Rat Nutrition Guide
Here at Phoenix Gate Rattery we try to provide the best nutritional diets we can while still offering variety and completeness. Throughout our years of rat ownership we have had the oppertunity to try many different diets and foods. We found what we liked and didn't and have based our current diet on optimal results. The biggest concern for us was the amount of protein and fat that the rats were taking in. We feed our rats Lab Diet lab block made by Purina. This same company also makes Mazuri lab blocks as well that provide only a slightly different percentages of fat and protein. Lab Diet contains 23.4% protein and 4.5% fat. These blocks are available at all times and are placed in a hopper for distribution. Babies are raised on the lab block as well as soon as they are able to start eating. Lab blocks offer a good staple diet as well as provide the minimum and maximum levels of nutrients, fats, oils, etc. The LabDiet is a bit more expensive and offers a lower fat content percentage than the Mazuri. However, Mazuri offers a lower protein percentage. You want to keep the amount of protein, fat and oils down so be aware of their percentages. Since corn is one of the main ingriedient in most rodent food and is also the most fattening, look for blocks that have soy as their main ingriendent - like the Harland diets (the listing of ingriedents on the package is always from the most to the least content). If this connot be found, look for a block with lowest protein/fat. By focusing on reducing the fat/protein content, I do not have overweight, unhealthy and oily-orange skinned rats and they are more active. To suppliment the block diet I give them a dry mix that is offered once each day. This mix is also augmented by a source of fresh veggies, breads/pastas and fruit each day. Soy milk is also given quite regularily expecially for nursing moms and babies.
Our Dried Mix Includes
1 box Cheerios
1 box Raisin Bran
1 box multigrain flakes
2 bags puffed rice
2 bags puffed oats
dried banana chips
dried cranberries/apricots/cherries
2 bags egg noodle dried pasta
1 bag tricolored dried pasta
1 can raisins
roasted unsalted soy nuts
Zupreme parot fruit chow
dried coconut shavings
almonds/pecans/cashues
If you have any questions
Please
What We Feed Our Rats
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