Rat Nutrition Guide
Rats enjoy a variety of foods just like we do but we can also offer them a source that provides them with a complete diet all nicely formulated into an easy to feed block that is available most areas. Rodent lab blocks have been scientifically formulated by companies to offer this complete diet. While most labs use this food esclusively, pet rat owners still need to offer some other foods and fresh foods to augment their pet's diet. Blocks can and are typically used as a main diet staple for many breedes and pet owners. These blocks are offered at all times and are most easily feed by putting the blocks into a hopper within the cage. This prevents the blocks from being buried or spoiled.
There are many types of block available on the market. Alot of local mills will offer a local block. Major mills- like Purina and Harland- offer a higher quaility block but could be harder to find for some areas. Be carefull when chosing your block- pay specific attention to the main ingredients listed and the precentages. You do not want a block that contains a 36% percent of crude protein- your best choice is to find a percentage around 14- 25%. Fat should be around 5% and not much higher. Block that offer soy as their main ingredient (the first listed) is the one to go with. Corn is typically the main ingredient for alot of the blocks and can often lead to unhealthy fat and protein amounts. Also, be aware of the freshness and quality of your block. You will find some lower grade blocks come with little bugs and can be too easily crumbled. Freezing the block before feeding your rats is a good idea to be sure that freshness is kept and to rid of any insects that may have made their way into the bag.
Where To Get Lab Blocks
There are many mills that offer their own block and are able to ship bags to their distributors for individual sales. Simply look for your local dealer. Purina is a pretty popular and well known mill that has many distributors around the state. Purina currently offers Lab Diet and Mazuri rodent blocks. Harland Teklad provides mostly for labs specifically and they are available through their website for ordering information. They can be much harder to buy block from unless you are are near one of their few drop sites. You typically have to order the block in large amounts. However, there are many online organizations and stores who sell these blocks to pet owners in a much simpler way and smaller quantity. Be sure to check out your local mills for rodent blocks as well.
Lab Block Sites
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Rodent Lab Blocks
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