Tried a new dog food this time around

[1lila1]

With this new batch of dry rat mix.  It's by Natural Balance and it's their reduced calorie formula.  I gave them a bath right before this new mix and it's been a month and not one of my five boys has any buck grease or flakiness like before.  I don't know if it's the slightly lower protein level than the Innova Senior but whatever it is I like it.  It's missing some things that Innova had, namely the probiotic organisms, but overall they look great and seem to really like it better.  Here's the ingredients:

Brown Rice, Whole Chicken, Pearled Barley, Oatmeal, Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Oat Fiber, Duck, Lamb Meal, Carrots, Natural Flavor, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols-a source of vitamin E, Citric Acid) Brewers Yeast, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Lecithin, Rosemary Extract, Vit/Min

rude Protein     16.5% minimum
Crude Fat    6.0% minimum
Crude Fiber    5.0% maximum
Moisture    10.0% maximum
Omega 3 Fatty Acids    0.5% minimum
Omega 6 Fatty Acids    3.0% minim

I wouldn't feed this stuff to a dog (not enough protein and meat) but for rats along with a dry mix I think it's pretty good.  I'm really liking the dramatic difference in my boys skin since being on this food.  It's only about 1/4 of their dry mix (same as the Innova) so I was surprised to see such a difference. 

[Ktina]

Wow, I really need to try that stuff with Lineal.  Lately he's been letting himself go. 

[shadowfx78]

Thanks for the tips i just requested some samples of the reduced calorie and the vegetarian foods from Natural Balance i hope my boys will like them.

[ratsamongus]

My rats eat lab block and mix but I switched to NB for my dogs months ago and their coats have never looked better!   

[ratsamongus]

OOps, edited to delete my double post 

[Leonakitty]

My girls are on the Natural Balance vegetarian formula and their skin and coats look amazing!  So much so that I switched my cats from Newman's Own Organic to Natural Balance Venison and Green Pea (no grains! great for cats!).  They love it, too.

I think NB is a great line of pet foods. 
My ratties adore their kibbles.  They used to mostly chuck/hide their blocks... but the kibble gets eaten (once the Suebee's in gone, o' course!)

Melissa

[1lila1]

Thanks so much for the info, Leonakitty.  I was thinking about switching my cat to Natural Balance.    I'll have to try the formula you mentioned.  He gets mostly canned food now after researching why it's better than dry kibble but a few times a week he gets a meal of dry food.  My dog eats Timberwolf Organics and the change in her since switching is amazing.  She never sheds now.  It's incredible.  Unfortunately my bratty cat won't eat Timberwolfs feline formula and they don't make canned foods so I have to find other things for him.  It's amazing what we do for these babies    .