Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I went to the local feed store today and did some scoping out.

They had 3 types of dog food I was interested in. My question is how much protein? Fat? etc...?

Brand 1....18% protein, 9% fat $6.99 per 50#

Brand 2....22% protein, 12% fat $10.99 per 50#

#3 ( same brand as 2) 27% protein, 16% fat 11.99 per 50#

I am thinking of usind brand 1 and 3 mixed together. They also carry sunflower seeds and oats, but I think these will fall into the cages through the wire mesh I use. Lab blocks are $22 per 50# and an hour drive to get them, I figure I should be able to get 2x the food like this. What do you guys think?

Thanks

Kevin

Check out www.mazuri.com On the edge click on rodent and their different chows come up.

DeMak

The cheaper brand of dog food will work out, Everything Mazuri offers is only 16% protein and 8 % fat. What about dogfood making them have oily coats? Does it really matter?

Kevin

I've never had that problem. I'm lucky enough to have a local breeder in So. Ca. who sells lab chow he has made (16/50#), so I kinda switch back and forth, depending on if I have time to get over to his place to pick it up. Even so, with only 1.5 and a few pups, 50# of dog food lasts me quite awhile. If it was going to be a problem, I think it would have shown up by now. I think many people make the mistake of buying the "best" i.e. highest priced food. That might be the best for a dog, but the lower priced food looks more like rat chow when you read the label.

Also, don't forget, I'm trying to raise BETTER rats for LESS than what it would cost me to buy then. Otherwise, what's the point.

DeMak

Well, to be honest, you're not going to get "better" rats if you feed dog food. All the bulk breeders of rats feed dog food, proably what you are feeding. To be honest, I pick up Mazuri 6F 50 lbs. for $19 Canadian (I'm Canadian) that's like $12 American. An average rat will eat approx. 4 lbs. of Mazuri before they are full-grown, that works out to $1.90 Cdn. That's only $1.20 American again!!! If you can pick up an adult rat for less than $1.20 that has been fed a GOOD rat chow, more power to you, if not, then you are fooling yourself that you can get "better" rats for cheaper.