Dispensers or hopper, which is better for rats??

[Batdad]

I am feeding my rats cheap dog food, good stuff or not is a debate for another post. I was wondering if anyone has ever used dispensers like they make for rabbits instead of the overhead hoppers. That way the rats could just take the food out and eat it as they wished instead of having to chew it through the hardware cloth. Small thing I know but, happy rats make more babies :D. I am talking about making a dispenser, sheet metal, hardware cloth, whatever, that would hang on side of bin and stick into the bin about 1 inch or so, not enough for them to sit on.

Couple of points:
1) Wouldn’t work for mice, they would just crap all over the food but would this happen with rats?
2) If the rats could just take it out would I end up with uneaten everywhere?

This is a sample of a store bought dispenser

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=12489&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

Thanks
Bruce

[Batdad]

See if this works for the pic!!

Bruce

[reverendsterlin]

your points 1&2 apply to rats as well

[Scales Zoo]

Back when we had rats, we used dispensers for food, but put hardware cloth over the opening to prevent escape of the babies, and to make it a bit of work to get at the food. When left open, some rats would empty it and hide/waste food everywhere

[Lisa]

We're planning on a big feed dispensor that feeds all the cages via PVC pipe. it would clip on the side of the cages and they would still have to chew it a bit. rats tend to horde so you still end up with some uneaten food (they'll eat it eventually)