food questions

[lindsayfawn]

Alrighty I need some help with food questions lol I think I've just spent about an hour or two reading over back posts on here about the different lab blocks and other types of diets you can feed rats. I think I'm going to start to buy them either that Oxbow or that Hagen stuff. Just need to see where is the best place to get it and prices for shipping to NB.
I had a question though about how much food to give them? I normally just keep there dish in there and fill it. They don't stuff themselves, they'll just eat what they want then they're fine. Is that ok? Or should I be just giving them food when I'm eating?
Also I read that rats are supposed to be lactose intolerant. But when ever I have yogurt they go nuts lol and are forever stealing it from me if they're out when I have some. If they have very little is that ok?
ummm....I think that's all my questions lol geez it's almost 4am. I wish the prof's would hurry up and stop being on strike! It's soooo boring up here when there's no school and only getting two shifts at work. grrrr Anyways lol
Thanks for the help!
Linds

 

[jorats]

Rats can't break down lactose but they sure do like it anyways. But once in awhile is not going to harm them.

If you know your rats don't over eat, then you can leave their bowls filled with their blocks.

I give mine a handful of oxbow and two HT each in the morning. Then they get fresh veggies daily. The veggies are just as important and so very good for them too.

 

[user 78]

I've given my girls dairy products with absolutely no ill effects. Wouldn't give them a whole bowl full, but they love their yogurt.

I free feed my rats, and I've never had a rat overeat. I just refill their bowl when it's emptied, and do a stash check every day to put their blocks back into their bowl.

Don't know the best place to get either food up in NB, though.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

I get my OxBow from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=16965

and I get my Harlan 2014 from http://www.craftyrat.com/Merchant2/merc ... ry_Code=FS

I usually order two bags of each and when I get through one bag I order another that way I never run out.

My girls get a handful of OxBow every morning and they each get one Harlan block in the morning and then one at night. Plus lots of veggies and the occasional banana or grape.

I am in the US.

 

[SQ]

Rats should have access to lab blocks at all times.

If they tend to overeat, keep oxbow regal rat in their bowls and also give them another block that they like better (jorats had this excellent idea). Most rats will not eat oxbow because they are bored etc., they usually will only eat it if they are hungry.

The animal supply store on Hanwell Road in Fredericton sells oxbow.
Walmart sells small bags of the Living World extrusion Hamster lab block.

A good quality lab block is 80% of their diet, with vegs and fruit (daily) being the other 20%.

hope this helps,
Holly

 

[Riana]

I've wondered the question about how much to feed them, myself.

I have the Oxbow available all the time, but they don't eat it unless they're really hungry and there's nothing better. My rats would overeat if I were to put a bowl of lab blocks out.

So what's a good amount to start out with? Two blocks each, maybe? How would I know if this was enough for them?

 

[user 78]

Rats, generally speaking, do not overeat. They eat until they are full and then move on. The *quality* of the food that you feed them is generally the problem. More people have issues with home made mixes and fat rats than blocks. Certain health conditions, of course, can cause a rat to overeat, but these are fairly rare.

According to most studies, the average rat eats anywhere from 2-4 blocks each a day depending on age, size, etc.. You can toss a couple of blocks each, and replace them as they're eaten to start with.

 

[lindsayfawn]

I'll have to cab it up too that supply store on Hanwel and check it out sometime. I'm giving them the extruison hamster block things right now, plus fruits and veggies. They like all that stuff and to me seem to be a pretty good weight and really healthy. I just wanted to make sure I'm doing everything right
Thanks for all the help!

 

[jorats]

javakittie, at one time I would have agreed with you but not anymore. My Treat and Boo are certainly overeating their blocks. It seems they absolutely love their Oxbow. So now I've got two out of 10 getting fat on blocks. I can't do much about these two little piggies except try to get them to exercise more.... which should prove to be an adventure in itself.

 

[SQ]

Most of my rats ate oxbow ok.
I only had one rat who loved oxbow and became very overweight on it.
That would be Hannah.

 

[Bati]

I free-feed, because most of my 25 boys have self-controle, but 2 overeat and get BIG, I have decided to let them instead of taking them out to live on their own.
Mine used to get youghurt untill one day I gave them too much and they had diarrea - very disgusting and stinky so it's finished with that now, only veggies and lab-blocks