The most nutricious and delicious?

[Sami]

What is the best kind of food to buy for your rats? I've heard that Mazuri blocks are good, but is there anything better that I should keep an eye out for (that can be found at a pet store)?

Thanks!

 

[jorats]

Personally, I believe the Harlan Teklad to be the best and my rats seem to love the taste.
Then there's Oxbow Regal rat, best in nutrition but not so tasty.
Mazuri and LabDiet is really not all that great. But will do if nothing else.

 

[Sami]

Oh yes, I've heard that Harlan Teklad is great too, but also heard that it's hard to find. Is it available at pet stores such as Petsmart and Petco?

 

[AlexandraBoo]

Well.... what stores do you have around? I know pets unlimited carries the extrusion blocks. the next best thing to ordering online... :?

 

[Sami]

There is a Petsmart, Petco, and SuperPets near me.

 

[AlexandraBoo]

oh shoot.. i have have no idea what they carry for rat foods lol. Im in new Brunswick Canada lol. But i would wait for someone from around where you live to answer. Sorry i couldnt help....

 

[jorats]

There are online rescues that do sell Harlan like Kim's Arc.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

I get my Harlan from here:

http://www.craftyrat.com (about $20.00 for the food and shipping to me for two bags)

And I get my OxBow from here:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com(about $18.00 for the food and shipping for two bags)

With 10 girls it lasts me awhile. A few months on OxBow and about two months on Harlan. They LOVE their Harlan they get one block each in the morning and one each in the evening.

 

[AlexandraBoo]

i think she wanted from pet store. not from online.... So its a tough call.:? I would ask the clerk at the pet store what is best for rats. Or ask for someone with experience with rats and ask them....

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

Honestly you cannot get any quality kind of rat food in the store and they cost just as much as it does to get it on line. The clerks at stores will just tell you to buy whatever is on the shelf, they have no actual knowledge of rat health or the foods that should be fed and are usually under contract tell sell what is at the store and not to recommend anything other that what is in the store.(this what the lady at Petco told me) In every pet store I have been in here in Oklahoma and in Williamsport PA is either Mazuri or Kaytee and they are both bad for rats, almost all corn. Just my own personal observation.

 

[calicojenn]

Mazuri is not that bad in the grand scheme of things, a heck of a lot better than the kaytee products for sure. Mazuri uses soy bean meal as it's first and staple ingredient, unlike kaytee which is corn. now it may not be as good as HT blocks, but if you cannot get the HT go with it over Kaytee or nutriphase. we make a mix of the mazuri blocks and a home made grain mix for our boys. it keeps their food interesting and is alot better for them than the seed mixes you can buy from the pet store. half of what is in the store seed mixes is inedible and they will throw it out of the cage so you don't get much out of that two pound bag you pay $6. we could not get the mazuri blocks at our pets mart and had to go to a farm store, so thats something to keep in mind as well. we will eventually be switching to the HT's ourselves( when i can find a place that it dosen't cost $20 to ship here from) but the mazuri is your best bet as far as something that can be purchased locally goes.