<< Annie, you're getting schtupped on your prices out their in BC. I pay $20.10 for a 50 lb, (yes, that's 50 lbs.) of Mazuri, I think it's time to start looking elsewhere for your feed. Also, I'm curious to know how your dogs do on the natural raw diet. I've heard plenty about it in the last little while. I personally feed my dog a premium holistic formula, and am very happy with it. >>
*** I've called to over a dozen different feed stores here, and it's close to the same price. :P
My dogs do fairly well on the raw diet, but I don't feed a LOT of raw meat like many other people do. Before I switched, over a LONG period of time... this is NOT a food you can just immediately put your dog on... I did a lot of research to ensure this was something I could do, and a diet that my dogs would benefit from. So far they are doing well, and have very little stools.
<< Rats are omnivorious, they eat animal matter, they eat vegetable matter, you're not going to get that in any horse pellet, and if you do get it in your horse pellets I wouldn't be feeding that to a horse. >>
*** You are right, rats ARE omnivourous. They need a variety of foods in their diet which, if you have read my previous posts, they get. The horse pellets which I am giving them is just ONE part of the whole diet. They also get fresh veggies, a variety of different protein sources, and other foods. I would agree with you not to feed just the horse blocks, as that would only result in poor health and obviously it would show in how my rats look. Those who have bought feeder and pet rats from me will vouch for the health and quality of my animals. I have been breeding rodents for over two decades and constantly am looking for more information on nutrition, care, disease prevention, genetics, ect. I do NOT know it all... and I never will... but I do strive to learn as much as I can to give my animals the best I can.
<< Also, from everything I've read, grocery store dog foods provide a more nutritionally complete meal than the raw food diet, and yeah, I'm even talking about that Ol' Roy crap. >>
*** Could you please send me the links where you found this information? Personally, I disagree with this, but I would like to read the sites where you gathered your information.
I have two rotties, one which has severe hip dysplacia. I had her on a "high-quality" dog food which I bought at a store, and she was not doing well and I was seriously considering putting her down. A friend mentioned the raw food diet, and I looked into it and decided to give it a try. Now, after over two years of being fed "raw foods" she is doing MUCH better. Yes, she still has hip dysplacia, but she is no where NEAR as bad as she was two years ago.
Many people start a raw food diet without properly researching it first and taking into account the activity level and age of their dogs. I have seen people give only meat to their dogs only to see their dogs get sick or die from a lack of nutrition and then they turn around and condemn the raw food diet saying it killed their dog. Well, it was THEIR fault their animal died because they didn't research this diet THOROUGHLY FIRST! There are MANY sites that describe a "basic" raw food diet and there are several excellent books that give a more detailed description of what this diet is all about.
There are also several excellent dog foods that are currently available, though you won't find them on your supermarket shelf. Flint River Ranch is one of the better dry foods available.
Anyways... sorry for rambling...
Just wanted to respond and to add my own personal opinion... not that it's worth all that much...
LOL!
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~