# What food for rats?



## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

Okay so I know most people round here make their own mix but I really don't have time to order everything at the moment so I was just wondering if anybody knew a decent lab block or all ready mix that I could buy of the internet (a link would be really useful)

I been looking at Harlan Teklad and Oxbow but it's all american and in dollars :cursing: and their is one that goes to England but the postage is 20 quid!?!

If anyone knows any that would be great but please not TOO expensive. I plan on mixing it with a few quick things like weetabix and rolled oats and uncooked pasta and could probably get some dog or cat kibble at the weekend as I was told this is a good mix.
if anyone could reccomend a lab block that would be a good basis for this mix that would be brilliant :smilewinkgrin:
oh and also if there is anything wrong or if I should change any of the things I was gonna add to the lab blocks


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## Guest (Oct 22, 2012)

Have a look at Rat Rations, they have some great mixes in. The postage can be a bit high but it is well worth it IMO.

Are you familiar with the nutritional needs of rats? If not I wouldn't advise making your own mix.

Have a look at the Shunamite diet and get yourself the Scuttling Gourmet to read through before making your own mix


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## salemsparklys (Jul 26, 2012)

Ditto RR, i buy substrate as well so dont notice the p&p as much


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

As bernie says rat rations is a good place to buy rat mixes from but you need to buy the supplements like calcivet and daily essentials with it.

Or if not then using rupert rat food is ok as ling as you add in breakfast cereals which are supermarkets own brands as they tend to be lower in salt and sugar. Named brands are not good for rats.
So cereals like malties,weetabix,shredded wheats and porridge oats are good to add in the mix. And adding a small bag of wild bird seeds as well to make it more interesting for them.
As rupert rat stands it's one of the better ready made rat foods out there but as it's 16% protein it needs diluting so by adding in the cereals etc it brings the protein levels down.
Rats only need 12-14% protein you see.


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

so here what I thought for self mix
40-50% - base food 
20-30% - low fat cereal
10% - dog kibble
10% - uncooked pasta 
would lab blocks be okay for the base food
and this way i would know even if they didn't eat the other bits they would eat the blocks 
i found some stuff on amazon:
one called science selective rat food (14% protein, 4% fat) not quite sure what it's got in though 
and Oxbow REGAL RAT Fortified Food Essential Nutrient 3 Pound bag but it is a little pricey I don't mind as long as it's good but some say it's a little bland!
thoughts?
any other ides would be very helpful!


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

What about knocking off the pasta as it's very fatty and add in some wild bird seed.
Otherwise it's sounds very good.
A good base mix is harrisons Banana brunch! It's what I use.


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

Oxbow is quite a high quality lab block, some people have found that their rats won't eat it though.
They have just released a new flavour which apparently the rats seem to love but it's whether yours will be the new enhanced flavour ...
So perhaps try a little of the oxbow first.
Otherwise rat rations have premade mixes which are pretty good.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

I second and recommend what Amy (Blade) uses. I used to get my mix from her and my 4 love it, never a scrap left in the bowl by the next day, they eat every bit of it. It's easy to make up too. It costs me about £20 now to make up and lasts ages, I made this batch up back in June and there's enough in the box still till xmas easily. The batch I have at the moment though is a base of Alpha Rabbit Herbal deluxe not banana brunch, as the store I get it ordered from didn't have it in this time. The rest is the same though.


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

thanks for the help everyone 
I think I will start with the oxbow then after make up blades mix 
also thanks wobbles I the only real reason I wanted blocks was because I was worried about them picking out the bits they like but leaving the rest  but it sounds like that is not a problem!  and it's great it lasts a while
one last thing do you think they might get ill if a sudden change in diet like oxbow to blades mix?
it's just when I researched their illnesses it said a common reason for diarrhea is a sudden change in diet? :huh:


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

See I worry about them picking bits out too so I use a lab block in a mix- best of both worlds!
If you're using just the block now then when you want to add the mix in just do it gradually


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

okey dokey  
thanks 
I haven't got them yet 
only 4 days to go (not that I'm counting or anything!)
thanks so much for the help


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

okay I have just realized a MAJOR problem!!!
that oxbow won't come in time if I order it off the internet
is there any okay rat foods that I could get in a pet shop i could feed my rats just till I get the oxbow?
this is so annoying


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Just to mention my mix is

6 scoops Harrison rabbit banana brunch
2 scoops mixed cereals
1 scoop burns chicken dog food
1 scoop mixed wild bird seeds. 

