# rodent feeding!



## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

Sorry just realised this is classified could a mod shift it to the correct board please.

Hi,

Well I've been breeding rodents for some time now, both as pets and feeders, I've tried almost everything in the way of feed for them and they've usually been fine but not too enhtusiastic about it.

Well I have also got a little rescue pony who needs built up a bit.

I bought him some food that was supposed to build him up but it's in pellet form and he wont' eat it. I've had to buy the 'mix' type for him.

Therefore I was left with a 25kg sack of build up pellets and no one to give it to.
I gave some to the baby rats, they wopped it down, so I tried the syrians and all the others with it. 
They love it and are piling weight on, not that they were skinny, it's great for putting the weight on after a litter though.
They don't go through it as fast as hamster/rat or other mixes so the sack is lasting a lot longer. If I fed them it 'ad lib' they would be right porkers though.
Their coats are fantastic and they just seem happier.

Only £8.15 a sack as well so real value for money.


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## Minerva (Aug 24, 2008)

What brand did you use? what ingredients are in it?


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## jacko1 (Jul 4, 2009)

sounds a good idea


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

I'd be interested to know what brand it is, too... I'm always looking for food the rats won't waste or pick their favourite bits out of.


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

I'll get the details when I'm in the shed later.


It's obviously not made for rats but have you ever seen a skinny unhealthy 'farm rat'??????
The ones on the other farm I was on were like bloody cats.
It's high protein as it's made to put on weight and condition for poorly ponies/horses. I got it to put weight on a little rescue pony I got three weeks ago. Little sod won't eat pellets though.

Soaked with hot water it's perfect porridge for the babies as well.


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

Just been out and got the details of this food...
I dont' use it as their sole diet they have others things and treats along with fresh veg, fruit and meat products. They also get thier original 'mix' that they've had 'forever'.


It's called Hilight Improver conditioning cubes.

Protein...12.5% so not that high really.
fibre.......10%
oil..........5.25%
ash.........8%

Vit A.....12000IU/Kg
" D3...1300IU/Kg
" E.....170IU/Kg
Copper...30mg/Kg

Contents..

Wheat, Wheatfeed, Partially treated straw, grassmeal, oatfeed, full fat soya, molasses, limestone, soya oil, salt, dicalcium phosphate, Vits and mins, Yea-Sacc(sacchaomyces ceravisiae) this last one assist digestion of fibre apparently.

I'm giving this in evening to each cage and they are wolfing it down.
They have their other feed on a morning and that has not changed other than I give them a litle less now as they eat so much of the conditioning cubes.
There is a Hobson and Dorrell product called 'build up' that is in a mix form that I might try when/if they get bored with this one.
i've tried sow and weaner pellets, they are cheaper, but my lot dont' eat them.
There is no waste with this food and there is no mess either.


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## Prem Morph (Sep 28, 2008)

saxon said:


> Just been out and got the details of this food...
> I dont' use it as their sole diet they have others things and treats along with fresh veg, fruit and meat products. They also get thier original 'mix' that they've had 'forever'.
> 
> 
> ...


This looks ok but the protein is low and you may find long term they will not breed or grow very quickly I have my own diet made by the tonne which is 21% protein ( I used to buy commercial rodent diet at £460/tonne had it copied from a label for £320) 

If I remember I will bring back a label and post for you so you can see what they should have


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

Prem Morph said:


> This looks ok but the protein is low and you may find long term they will not breed or grow very quickly I have my own diet made by the tonne which is 21% protein ( I used to buy commercial rodent diet at £460/tonne had it copied from a label for £320)
> 
> If I remember I will bring back a label and post for you so you can see what they should have


 
As I say this isnt' all they get.

They have a home mixed diet as well as meat proteins in the form of chicken wings, ferret complete and other meats.
They also get fresh veg adn fruits and few nuts in shelss etc as treats.

I don't have enough rodents to be buying by the tonne although if I had the space and the time I would have.

I was told, years ago, they need about 18% protein but mine are having higher than that if you take into consideration everything they get.

Having said that they do tend to slow down breeding int he winter months even though they are kept at around 15c 24/7 and have 10% sunight tube for 17 hours a day.

I'd love to see what is in your mix so that I may be able to make something similar up in smaller amounts for mine. I fyou dont' mind me doing that?


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## Ferret1959 (Jul 16, 2008)

Rats need some meat in their diet.:whistling2:


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## KathyM (Jan 17, 2009)

LOL, you should've seen mine sat IN the turkey carcass!


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

Ferret1959 said:


> Rats need some meat in their diet.:whistling2:


 
Did you not read my post????

My rats get chicken and ferret complete, along with other meats and neat products, or is chicken not a meat anymore?????


KathyM,

My lot had turkey carcass and the beed bones as well. Along with all the trimmings.


