# Bedding and food in Australia



## Sheridan (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi all... Just wondering if there is anyone who could tell me about where to find good bedding in Australia? And good food? The bedding I got from the pet shop looks a little like pine I think I'm not sure but I still don't want to take chances. Is there anyone in Australia that can recommend a good bedding that I can find pretty easily? Also food? I'm happy to buy on the internet. I just think that the bedding I have is just too dusty and the only lab blocks I've found have 20 percent protein, but then again I have three baby rats. Is this ok??


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## ratbloke (Jan 7, 2008)

hi there, i'm up in qld.

personally i've never used any type of bedding, however i know lots of others who use 'breeders choice', i also use that in their litter trays too.
i buy it from woolworths.

this is it here, fourth one down:
http://www.ratclub.org/shop/shop_litter.htm

i wish i could find some lab blocks, i've asked in many pet shops and they don't have a clue what i'm talking about.


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## crapola (Feb 12, 2007)

if i use kitty litter, i use the paper pulp stuff from either coles or woolies. the particular brands i have right now are "you'll love coles" cat litter recycled paper, and "breeders choice" cat litter, which is recycled paper pellets. i only use litter now in my new boys cages as their cages dont have a separate removable tray... yet...

i prefer to use fleece blankies, tissues and strips of newspaper... well, i should say my ratties prefer that i use the above, lol. i get the blankies from the reject shop, just use home brand tissues (and the rats can use the box for nesting), and they are all quite happy with that.

and because i'm really really nice... here's links to lab block distributors in both vic and qld... the blocks are made here in south aussie.
http://www.lauckemills.com.au/distributorsvic.html
http://www.lauckemills.com.au/distributorsqld.html
and if you really want to analyse the food...
http://www.lauckemills.com.au/misc3.html
this company has been in business for over 100 years and have a very good reputation here.


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## Crispen (Jun 5, 2008)

I know this topic is a bit old, but its quite useful...

Have any of you used "Max's Cat and Pet Litter"?

and anything else important about rats/rat keeping in Australia?

 thanks


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## Nassik (Apr 4, 2008)

I follow these Australian threads when I see one come up. I'm planning to move to Australia within a year and so I try to pay attention to food and litter supplies in Australia. And I'm aware of the customs practices of Australia and so I'm holding off from purchasing rats again until after I've moved. I've got everything else, though (or so it seems). I've done some research on the both the food and litter that I'd like and it appears that I'll have to have the stuff shipped into the country to get what I want. I'm particularly interested in Harlan Teklad lab blocks and there are some litter alternatives that I have yet to see in Australia. I've had my fiance' in Perth look around for me and she hasn't found Yesterday's News or any other litter that I've mentioned to her. I spent a couple of months in Perth earlier this year and so I've been through Coles, Woolies, and Target stores. 
I've looked at the Laucke Mills site and I don't see and Western Australia distributors. The protein seems a touch high for what I'd want my rats to have and so those two factors have lead me to consider having Harlan Teklad lab blocks shipped in for my rats. 
The twenty percent protein ought to be fine for babies since they're growing. You might want to lower the protein intake once they've reached their adult size but that is entirely up to you.


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## silverchamber (Jul 24, 2007)

The Max's litter I bought once and I would not recommend it, I don't know if it was just the batch I had but it was extremely dusty and I ended up throwing most of the box out as it was making everyone sneeze. 

Best bedding for rats is Breeders choice kitty litter. Its cheap and has great odour control. As far as I know it's the same as Yesterdays news.


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## crapola (Feb 12, 2007)

breeders choice is newspaper pellets, exactly the same as yesterdays news. you can also buy a homebrand paper pulp litter from both coles and woolies.

nassik, you probably wont be able to import harlan teklad lab blocks... as you would have seen, we have the worlds strictest quarantine and customs regulations. i give my ratties the lab blocks from laucke's but it is not their sole food source. i have to say though, my rats go nuts over it, as do my friends ratties.


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## Nassik (Apr 4, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. I'll keep these things in mind. 

Has anyone ever heard of or tried RatzFood?
http://www.ratzfood.com.au/?page=117

I came across the site while searching for lab blocks in Australia. I am aware of Laucke Mills but the 20% protein would be a tad high for full-grown rats, I think. According to the Laucke Mills site, "Rat & Mouse Food is a nutritious diet designed to be fed to growing and breeding rats & mice." Which I agree with. I'd like to be able to drop the protein intake to 14% or so (as in the case with Harlan Teklad lab block 2014) when the rats reach their full size. Looking at the Laucke Mills website, though, seems to show that there is only the one type of block available for rats.


