can mice eat rat food? - Paw Talk

Z00keepa · #1 01-27-2005, 10:43 AM

slightly different question to the other topic about food...

I have not found any food specifically for mice and ended up buying a rat food... it looks similar to what i used 2 feed the mice, but will it be ok for my new friends coming on saturday?

I think someone posted in the other topic about mice + rat food needs being similar, does anyone have anything to add? Thanks

Also, don't you think it's a bit miceist that you can buy, guinea pig, rabbit, rat, gerbil, hamster food etc, but not a specific MOUSE food?! lol - I'm sure its out there but its definately not as common!

Padfoot · #2 01-27-2005, 11:15 AM

Rat food is ok for mice, I was the one that said that they have similar nutritional needs. Rabbit pellets can be added to the diet, but should not be used as staple diet as rabbits and mice have very different needs. Rabbits are cecotrophagous (or something like that) and they need a high fiber diet, while mice are omnivorous and benefit from some higher protein diet. Guinea pigs have a very different diet (I don't know exactly how, but I have read everywhere that it's very different from that of other rodents... specifically they need a lot more vitamin C... I don't know what else). Anyway, GP food should not be used for mice. Gerbil and hamster food are usually sold as the same. Gerbil food is supposed to have less fatty seeds (sunflower and pumpkin) but still most manufacturers sold them as 1. It is basically a seed mix. It is ok for mice, but it's low quality food for them (no matter how high quality it is for hamsters and gerbils, it does not provide the necesary nutrients for mice). Also, mice tend to be picky with the seeds and just eat what tastes good (sunflower and pumpkin) and leave the rest out. I think the best to buy for them is high quality lab blocks (mice/rat food) and add some veggies/fruits and maybe a bit of hamster/gerbil seed mix and dog/cat food or doggie bisquits. These last should be given as treats... not in enough quantities as to interfere with them eating their lab blocks... but enough to give them some variety in their diets.

Z00keepa · #3 01-27-2005, 11:54 AM

thanks for the info

ill see how picky they are with what i have, and then add extra things to compensate for anything they might reject!

Amethystbelle · #4 01-27-2005, 12:21 PM

You can buy mouse food over here in the UK, pets at home used to do a good one when i had mice, think its a mouse and gerbil mix and mine used to love it and i used to also add bits of rat food as well and other grains such as millet seed they go mad for that if you buy a spray of it from a pet shop and i used to give them fruit and veggies and bits of biscuits and other scraps too. Mine were all healthy enough on that diet and never ailed anything

Z00keepa · #5 01-27-2005, 12:38 PM

Cool! I think its quite versatile what u can feed them... it's not quite the same with mice but i know with rats you can feed chocolate, meat, ice cream, anything a human would eat really (of course in moderate amounts!) but i think they know what they should eat instinctively. Next time i'm at Pets At Home i will look at their foods - i was there yesterday and i forgot! Darn it!

thanks for ur comments

Amethystbelle · #6 01-27-2005, 03:08 PM

I watched a program once and this couple had 18 rats and whenever they had a takeaway they ordered some for the rats too apparently

But mice and rats are both scavengers so they tend to eat anything by nature

TareG · #7 01-28-2005, 09:41 AM

Yeah, they do make mouse food. hehe. And I think a lot of things are miceist! hehe, I was cracking up when I read that words! I

it! "miceist" LOL

Anyway!..rat food is fine. Rat and mouse food is also sold either as just that, with a discrepancy between the amount you give one VS the other per day, or you can by simple mouse food.

And...
Padfoot is right about lab blocks. I posted in here somewhere earlier (in another thread) that seeds can actually hurt mouse mouths (which are sensitive to sharp edges, etc.), and yes, they will pick through and only eat what they want.

Good luck! your food should be fine.

Z00keepa · #8 01-28-2005, 10:44 AM

Thank U! i have never heard of lab blocks before - does anyone have a picture, or a link so i can see what they are like?

Padfoot · #9 01-28-2005, 10:48 AM

http://www.petsmart.com/global/produ...=1106930042436

http://www.petsmart.com/global/produ...=1106930042471

Those 2 are lab blocks. I think that the mazuri ones are pretty good quality.. not sure though.

Amethystbelle · #10 01-28-2005, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z00keepa


	Thank U! i have never heard of lab blocks before - does anyone have a picture, or a link so i can see what they are like?

You will have trouble getting them over here in the UK most petshops don't stock them as far as i know well not any i have ever been in and i go in a fair few

You'd probably have to purchase them online if you wanted some but i don't know where from

Z00keepa · #11 01-28-2005, 12:10 PM

Ooh weird, never seen anything quite like that in the UK! Thanks for posting about them though, we miss out on so much here

SugarLovesRats · #12 01-31-2005, 04:45 AM

You can buy lab blocks either directly from Harlan or from Kimsarkrescue.org good prices there. Also do you have Nutro dog food in the UK? the lite or senior formula's are great too.

Z00keepa · #13 01-31-2005, 01:07 PM

It doesn't ring a bell but i'll keep an eye out

Blue seems to be eating fine with what i have at the moment

but thanks for your help everyone!