Food & Bedding
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FOOD
There are many different thing's you can do food wise for your ratty. Some people, like myself, choose to make their own food. Others buy pre-made food from the petstore.
Here is the mix I use for my kids;
Hartz Parrot Bonanza 8lbs -- $7.97
Store Brand Rice, Wheat, Bran Chex -- $1.87 a box
Grape Nut O's -- $2.24 a box
Sulbelt Granola Cereals -- $1.76
Dried Peas, Beans 1lb bags -- $0.40
Egg Noodles -- $0.77
Garden Rotini 1lb box -- $0.75
Puffed Wheat 1lb bag -- $1.00
Puffed Rice 1lb bag -- $1.00
Any other little thing I know they will like =)
I also make sure each ratty gets atleast 2 lab blocks a day, plus plenty of fresh veggies and fruit.
This mix usually lasts me about a week, and thats pretty could considering how many rats I have.
I buy everything but the lab blocks from Walmart.
I am going to try a feed mix that I found at the Agway dealer. It is pretty much the same as what I have been making, minus the cereal. It is 50lbs for $20.00. If the rats approve it will definitley be cheaper then what I have been making.
I will let you all know how that mix works out, and what it is called soon.
BEDDING
The number 1 thing to remember about bedding is that Pine & Cedar are a big NO!! They are both toxic to rats and other small animals.
The Toxicity of Pine and Cedar Shavings
I use rabbit food myself. I get 50lbs for $10.00. I've heard people say that they don't like it because it can get moldy when it's wet. But, if you clean your cages every 2-3 days like I do, you won't experience that problem.
I would also recommend Corn-Cob bedding. It smells nice, works good, and it is fairly cheap too =)
Here is a list of safe beddings compiled by "The Rat Fanclub"
Safe Litters and Beddings
(Compiled by the Rat Fan Club)
Pine and cedar shavings contain toxic chemicals that can cause liver disease and should not be used around animals. Other litters that shouldn't be used for small animals include clay and sand cat litters. Corn cob litter has been known to get caught in little throats if eaten, but they work fine for some rats. There are plenty of safe alternatives that are effective, non-toxic, and safe if eaten.
Aspen shavings are safe to use. Two inexpensive and readily available products that makes a great litter for rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils are rabbit food and alfalfa pellets! They are quite absorbant and work well. However, they aren't recommended for rabbits or guinea pigs because they will eat them.
Litters, especially the pelleted litters, are most efficient if you use only a thin layer. Using a thick layer can be wasteful because you might need to clean it just as often. You can order Accu-Zorb, Critter Litter, or CareFRESH directly from the company. Ask your pet supplier to order the other products for you.
Paper Pellets
The main advantage of paper pellets is that they absorb and hold moisture in one place without falling apart. This means you can easily scoop out just the wet area and leave the rest, so it lasts longer than products where the moisture spreads throughout the cage. They are also less messy. Some rats don't like the hard pellets at first, but they quickly get used to them.
Bio-Flush--Ampro Industries Inc. 1-800-632-1998
ampro@accn.org.us
Pellets made from recycled newspaper printed only with soy-ink. Contains baking soda.
Cell Sorb Plus--Fangman Specialties (513) 752-4500
www.cell-sorb-plus.com
Soft pellets of recycled newspaper containing a non-toxic patented neutralizing mineral for excellent odor control.
FLUSH-It--XORB Corporation, 1-800-359-6101
Short paper fiber pellets with odor control compound added.
Good Mews--Stutzman Environmental Products (503) 266-4610)
Recycled newspaper pellets.
Kozy Korner Ferret Litter--Sheppard & Greene 1-800-851-6661
These pellets made from recycled newspaper are treated with natural enzymes to help prevent odors.
Yesterday's News--Canbrands International Ltd. 1-800-267-5287
canbrand@nbnet.nb.ca
Pellets made from recycled newspaper with an odor absorbing ingredient. Comes in regular pellets, and softer texture pellets.
Non-Paper Products
These products are messier to clean up than the paper pellets since they are granules or crumble apart when wet, but they tend to control odor quite well.
Accu-Zorb--Brisky Pet Products, 1-800-462-2464. Pellets or granules of cherry and maple wood.
Alfalfa Pellets or Rabbit Food--Readily available and inexpensive and control odor well.
Aspen Supreme--Green Pet Products, 1-800-405-NEST. Pelleted aspen.
CatWorks--Absorption Corporation, see above
Pellets of grain by-products. Nice smell, controls odors quite well.
Country Fresh Cat Litter--SSM Environmental Technologies (209) 369-9578
Pellets of grain by-products. Very pleasant smell, controls odors very well.
Critter Country--Mountain Meadow Pet Products, Inc. 1-800-752-8864
mmeadows@tein.net
The company claims that these pellets made from wheat grass actually prevent the formation of ammonia.
Critter Litter--Dan-Mar Equipment Co. 1-800-952-8669. Pelleted oat hulls.
Gentle Touch Litter--Gentle Touch Corporation (402) 371-3311
These pellets made from aspen wood are very absorbent and excellent at controlling odor.
Ground walnut shells--A little messy, but rats seem to be attracted to using it in litter boxes! Readily available in pet shops (Petco & PetsMart) and feed stores.
Litter Love--The Barnaby Co. (612) 224-0880. Aspen bark pellets.
Natural Animal Premium Litter Plus--Natural Animal, Inc. 1-800-274-7387
Small brown crumbles made from peanut shell meal, yucca shidigera, and citrus extract.
Other Types
In my experience, these products do not control odor as well as the ones above, but they can be used for both litter and bedding.
All God's Creatures Litter--Northeastern Products Corp. 1-800-873-8233
Small chips of a hardwood. Messy, but "softer" than pellets.
Aspen shavings--(Make sure they aren't dusty.)
CareFRESH--Absorption Corporation 1-800-242-2287
absorbs@absorption-corp.com
www.absorbent.com .us
Wood pulp fibers too short to make paper processed to the appearance and texture of shredded egg cartons. Makes some rats sneeze.
Eco-Bedding--RanPak Corporation 1-800-726-7257
Thin crinkled strips of kraft paper (brown paper one grade below grocery bags). Recyclable even with animal waste. A better bedding than litter.
Pet's Preference, Softer Texture--Stutzman Environmental Products (503) 266-4610. Similar to CareFRESH but softer.
Email: furrymongrels@quackquack.com