If you need a quick mix from a pet shop until you get yours sorted online then I suppose reggie rat would be "ok" but it's not a rat food I'd use all the time as it's full of colourants and poor meat ingredients.
It's basically like feeding mc Donalds to a kid everyday.


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

thanks
i won't be using it for long so spose it will do
thanks also for you mix I think i will be using it soon


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

A R 3 said:


> okay I have just realized a MAJOR problem!!!
> that oxbow won't come in time if I order it off the internet
> is there any okay rat foods that I could get in a pet shop i could feed my rats just till I get the oxbow?
> this is so annoying


What about [email protected] museli mix?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I wouldn't buy from pets at home as I will never ever support a company like them!


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

oh plus I don't live very close to a pets at home 
but what about Beaphar Xtravital Rat Food
would this be any better than reggie rat
it looks a bit more like it knows what it's doing


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2012)

A R 3 said:


> oh plus I don't live very close to a pets at home
> but what about Beaphar Xtravital Rat Food
> would this be any better than reggie rat
> it looks a bit more like it knows what it's doing


Bearphar is much, much better food than Reggie 
It will be fine to use Bearphar as a base mix


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Yes bephear rat food is much better the reason I didn't suggest that is not many pet shops sell it but if u can get a hold of it then great.


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

blade100 said:


> Yes bephear rat food is much better the reason I didn't suggest that is not many pet shops sell it but if u can get a hold of it then great.


checked the website which the branch of the pet shop is (not just pets, that's the name i didn't mean not just pets as in it sells other stuff!) and the company sells it but don't know if they have it in the store :\ 
well I hope so 

http://www.notjustpets.co.uk/xtravital-rat-p-312.html


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

yep 
gonna have a look for it tomorrow


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

well I got supreme science selective apple and blackcurrent flavour 
i don't know but it looks better than bephear which they did have but only a massive bag and won't be using for that long
it's got 14% protein 4% fat and 4% crude fiber which is fine I think 
ingredients okay a few manky chemicals 
what do you think? will it be okay?
here it is: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Science-Sel...r_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1351173137&sr=1-1
Blade do you recommend any type of mixed bird seed or does it not matter?
any best cereals to have?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Science selective is ok though would've gone for beaphar. The thing with science selective is it's all nuggets so very boring for rats but if you add in some supermarket own brand cereals and some cockatail and parakeet mix it should be fine for the time being.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

And here is the cereals to use group 1 being the best and group 3 being the worst. You need to aim for the low salt and low sugar cereals.
Fancy Rats • View topic - List of commercial cereals and their suitability


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

thanks I don't plan on using it for that long 
just till I can get hold of some higher quality stuff for a mix
I plan on mixing in a bit of lab blocks with the mix though just in case of selective feeding but also not just lab blocks too boring 
will try and find oxbow 
thanks for the link 
very helpful will probably add shredded wheat, oats and rice cakes for the time being and find some bird seed
would that be okay?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Yep sounds good.
A tip though, to stop selective feeding just leave the bowl of rat mix down till it's all gone! This is what I do so they are made to eat all the bits. That said there are the oats in the rabbit mix I use that they don't tend to eat which is fair enough and of course the seed husks/shells are left.


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

thanks 
then I probally get the last few bits on saturday and get the does the day after!
I will start using your mix after the first runs out


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

I have got the shredded wheat
And the oats 
I'm not rat but it's looking a bit more appertizing 
Have two queries though
I got canary bird seed mix instead of parakeet
Does this matter?
Oh and also couldnt find any rice cakes so any thing else I could add
Like normal rice or something?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Rice is fine so is broken up weetabix.
Low salt n sugar cornflakes are ok too.

The budgie seed will be fine as it's mainly millet but it's also good to have some larger seeds in with it. 
Have a look for some wild bird seed too or fruity parrot mix but don't add in the chillies!


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## A R 3 (Apr 13, 2012)

Thanks for the help 
One other thing 
How often do you feed yours greens 
Every evening or every 2-3 days or something? 
And is there any vitamins/supplements I need to purchase


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