A question about a certain rodent block...is it ok?

[Spunks Salali]

ok, so I have read all the posts on rodent blocks. I have mine on the mazuri rat blocks. they LOVE them and will actually deviate from veggies and fruits to eat them. they are doing incredibly well on them. I was wondering about the OXBOW REGAL RAT PELLETS. my gerbils are doing well on the gerbil version of the food. what about the rat version? should I stick with the mazuri or change to the oxbow???

[4skwerlz]

Are these squirrels to be released or kept as pets? For to-be-released squirrels, I don't think it matters which rat block you feed. For pets, it could matter quite a bit as they will be eating it their whole life.

[Spunks Salali]

Are these squirrels to be released or kept as pets? For to-be-released squirrels, I don't think it matters which rat block you feed. For pets, it could matter quite a bit as they will be eating it their whole life.

they are staying as pets. I read both labels, the oxbow has less fat, BUT the main ingredient is timothy hay-and I dunno if that's good for squirrels. its awesome for our chinchilla though... at least shes told me so-lol

[island rehabber]

I would definitely stick with the mazuri. What is good for gerbils is not really good for squirrels. One is a ground dweller, the other is a tree dweller. One comes from desert environments, the other from forest. Their nutritional needs are different. Stay away from gerbil food when it comes to squirrels. :peace

[4skwerlz]

You don't want anything alfalfa-based for squirrels.

Below is a comparison chart of some rat blocks. Below that are the ingredients lists for the brands compared.

65141

2014 Teklad Global 14% Protein Rodent Maintenance Diet

Ingredients: Wheat middlings, ground wheat, ground corn, corn gluten meal, calcium carbonate, soybean oil, dicalcium phosphate, iodized salt, L-lysine, DL-methionine, choline chloride, niacin, vitamin A acetate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium oxide, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate, chromium potassium sulfate.

2018 Teklad Global 18% Protein Rodent Diet

Ingredients: Ground wheat, ground corn, wheat middlings, soybean meal, corn gluten meal, soybean oil, calcium carbonate, dried brewers yeast, dicalcium phosphate, iodized salt, L-lysine, DL-methionine, choline chloride, niacin, vitamin A acetate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride,thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium oxide, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate, chromium potassium sulfate.

Kaytee Forti-Diet for Rats and Mice

Ingredients: Ground Yellow Corn, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Ground Wheat, Ground Oats, Ground Peanuts, sun-cured Alfalfa Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Cane Molasses, Lignin Sulfonate, Corn Sugar, Calcium Sulfate, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Vegetable Oil, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Beet Pulp, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Ferrous Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Ethoxyquin (a preservative), L-Lysine, Zinc Oxide, Niacin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of vitamin K activity), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, Natural Flavoring.

Mazuri Rodent Block

Ingredients: Dehulled soybean meal, ground corn, ground wheat, wheat middlings, animal fat preserved with BHA, cane molasses, fish meal, ground oats, porcine meat meal, dehydrated alfalfa meal, dried beet pulp, wheat germ, brewers dried yeast, calcium carbonate, dried whey, salt, calcium propionate (a preservative), dicalcium phosphate, ground soybean hulls, menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite (source of vitamin K), choline chloride, dried yucca shidigera extract, corn gluten meal, DL-methionine, cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3 ), vitamin A acetate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (source of natural vitamin E), soybean oil, thiamin mononitrate, folic acid, nicotinic acid, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, cyanocobalamin (source of vitamin B12 ), manganous oxide, zinc oxide, ferrous carbonate, copper sulfate, zinc sulfate, calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate.

Zupreem Primate Diet

Ingredients: Ground corn, Soybean meal, Cracked wheat, Sucrose,Wheat germ meal,Animal fat (preserved with BHA, propyl gallate and citric acid), Dried whole egg, Dicalcium phosphate, Calcium carbonate, Iodized salt,Vegetable oil, Choline chloride, Stabilized ascorbic acid (source of Vitamin C), Ethoxyquin (a preservative), Ferrous sulfate, Zinc oxide, Copper chloride, Manganous oxide, Cobalt carbonate, Calcium iodate, Sodium selenite,Vitamin A supplement,Vitamin D supplement,Vitamin E supplement, Thiamine (Vitamin B1), Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2, Folic acid, Biotin,Vitamin B12 supplement.