What do you feed your breeder mice?

[mykee]

I'm with you guys, there are a lot of people on this forum who feed dog food, and I'm sure they feel secure in doing so, but I also will only feed my rats Mazuri 6F. Cruciform; It's available at Ren's for $19.10 for a 50 lb. bag. For me, it's worth the extra few dollars to ensure that my rats are being fed what they should be fed, not food that I wouldn't even feed a stray dog. JMO as I've never actually seen any real study or information comparing "premium" Wal-Mart dog food with lab block.

[Cruciform]

Looks like I may have to take a trip to Oakville for 250 lbs of rat food.

[Stockwell]

Yes, from Rens, but they're having a problem getting Mazuri right now and have none! I assume this is temporary.
Rens will deliver, but I don't know how far they will go.

[Jayson]

I was at rens yesterday and they were out. but they are selling 5010 for the same price.
By the way mazuri went up to $20.50/bag when ever they get it back in.

[dave68]

What we've found works well (provided you want large amounts) is buying big feed size bags of guinea pig pellets, hen or chicken scratch, some nutri-blocks, and maybe a bag of pre-mixed gourmet hamster/gerbil food- mix all together in a lrg garbage can- works great- also in WINTER only we would give as a treat 3/4 days/ week some good high end natural dog food, only for the extra fat because the rats/mice were in outside shed.

[asphyxia]

I use Purina Rat Chow for the rats and mice...50 lbs 24.00

Cheers
Brian

[Linds]

Originally posted by Stockwell

Rens will deliver, but I don't know how far they will go.

You can also have it special-ordered in to your local co-op. When I used to use it, my co-op would order it in for me, and it would come to $24 + tax. Little more expensive than what everyone else is paying, but cheaper than if I drove 2 hours to get it myself

[annieb_mice]

<< I use ol roy dog food for my rats. No problems what so ever, and the rat babies get big at a fast enough rate that I can catch the size needed. The rats diet gets supplemented with fresh veggies, ham and baby food every once in a while.

I agree though that I wouldn't give our dog ol roy dog food unless it was the last dog food on earth. We feed both our dogs and cat Natural balance food. It is a more holistic food.

I thought the "growers" and such would be full of all kinds of steriods and things like that to make them...well grow. lol >>

*** Hate to be the one to point this out, but Ol' Roy and other such "cheap" dog foods ALL contain the same types of growth chemicals in them that you are wary of. Not to mention a variety of other nasty chemicals that are retained in the animal that eats it. Mice and rats may also more prone to retain these same chemicals as they have different metabolisms than larger mammals. These same chemicals will be retained by your snakes and reptiles. I'm sure you are aware of how "prone" mice and rats are for tumours and other cancerous growths? Many of these are caused by the food they eat. I have been feeding mine a natural seed mix along with fresh fruits and veggies and other foods, including boiled eggs and crushed eggshells <from a local breeder with free run hens> and have only had one tumour in years.
I know many other feeder breeders disagree with me and don't have a problem with feeding dog food to their rodents. I just prefer that my animals, both my rodents and my snakes that eat them, have a more natural diet so they will live longer and healthier lives.

<< BTW, Annie- Your Rottweilers look great and I will be buying some mice and rats from you early this week if it works out. I bought 1500 mealworms from you a couple weeks ago, if you're not sure who I am. I would recommend your business to anybody I know with complete confidence. >>

*** <blush> Thanks! I remember you now. I'll send you an email in a bit.

Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[marisa]

Well I feed dog food, seed mix and leftovers. I have also not had a tumour in years. I am sure your method IS very healthy, but that doesn't mean those of us who add dog food to the diets are making our animals less healthy.

The problem is the words "dog food" there are TONS out there. And even some cheaper brands vary by your location. The one I normally use is sold at Dominion markets, but not at Walmarts or IGA. I used to use another one that was only at IGA. but not other locations. You cant make blanket statements about all dog food. With research of labels, you can choose a dog food very safe for mice IMHO.

Marisa

[sapphire_moon]

I am aware of how prone to tumors and such rats are. Also you said something about metabolisim. I don't know about your rats, but mine are always and have always had high energy. Jumped and played around. Right up to hours before they gave birth, and hours after the babies were born and cleaned.

I have never seen any kind of steriods or growers in the ol roy dog food. Not unless they have added it since i've been using it.

I think that there is a variety of things that are nutritionaly sound for breeder/feeder mice/rats.
If I wanted a 50lb bag of food I found a horse chow that has almost the exact same indgridients in it as the lab blocks I am using. I think the only difference is the lab blocks have something of fish in it?

[Linds]

I have a hard time believing that there are any "growers" in dog food. It makes no sense to be adding hormones, steroids, etc. to dog food. Nobody would reap benefit from that, whereas poultry feeds are made to grow them up quicker to make more $$ for the farmers. In addition, I don't think it would pass AAFCO standards if there was any. I think it is also illegal to not list any such additives, and there are certainly none listed.

[sapphire_moon]

Thats what I was thinking, why would you put growers in dog food? I guess if you were willing to pay a little extra you could always buy the holistic dog food for mice. I've heard of people feeding their pet rats nutro light dog food as a base diet.

[annieb_mice]

The growth hormones are not "added" to the dog food, they are in the animals that are "rendered" for use as animal food. Cattle, chickens, and various other animals that fall into the "4-D's" <diseased, disabled, dying, or dead> and that are considered "unfit for human consumption" are fed foods that are full of various chemicals and such that make them grow big and grow FAST. These chemicals are not broken down during the "rendering" process and get transferred to the end product.
This doesn't include the fact that most of the meat that is used for pet food is usually from animals that didn't quite meet the standards for human consumption and are required by law to be sprayed with chemicals to "denature" it so it's completely unfit for humans... chemicals which eventually end up in the end product.
Here are several links to explain in more detail:
http://www.flintriverranch.org/uck.html
http://www.thefishman.net/dogs/nutrition.htm
http://www.doberdogs.com/foodcht1.html
http://www.thelittlefoxes.net/html/pet_food.html
There are many more sites out there with information about the pet food industry and a quick search on Google will turn up lots.
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[Linds]

Interesting information. I knew about some of it, but nowhere near that extent. Thanks for the links Shouldn't be much of a concern with the really garbage dog foods most commonly used for feeders however. I know the kind I have most recently swtiched to doesn't contain any meat My dogs are fed Wellness (with Udo's oil added) and my cat is fed Innova and a few times a week he gets leftover chicken and sometimes fish. Picky little booger won't eat beef most of the time, and not always fish

Hmmm... now one thing that jumps to mind after reading that... I recall reading somewhere that the meat used in dog/cat foods was graded "C". What am I eating when I go to Taco Bell then? They use grade "F"

[Auskan]

Originally posted by annieb_mice
[ including boiled eggs and crushed eggshells
[/B]

AnnieB, have you ever tried giving your rats a hard boiled egg that you have just cracked slightly? I tried this and they had a ball getting into it and "shelling" it for themselves. They eat the entire thing, and now get a hard boiled, slightly cracked egg about once a week.