# Lab Blocks - Opinions?



## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

I'm tired of buying crappy generic rat food from the pet stores around here, so I figured I would give Harlan Teklad a go.
Unfortunately, Oxbow Regal Rat is too expensive for me - 3lbs for $10? I'd be going through $30+ in rat food every month and a half.
The protein levels in Mazuri are too high, and rats seem to not like to eat them (or so I've read on a few different forums).
Anyway, which type of Harlan Teklad is good for a 4 month old rat?
I read that Harlan Teklad 2014 (14%) is good, and so is Harland Teklad 2018. 
What is the difference between these two, and which would you recommend me using?
Also, what's the difference with the 'Teklad Global' vs the regular 'Harlan Teklad'?

Thank you !


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

2018 is recommended for baby rats who need a higher protein level, so if your rats are older then go with the 2014.
As for the Teklad Global thing, I haven't a clue!


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I use Harlan Teklad 2018 supplemented with a lot of fresh produce, and a home made grain mix several times a week. All my rats thrive.

I have some baby foster boys right now who are eating Global 8016, which has animal based protein as opposed to soy based protein in the 2014, 2016, and 2018. It has the highest general protein content and is good for baby rats and nursing mothers.
Since your rats are young you can use any of the mixes without worrying, but if you use the 2014 I recommend supplementing it with other protein sources such as lean meats and poultry and scrambled eggs.

For adult rats, many people swear by the 2014 mix, and it's a good choice. I simply buy 2018 because I buy in bulk quantities (many rats) and it's easier to procure.


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## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

Thank you so much! You both really helped a lot and definitely answered my questions =]
I will be getting the Teklad Global 2018 - regular Harlan Teklad 2018 doesn't come up for some reason lol


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

Harlan has two lines of formulas, Traditional and Global. The point of the global lines is their guarantee of consistency across the world. You should be able to take two blocks of Teklad Global made in different parts of the world and get the same analysis of them.

The usual HT formulas for rats are 2014 (14% protein, for elderly or obese rats), 2016 (16%, for adult rats), and 2018 (18%, for juveniles, four to eight months old). These are all formulas in the Global line, which is why you found no reference to "regular" 2018. The Teklad baby and nursing mamma formula, 8604 (23% protein), comes from the Traditional line.

The Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet is the equivalent of HT 8604--23% protein, which is far too high for adult rats. You may be able to get the Mazuri Rodent Breeder 6F or Rodent Breeder 9F formulas (or have them special-ordered, if the store already carries other Mazuri products). These two formulas contain 16% protein and either 6% or 9% fat, respectively.

HT 2018 is available retail on-line under the brand name Native Earth 4018, but it comes in a forty-pound bag. For smaller quantities, buy from a rescue that buys in bulk. Sometimes you can persuade a retailer who already sells other Harlan products to special-order HT for you. (The problem is that Harlan sets a minimum order requirement of $1,000. That's a lot of lab blocks!)

Oxbow Regal Rat is of equivalent quality to Teklad and Mazuri, and can often be found in stores. It is 16% protein, so not suitable for younger rats, unless you are prepared to supplement their protein. The original flavor of Regal Rat is often disdained by ratties, however, so be sure to get the new cheese flavor, which is apparently meeting with unqualified rat-approval.

If you are interested in the nutritional analysis of common foods that we feed to our rattums, check out the Mazuri technical papers at http://www.mazuri.com/animalresourcecenter.aspx. If you scroll down the page until you see the header "Feed Composition," you will find links to .PDF's containing analyses of foods by category.


