New rat babies

[ymmot]

I got two more baby male rats (maybe 2 and a half months) that i am currently quarantining. At the store i bought them at (Petsmart) was feeding them just hamster lab blocks and some carrots and parsly. So thats what i am feeding them, i also cant find any good rat blocks where i am, the one im using has 16 protien and 6 crude fat. Is that good enough for them, should i change something? I need them to grow fast.

[Lise]

That protein ad fat content sounds fine.  However that by itself isn't enough information.  What are the ingredients?  If the primary ingredient is corn, then the company is using that to up the protein on the bag but corn is actually indigestable protein IIRC from back in my dog food days.  So they really aren't getting what the bag claims at all.  That is why people say shy away from food with corn.

Why do you need them to grow fast?  They are rat babies so of course they will grow up pretty darn quickly... but you shouldn't intentionally be trying to change nornmal growth rates.

[Suebee]

Corn... is actually a carbohydrate. But yes, it is one of the least easily digested carbs. You got half of it.

Do these lab blocks have a brand name? That's more helpful to us. I think, collectively, we pretty much know them all.

[ymmot]

The lab blocks are called Living World Extrusion for hamsters

[Suebee]

*googles*

Ok, that's a Hagen product... they have a good reputation.

Wow. Their web site offers NO information whatsoever about ingredients.

Can you list the first 10 ingredients for us?

[ymmot]

The first 10 ingredients are as listed: Ground corn
ground wheat
soybean meal
wheat middlings
yeast culture
dehydrated alfalfa meal
dried beet pulp
lecithin
dried corn fermentation soluble product
calcium carbonate

What else should i feed the babies?

[Suebee]

Ick. Corn-based. I had a feeling...

Many people use Harlan Teklad Lab Blocks, which you can get from Kim's Ark (East Coast) and Wee Companions (West Coast).

I also have my own mix I created that anyone can make at home, for those with no access to the above. I couple it with a high quality dog food, Innova Senior.

Lab blocks are always the first choice, as they are complete, but not all lab blocks are created equal, either.

[Amykins]

Why do you need your rats to grow so fast? 

I'd go with what Suebee said, if you have access to it, and can afford it. 

[ymmot]

Well I have been feeding my oldest rat Neemo Suebee's mix with the same lab blocks. I live in kitchener ontario and have no access to my knowledge to innova dog food and tecklad lab blocks can anyone tell me whats the protien and fat content is in each one so i can get the closest one?
I want my little rats to grow fast cuz im about to introduce them in about a week to the much bigger Neemo.

[Suebee]

In Natura Pet Products web site (makers of Innova), they list three stores in Kitchener.

Animal Den Wellness Center on Krug St.
Global Pet Foods on Strasburg Rd.
Global Pet Foods on Belmont Ave W

http://www.naturapet.com/