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## Prem Morph (Sep 28, 2008)

First I must apologise I forgot the label but I will post the details asap

A good substitute that most people use for a bulk diet for rats and mice is Sow Breeder Rolls these can normally be purchased from farming feed stores although not always in roll form this is normally a fair diet as as I discovered the vitamins and minerals are very similar to those in a pro diet and at about £6.50 a bag not bad the only thing is that the protein is a little low at 16% but as said you can supplement with extra protein. 

As for the winter slow down on breeding a background temp in excess of 21C is required (in my experience) Money spent on insulating rodent rooms is money well spent Kingspan type insulation although more expensive is by far the best as it has twice the insulation value of polystyrene (2" of kingspan is equal to 4" of polystyrene) then a simple oil filled heater can be used I use a 500w one to heat an 18 x 18 room because of the number of animals in there and the amount of insulation I have used


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

HI,

Thanks for the advice I'll up my temps in the shed.
I only have a small 10 x 8 shed and I'm heating it with a 'cadiz' none oil filled heater. It's usually warmer int he shed than my house.
I haven't insulated the shed as yet though as last year, without insulation, my small air con 'died' in May whilst I was out all day. I lost over 200 rodents. Mostly babies but a lot of breeders as well. With the few I have that was 50% of my rodents at that time.
I'm planning on insulating and sorting out a better air con unit when I extend the shed next year though. 
I'm hoping the cadiz will still heat a 20 x 8 shed!!
I tried my lot with sow and weaner pellets but they won't eat them. They waste more than they eat. I do still put some in my daily mix for the other rodents who will eat them.
I've had to downsize a little lately as my OH has been in and out of hospital but i'm hoping to have the time to have more again by the middle of next year.





Prem Morph said:


> First I must apologise I forgot the label but I will post the details asap
> 
> A good substitute that most people use for a bulk diet for rats and mice is Sow Breeder Rolls these can normally be purchased from farming feed stores although not always in roll form this is normally a fair diet as as I discovered the vitamins and minerals are very similar to those in a pro diet and at about £6.50 a bag not bad the only thing is that the protein is a little low at 16% but as said you can supplement with extra protein.
> 
> As for the winter slow down on breeding a background temp in excess of 21C is required (in my experience) Money spent on insulating rodent rooms is money well spent Kingspan type insulation although more expensive is by far the best as it has twice the insulation value of polystyrene (2" of kingspan is equal to 4" of polystyrene) then a simple oil filled heater can be used I use a 500w one to heat an 18 x 18 room because of the number of animals in there and the amount of insulation I have used


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## Prem Morph (Sep 28, 2008)

If you insulate the shed it keeps heat out as well as in, don't waste your money on an expensive air con unit(spend it on decent insulation) the best way is to have 2 x 6 inch fans (cheap ones from screwfix wickes etc normally about £30) And make 2 Louvre vents opposite plug the 2 fans into a 2/4 way adaptor then this into a timer this will then give you cross flow of air if you have the air intake vents down low you will have cooler air coming in especially if its on a shady side. This cross ventilation has a good cooling effect varying how long the fans are on and at what time of day also helps and during the winter close off one of the vents and switch off one of the fans run the other one for less time all this fresh air is also good for your rodents. 

As for the feed its "sow breeder rolls" yes they will waste some but they do get used to it having food hoppers to stop them taking the food away helps or in lab style cages thats why you have rolls these don't fall through the bars I used to use this and add flaked maize and whole wheat (which because of the wheat germ inside is a fertility aid in rodents) I used to add this every other day to the top of the rolls and this would then work its way through for the for the rats to eat. I keep nearly 2000 rats in total


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

Thanks again for the advice about insulation.

I've saved the thread so i can come back to it when I'm doing hte shed. It will save me a good bit in leccy as i'm paying about £60 a month on heating and lighting at this time of year.

I'll see if I can get the 'rolls' I do use lab cages for the mice but i'm using mainly RUB's for the rats.
It's the mice that don't eat the sow and weaner pellets.

Just counted my rats tonight I 'only' have 70 and 31 syrians I haven't counted mice but there's only about 80-90.

I breed the rats for the ferrets as well as the few snakes I have so I
can only just keep up with them with this many rodents but I wouldnt' want to be breeding much more.
Most of my rats and hams go as pets or for show but the mice are solely for food.


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## Prem Morph (Sep 28, 2008)

As promised here is a scan of a commercial diet label this diet worked very well for me but costs forced me to shop elsewhere, please excuse the state of the label
As for food wastage mice always do waste a lot, if I have cages that are wasters I cull the lot they seem form a habit of just wasting the rolls by doing this I have mice that hardly waste anything as I find it is something that is passed from parents to offspring


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