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## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

Woah, thanks so much! That's a lot of good information


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## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

What are some websites I can buy the Harlan Teklad at? The ones listed in the Food thread are all out of date and old, I don't get response e-mails, or the rescues have closed down lol


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## British (Apr 2, 2012)

aang said:


> What are some websites I can buy the Harlan Teklad at? The ones listed in the Food thread are all out of date and old, I don't get response e-mails, or the rescues have closed down lol


I order mine from Mainely Rat Rescue


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## moongate (Mar 12, 2012)

because I am link girl
http://www.mainelyratrescue.org/store2/

I, myself, being a Canadian, order from Flowertown Chinchilla.
http://www.chinchilla.ca/

and if you are in the UK:
http://www.ratwarehouse.com/

I'm not sure about anywhere else though.


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

The only problem I have with buying the Harlan Teklad is that you have to buy such a HUGE bag of it. Or if you buy it from say, a rescue group, you are getting a portion of an already opened bag of food. I always question how long its been opened/ how its been stored, etc. Then there is the whole pet food recall situations- if you don't have the actual bag, you can't tell if the food you purchased is a part of that recall since you have nothing to go off of. I would rather pay a bit more money for the Oxbow and know all the manufacturing info and know when the bag was opened and how its been stored. There is nothing worse that having to deal with a pantry moth or beetle infestation that came from a bag of food you purchased because the original bag was not stored properly. I buy my Oxbow in bulk when it goes on sale...for example, I bought 7 bags (3 lbs) of Oxbow when Dr Fosters & Smith's website had a sale (normally $9.99 a bag, on sale for $6.99). I store it all in a Vittles Vault or freeze any bags that don't fit to maintain its freshness and keep it pest free. I also keep all my bags (the empty ones) in a small box until the food is gone, so if there is a recall, I have the bag info available.


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## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

Nowhere around me sells Oxbow though


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

Have you asked them if they can get it from their distributor or just looked to see if they had it? I had ended up looking on the Oxbow website to see who the distributors were, found out that my local store is supposed to carry it so I stopped in and asked and it turned out they just will special order it for you since they don't sell enough to really need to keep it in stock. It's just a matter of them adding it to their next order and most local pet stores have things shipped at least once or twice a week.


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

I order my Oxbow online since no one carries it around me either. Drs Fosters & Smith still has the best deals, especcially when they have sales. 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16965


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

PetFoodDirect is having a sale on it:
http://www.petfooddirect.com/Product/7203/Oxbow-Regal-Rat-Food


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## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

Bleh its just so expensive lol. I've also heard that a lot of rats wont eat it because they dont like the taste. 
If thats the case, I don't wanna be stuck with bag of it.. I'll try it and see how it goes, thank you!
I'll call Petsupermarket or Petsmart yesterday to see if they can order a bag or two for me haha.


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

Really? I heard this before too but I found my rats love it! They all come running down from their hammocks when I fill their bowls! I dont know what formula it is that Drs Fosters & Smith sells but they like it!


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

A lot of rats didn't like the old formula but they changed the taste and I hear that it worked. Mine love it.


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## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

Everyone at these pet stores are so rude! Geeze!! I called Petco, Petsmart, AND Petsupermarket and no one sells Oxbow Regal Rat! They were EXTREMELY rude and wouldn't order a bag for me -.- assholes.
I guess I'll have to order it online and have it come through the mail. /grumble grumble.
Will it get bad in the mail?


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## deetea (May 26, 2012)

I get mine at a global pet food - I'm in Canada so if you're in the states I'm not sure that you have it, but they would definitely order it if you asked! 
I used to work there and it's a great little pet store chain!


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## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

In the states :[
everything is better in Canada..


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

Did you try the store locator? I mean, if there isn't one there isn't, the food won't go bad getting shipped but you may as well look first to see if there's some local store you haven't discovered yet 

http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/contact/find_products/store_locator


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## aang (Feb 7, 2012)

Yes, thank you! I checked and it kept saying no stores =/
I even called everyone and they don't carry it.
I ended up buying Harlan Teklad online because it was cheaper with the shipping/handling.
It would've been $40 for the Oxbow, and it was only $26 for the Harlan Teklad!
Maybe next time I'll try Oxbow if I can find it lol


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