. FRM-15 and FRM-25. The FRM 15% is about $12 a bag. The FRM 25% is about $17 a 50lb bag. I'm going to stick to a mix of the two for awhile and see how my production is.

I tried ol-roy dog food from WalMart. The rats love it. However, I looked and it has dyes in it.

This is what I use. A buddy has been using this for years. I do give them a little seed mixture to make up for the low fat. But at 11.99 a 50 pound bag it seems to work for me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmshaffer/3013102998/sizes/m/
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3006/3013102982_7225e21818.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3048/3013102998_530c2a1067.jpg

I bounce around to different dog foods. I have been using the complete nutrition bag from sams club. It's like $17 a bag. It has 21% protien and like 12% fat I think. It's identical to Purina dog chow. I also tried some alpo this week it seems to be ok. I would go to track supply but the closest one is like 30 min away.



Bt I would like to see your rat set-up as well.

Is that a block type food smilin?? I'm going to have to check that out..

Alan