# Rat Food



## FuZZy (Sep 20, 2007)

Could some1 please give me a link to the food the prefer for their rats.  

Thanks! :lol:


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

There are lots of posts about this already - take a look in the health forum.


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## jorats (Sep 9, 2007)

The best rat diet is a high quality block that is specifically made for rats. Harlan Teklad and Oxbow make a really good block for rats. 
A lot of people give a grain mix called Suebee's mix and dog food but honestly, that is a very lacking diet. It does not contain all the nutrients a rat needs. But if you don't have access to a good quality rat block, then the dog food and grain mix will have to do. When feeding your rat, always remember: low fat, low protein, no salt and no sugar.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Suebee's + Grain mixing isn't 'very lacking'. It's not perfect, but it's better than many things out there.


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## jorats (Sep 9, 2007)

I disagree, if you do a full research, looking up each dietary need in all vitamins, minerals and macro minerals daily requirement specifically for the rat, you would see it too.


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

I know many people who PREFER high quality dog food with grain mix over feeding Harlan Teklad blocks because they do not like the ingrediants in HT. There are some good breeders who do this as well. I highly doubt they would feed anything "lacking" when they are striving for improving the species. 

I'm feeding Mazuri with grain mix once a week (at the least) with mini salads at night. The Mazuri is easy to get and is still good quality. I'm waiting to see the results of feeding it...I might switch back to HT because I do not like how high in protein Mazuri is, but my boys sure like it.


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## jorats (Sep 9, 2007)

Don't take my word for it. Do the research! 

Here's where you get what rats require:

http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=4758

And then research Suebee's mix and the dog food too.


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

Like I could read that tiny font, lol.  I like to look at the results to things as well. People can feed Suebee's and high quality dog food for years and have healthy rats with shiny coats. Shiny coats come from good nutrition. You wont have a shiny coat rat with lacking nurtrition, correct?


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## jorats (Sep 9, 2007)

twilight said:


> Like I could read that tiny font, lol.  I like to look at the results to things as well. People can feed Suebee's and high quality dog food for years and have healthy rats with shiny coats. Shiny coats come from good nutrition. You wont have a shiny coat rat with lacking nurtrition, correct?


Ah well... that's a shame then. People can "think" what they want but without proof, I will stick with what my vet told me and based on my own experience with my 15 rats. I've seen a dramatic change in them when I switched from mix+dog food to a high quality block. 

If anyone is up to the challenge, I would be very interested in finding out all the vitamins, minerals and macro minerals' in the Suebee's mix and dog food as compared to the rat's recommended daily nutrients and dietary vitamin intake. 
I've already read that dog food and suebee's mix don't have vitamin K. For your rat to have the daily required vitamin K, they would need to eat a whole brussel sprout. 8O


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

Well I'm just saying what I've seen, not really taking sides. I didn't know it didnt have vitamin K, learn something new everyday. ^_^


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## cinderella (Sep 10, 2007)

I feed my rats Oxbow lab blocks and suebees mix. However I cant find soy nuts for the mix, anything I can substitute?


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## jorats (Sep 9, 2007)

Soy nuts aren't all that great for rats. 
They are high in protein, high fiber and low in carb which is why it's healthy for humans but for rats, it's not good, they shouldn't have high protein nor high fiber, their gut is not made for high fiber which is the only reason why they can't digest alfalfa.


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## warock8 (Apr 30, 2007)

i give my rats a mix of dog food and a mix of seeds I've never heard of those blocks

Probably cos I live in Australia


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Seeds really aren't good for rats at all :/

Personally, I feed Harlan Teklad 2014/8604 lab blocks, Oxbow Regal Rat, dog food (few different kinds), and a small amount of Suebee's.


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