How Many Blocks Do Your Rats Eat?

[fenshae]

I'm starting to wonder if I'm over-feeding my guys. They clean their bowl every morning so I refill it at night...I don't really count the blocks but it's...a sizable handful. I've discovered that I'm going through a 5lb bag of food roughly every two weeks among six rats. This is the most rats I've ever had, so I'm not used to going through this much food...I don't mind, necessarily, but I'm not sure if I'm over-feeding them...or maybe even not feeding them enough.

So, uh...how much are you feeding your guys? Do they clean their bowl every time you feed them? How many pounds of lab blocks do you get through in a month?

 

[xxchelle]

I offer my guys unlimited lab blocks, but I usually go around once or twice a day and empty their stashes.

I don't know exactly how much food we go through in a month, but it's supposed to be roughly 1lb per rat per month, however I feel like we go through more than that. I think as long as your rats are at a healthy weight, not obese, there's no need to cut back. You could maybe offer more fresh veggies, so they go through less lab blocks, if you're concerned about it.

 

[jorats]

Are you sure your rats are actually eating the blocks and not stashing them?
I followed a few people that restricted their rats' diet and they would give 3 blocks a day. That seem to work for them. Also, they get their veggies daily as well.
A restricted caloric diet is actually beneficial to rats and to humans as well. But my worry with that is how do we know exactly what our rats need? In my mind, if they are eating a good quality block, then I won't restrict them. But everything else should be restricted or omitted. (always offer veggies though)

 

[Brax]

Stashing is a big issue with my girls. If I don't check for that then I don't really know how much they're eating and I can't regulate. I give each rat five blocks per day and veggies and other healthy treats sometimes. Unless you're balancing their diet and confident they're getting what they should I wouldn't feed less than 5 blocks a day.

 

[eagle]

I go through a 50# bag of block monthly, but then I have a "few" rats. My girls stash more than the boys do. The girls like to stash their block in the corner of the cage and then it falls to the floor.

 

[PitLuvs]

We go by the 1lbs/month per rat, but our boys dont. We fill the bowls in the morning and the night (sizable handfull per each group *4, 3, and 2*). Sadly, I don't know HOW much we go through as we just finished a 33lbs in 2months, but we went from 3 rats to 12 and back down to 9 over that time frame haha

We ordered a 10lbs today to see how much 10lbs goes. By rule it should last us a month, we'll see.

 

[lj]

I go through a 50# bag of block monthly, but then I have a "few" rats. My girls stash more than the boys do. The girls like to stash their block in the corner of the cage and then it falls to the floor.

Hee hee. Me too Eagle.

 

[Cigar]

I bought a 30lb bag of Mazuri in April and I've got less than half a bag left in the freezer. The most kids I had at one time was only 4 though.

 

[fenshae]

See, this leads me to think I'm feeding them almost double what they should be eating -- I'm going through about 10lbs a month for 6 rats. Funny thing is they don't seem to be stashing (at least, I haven't found their stash if they are) and they fall upon the bowl voraciously every time I feed them. You'd think i was starving them, as enthusiastic as they are to get food.

oddly, whenever they get their veggies, they *don't* polish those off -- I always have to remove the wilted bits at the end of the day. They still eat them, but never with the enthusiasm they have for the blocks.

They don't really seem to be getting fat. I mean, Basil is still a chubster like always, but the others are all still quite lean & fit. Very, very strange...

 

[jorats]

With most being a lovely size, I'd keep doing what you are doing.

 

[Rattus]

Are you sure your rats are actually eating the blocks and not stashing them?
I followed a few people that restricted their rats' diet and they would give 3 blocks a day. That seem to work for them. Also, they get their veggies daily as well.
A restricted caloric diet is actually beneficial to rats and to humans as well. But my worry with that is how do we know exactly what our rats need? In my mind, if they are eating a good quality block, then I won't restrict them. But everything else should be restricted or omitted. (always offer veggies though)

Yeah, mine eat about 3 a day aswell.. I find after that they get tired of it and want something else, so they get their veggies and treats :nod: