Male mice have a strong musk to their urine, which contributes to the amount of stink mice put out.

If given a large enough cage, not over crowded and cleaned regularly (once a week is usually good, depending on what substrate is used and how much) and the room has good ventilation rats definitely don't smell as much. I don't think they eat any less than mice but their metabolism is not quite as high as mice so that may make a difference in a long run. Rats are also more omnivorous than mice, so can eat a greater variety of food. Decent quality lab rat blocks work well. Most just use dog food which is fine, but I suggest adding some variety anyway. I find large parrot fruit/nut mix is a great addition (though this isn't all that cheap but at times it goes on sale). Besides that, most unsweetened whole grain cereals are good for a treat. Probably not as important with larger scale breeding than small groups.

fresh greens like bell peppers, collard greens etc, tossed in once in a while (avoid tomatoes or onions as these can cause serious bloating in rats) give some variety too. Or its fine to just stick with rodent blocks or dog food.
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PHLdyPayne

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