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## silverchamber (Jul 24, 2007)

If you have a look at the cage page on that site, you'll see why I don't overly trust the food. Mine get a suebees style mix along with either dog biscuits or debbie duccoman's diet, depending on time, money etc. Last time I tried lab blocks they threw them at me =P . I've also heard some of the mixes you find in pet stores are alright here but i've never used one myself, or know anyone who actually uses it. 



> you can also buy a homebrand paper pulp litter from both coles and woolies.


Everyone says that but i've never seen any in either store, just the Dr Harry stuff which is a bit overpriced for what it is.


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## Nassik (Apr 4, 2008)

Why not, Silverchamber?, the squishy rat in the cage? My reluctance with the mix is that you just don't really know what's in it. The site doesn't offer much specific detail about its contents...


"RatzFood Rat and Mouse special blend has been meticulously researched and tested. This top quality food contains twenty-eight "A" Grade ingredients, and provides everything your pet rodents need for optimum good health and happiness. Some treats are included in the mix too.

RatzFood contains 28 human grade ingredients : 7 types of dried fruits, 5 types of rolled or flaked grains, 3 types of cereals, 3 types of dried legumes, 3 types of nuts, 2 types of seeds and 5 types of dry carbohydrate." 


I'd just like to know more about the contents, I suppose. Protein content, etc. though as a seemingly homemade mix I doubt that information is available.
I'm accepting that the products I have available to me here in the United States won't all be available to me in Western Australia. I know what I'd like to have if I were to remain in the United States and since that isn't going to happen I'm trying to find the best Australian alternatives.


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## crapola (Feb 12, 2007)

just for you, silverchamber...


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## collisiontheory89 (Apr 16, 2008)

Breeders choice is a great, cheap litter that makes excellent rat bedding. As far as I'm aware it's available in most supermarkets for approx $10 per 30L bag. It's surprisingly good at odour control. I think in Australia you can get it from Woolworths. We've also just got Carefresh in New Zealand, so I'm assuming Australia either already has Carefresh or will be getting it soon.

As for food, being in New Zealand, I'm really limited in my choices. I have to order all my food off the web, I usually buy Harlan Lab Block (imported from the UK) from the New Zealand website www.ratclub.org. It's really cheap from there. They usually only post around New Zealand but I'm sure if you were to email them and ask it wouldn't be too much hassle for them to send it over the ditch. You'd just have to pay extra shipping. If Harlan Lab Block isn't readily available in pet stores there, that's the easiest way to get it. Although I know your quarantine rules are a tad out of control...


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## silverchamber (Jul 24, 2007)

She's selling little bird cages barely bigger than my mouse cage saying that they're a good size for 2-3 rats . Thats what makes me wary of any of the information on there. Who knows, the rest of the information could be good and it might be a great food. I like my homemade mix because I have seven rats and three mice so anything pre mixed is a bit too expensive for my pigs, but if you just had a pair or trio it would be easier on you =P

Lol Tanya, thanks for the photo :lol: . I actually went to coles the last few times I bought litter to have a look and didn't see it, but then again they were out of a lot of stuff in the pet isle. It'd have to be a fair bit cheaper before i'd consider it because my girls don't like anything being changed with their litter box and will generally go on a two week long strike of pooping wherever they please :roll: . Boys could care less  

And we do have carefresh here but its pretty expensive, you'd probably get less than a 20th of bedding for the same price as breeders choice 8O .


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## collisiontheory89 (Apr 16, 2008)

silverchamber said:


> She's selling little bird cages barely bigger than my mouse cage saying that they're a good size for 2-3 rats . Thats what makes me wary of any of the information on there.


Uhh...were you talking about the ratclub website? I don't see any cages like that on there...all the 'bird cages' on there are over 1 metre in height...forgive me if I misread your post or something.


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## silverchamber (Jul 24, 2007)

http://www.ratzfood.com.au/?page=130

The bird cages 60cm by 40x40cm, says for 2-3 rats.


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## crapola (Feb 12, 2007)

and this is what the cage calculator says about that particular cage... "This cage would be barely large enough for one rat. Rats are social animals and are happier and more confident with a same-sex friend."


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## silverchamber (Jul 24, 2007)

crapola said:


> and this is what the cage calculator says about that particular cage... "This cage would be barely large enough for one rat. Rats are social animals and are happier and more confident with a same-sex friend."


That was my point exactly  

To reiterate, I would not trust the food she sells because of the tiny cages she's selling. I should have made it clear in the first place buuuut when i'm tired I just automatically assume everyone knows whats in my head :lol:


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