# Rat food Pellets???



## Hsut77 (Mar 26, 2008)

Does anyone know what type of pellet is used in the 'pet shop' variety of Rat Block/Pellet food?

I ask because I work near a stock food manufacturer who makes pellet food. Just wondering if the pet shop just slap a rat label on stock food and put 500% mark up on it. I paid $20 for 2 kg bag where the factory sells 20kg bags for the same price.


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## Miss B (Mar 26, 2008)

$20 for 2kg? :shock:

I just use bio-mare cubes from my local produce - $29 for 25 kilos.


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## Hsut77 (Mar 26, 2008)

Thanks Miss B, they have 10 different types of pellets from Lamb to Sheep to Milk and Beef Cow was wondering what was the best type to get. I'll have a look for bio-mare cubes.


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## Kimbully (Mar 26, 2008)

There is actually rat and mouse pellets, most stock feed stores would be able to order it in if they don't stock it. Most petshops would mark it up a little and also people with ony one or two pet rodents probably don't want to buy a big bag. If you use any other sort of feed you just have to make sure some of it is hard, as rodents have constantly erupting teeth they need to wear down. 

Kim


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## vs380kw (Mar 26, 2008)

pig and young horse pellets are good to use aswell you can find some better then most Rodent feeds


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## centralian11 (Mar 26, 2008)

Bio mare cubes are very good.I mix working horse mix with it and feed vegies too . Saying that i can buy rat and mouse cubes for about $1.05 a kilo . These are formulated for rats and miace and are suitable for the rodents but i do find that they are always the last food eaten Maybe that is because my stock do not get them regularly.
Barry


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## Raptor_Reptiles (Mar 26, 2008)

*cubes*

Hi as most people know i produce alot of rats typical analysis for the mixture is as follows Crude Protien 22.0% Crude Fat 6.0% Crude Fibre max 4.0% Calcium 0.90 Phosphorus Salt0.5% Fuorine0.01% normally consisting of products such as: Wheat, Triticale, Barley, Oats, Maise, Sorghum, Peas, Lupins, Bran, Pollard, Germ, Ricehulls, Meal, Fishmeal, SunflowerMeal, Soya bean Meal, Cottonseed Meal, Rapeseed Meal, Linseed Meal, Biscuit Meal , Skin-milkPowder, Salt,Cearal Meal, Full Fat Soy, Vegetable Oil,Whey, Bentonite, Synthetic Amino Acids, Flavors, Vitamins, Minerals, Ethoxyquin, Seleniun, Lucerne Meal. Please also note that some feeds contain restricted animal material and are not to be used for feed other than the stated purpose. Goat pellets and layer pellets usallly contain about lower protien 14 to 15% protien and higher fibre rates at 7to8%.
Mixtures can vary between some companies.


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## Helikaon (Mar 26, 2008)

i get rat and mouse cubes and they like them well enough, much better then some stock pellets that i initially started to feed until i got the rat one ordered in. i found they are good, even my local produce has gotten another brand for me under the advise from someone that it reduces the smell of the rats passings. and it is 20 kgs for $22.50. but yes funnily enough centralian11 my rats would eat some of the other stock mixes last not sure if they were the same as bio mare cubes though.


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## Vixen (Mar 26, 2008)

I use biomare also, only problem though its 16% protein, I need to find something a little higher to feed the pregnant and nursing mums on.


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## Helikaon (Mar 26, 2008)

VixenBabe said:


> I use biomare also, only problem though its 16% protein, I need to find something a little higher to feed the pregnant and nursing mums on.



Why would you need a higher protein source? biomare is designed for pregnant broodmares, so gives them everything they need to provide for the developing foal and produce milk after birth. In my humble opinion I wouldn't think a breeder rat would need anything else, as its already getting pretty much the best.


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## nuthn2do (Mar 26, 2008)

Helikaon said:


> Why would you need a higher protein source? biomare is designed for pregnant broodmares, so gives them everything they need to provide for the developing foal and produce milk after birth. In my humble opinion I wouldn't think a breeder rat would need anything else, as its already getting pretty much the best.


How can you compare the diet of a horse to a rat?


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## Helikaon (Mar 26, 2008)

nuthn2do said:


> How can you compare the diet of a horse to a rat?



i am not comparing the diet of a rat and a horse i am comparing the nutritional sustenance needed to produce a baby. most rat products have a smaller min protien then the biomare. though in saying this, for vixen_babe, the new brand i have just gotten Barastoc rat and mice pellets has a 20% protien it which is much higher then the old lab rat pellets i was getting.


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## Helikaon (Mar 26, 2008)

nuthn2do said:


> How can you compare the diet of a horse to a rat?



i am not comparing the diet of a rat and a horse i am comparing the nutritional sustenance needed to produce a baby. most rat products have a smaller min protien then the biomare. though in saying this, for vixen_babe, the new brand i have just gotten Barastoc rat and mice pellets has a 20% protien it which is much higher then the old lab rat pellets i was getting.


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## blackthorn (Mar 26, 2008)

I use barastoc rat and mouse cubes too, my rats seem to do pretty well on it, and I don't have any issues with them not eating it.


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## Vixen (Mar 26, 2008)

Helikaon said:


> Why would you need a higher protein source? biomare is designed for pregnant broodmares, so gives them everything they need to provide for the developing foal and produce milk after birth. In my humble opinion I wouldn't think a breeder rat would need anything else, as its already getting pretty much the best.


 
Ive spoken to a number of fancy rat breeders, one of whom is a vet, and they recommend a 20% protein diet for pregnant and nursing mothers, and for young rats. IMO it can hurt boosting it up a bit if its going to aid them , and help the young rats grow.

For older rats that arent breeding, and nearing their maximum growth, a 15% protein is fine


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