Why do people choose Harlan over Oxbow?

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Definately the ingredients. However, I know people whose rats stopped liking it after awhile and they lost weight from eating that alone.
 
My rats wont touch Oxbow. They are supposedly reformulation Oxbow at some point. I might try it again, at $12.00 for a three pound bag, it needs to be something rats will consistantly eat.
 
My guys don't like Oxbow either and it kills me! I'd love to feed them Oxbow as the ingredients are a lot better for sure. I keep trying every few months and buy another bag but they just don't like it.

I also tried other lab blocks before but really.. the only ones the rats seem to enjoy and that are ok ingredients wise... is Harlan Teklad. I don't necessarily want to support Harlan because they supply lab animals and that sort of stuff but at this point, there is no good alternative that I'm personally happy with.

As a rescue where we supply the basic food to our fosters, Harlan is quite economical but having said that... we would come up with a way to raise money for the more expensive Oxbow... if only the rats ate it!
 
Oxbow Regal rat is a good block but for my gang I prefer the Harlan 2014 because it does not contain soybean meal nor fish.
I wouldn't say that Oxbow if superior to Harlan, but I definitely say they are equal.

One thing though, buying HT, you are supporting labs, if you are buying Oxbow, you are supporting a company dedicated to making a healthy pet food. BUT... most rats don't really like the Oxbow. :(

Mine eat both, they will eat their Oxbow if they run out of HT.
 
Is there any reason why rats love Oxbow and then refuse to eat it? To me, it doesnt make sense. Has anyone come up with a possible reason? And who feeds both oxbow and harlan? If you do, how much do you feed of each?
 
I've noticed that with rats, anything new they will eat it up fast but then realize it's the same thing and perhaps not as palatable as they first thought. That's just my guess.
I fill up two bowls for a colony of 19, one with HT and one with Oxbow, the HT needs to be filled every morning but the Oxbow takes a couple of days.
 
I personally love Oxbow, since it has meat in it for my boys. And I have convinced the boys that it's the only food their getting so they better like it (it may sound means but if rats don't eat for a day or two they're aren't going to die and eventually they will eat whatever is available, that why mine love their Oxbow).

I was about to go get some Harlan when they were being really difficult with their Oxbow but they seem to like it just fine now so gthat's what we're sticking to. I hate any diet with corn, that's why I don't like Harlan.

Unfortunaely there's a rumour going around that Oxbow will be changing their formula and taking away the meat. :evil: I hope they replace the fish with lamb. 'Cuz I love lamb! And I hope they make it organic, then I would never buy anything else ever again.

To answer your question I get my Oxbow here in Guelph at Ryan's Quality pet foods but I bet you any money that your vet will carry it through vet purchasing. It's remarkable what you can get through vet purchasing!!!
 
Yes we have a Ryans pet foods here in hamilton but I didnt see oxbow there. The only rat food I saw was Martins little friends mouse and rat ration which isnt very good. Am I right or wrong? and Sausage4ever, who is corn so bad? It's a grian and its not 100% bad. It's an energy source. I think thats what Jorats said. And its only 3rd on Harlan so its not bad.
 
I think only certain stores are carrying it. The funny thing is Ryan's quality pet foods here seems to be seperate of Global ryan's. I would call around the city and definetely check with your vet. I don't like corn due to this article http://www.rmca.org/Articles/corn.htm. I figured it would be better to have a diet sans corn then I would have to worry about anything it goes hand in hand with this articlehttp://www.rmca.org/Articles/ethoxyquin.htm. They both state that in low quantities they are safe but why take the risk. I don't feed my dog corn and I won't feed my rat corn. I am still very happy Oxbow is changing their formula because it will get rid of the ethoxyquin thats in the fish by eliminating it and they are supposed to get rid of the synthesized vitamin K which is some pretty bad stuff. I did a lot of research on the dog food side of things and a lot these ingredients can fare worse on our small pets because the effects are amplified. This is the thing on Vit-K3http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=menadione.
 
Ok, thats good information. It's just one persons opinion against another. So, ya we have a Global Ryans pet foods. And I have only been to the vet once for my girls but i have found a much better one and am going next week so I'll ask her about it. Would they be able to order it for me do you think?
 

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