DIETARY FACT SHEET
 
MICE & RATS
 

At Peters Pure Animal Foods, we care about the health of pet mice and rats. This feeding advice sheet has been prepared to help you keep your pets happy and healthy.


Mice and rats are omnivorous which means they will eat almost anything that humans do. However, a balanced diet should consist of a nutritious dry feed supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetables and water.

1. DRY FEEDING – Peters Mouse & Rat Mixture
 
Peters Mouse & Rat Mixture is specially formulated to provide mice and rats with the essential vitamins and minerals necessary to maintain health and vitality.
 
The food is 15% protein designed to form a base diet for the maintenance of adult animals. It contains premium quality whole grains that provide material to chew and wear down their constantly growing front teeth and help satisfy the chewing urge. Other ingredients include soyabean meal as a natural source of protein and black sunflower seed to help keep your pet’s coat glossy.
 
How much your pet eats a day will depend on its size and age. Because they are small and active animals, they need sufficient food to maintain energy levels. As a guide, provide a serve of Peters Mouse & Rat Mixture twice a day. Supply approximately 20 to 30 grams (1/3 of a cup) per rat and approximately 5 grams per mouse per day and supplement with foods listed below.
 
Store dry foods in an airtight, waterproof container out of direct sun as moulds and fungi that grow in incorrectly stored foods can be fatal to pets.
 
Peters Mouse & Rat Mixture is available through Woolworths supermarkets and Safeway stores in Victoria.

2. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
 
It is important to supplement your pet’s diet with a small amount of fresh fruit and vegetables about three times a week. We suggest the following assortment, which your pet will enjoy;
 
Apples, beetroot, raw carrots, defrosted uncooked peas, cooked soyabeans and stale wholemeal bread. Too much lettuce, cabbage and broccoli can cause diarrhoea so feed sparingly.

It is better to vary the vegetables and fruit in the diet rather than feed too much or little of one type. Ensure the food is fresh and washed clean.
Place the roughly chopped food in a heavy ceramic bowl that can’t be tipped over and remove uneaten food each night.

Introduce new foods slowly and in small amounts to avoid stomach upsets. This will also help you to identify your pet’s favorites.
 
Do not feed any mouldy or spoiled food. Too much milk or cheese can lead to constipation. Meats and fats are not particularly good for rats and can cause unpleasant odours. Avoid feeding citrus fruits or onions as the acidity could upset your pet’s digestion.

TREATS
 
Rats and mice enjoy nuts and dried fruit. Provide the nuts in their shells to help satisfy the chewing urge (peanuts can cause skin irritations in some mice).
Chopped boiled egg, pieces of bacon rind and marmalade jam are also enjoyable. Provide these foods as an occasional treat.

THE GNAWING URGE
 
Rats and mice belong to the rodent family and have a single pair of incisor teeth that grow constantly. They need to have something hard to nibble on to wear down these teeth to prevent eating problems.
 
Pet rat owners might consider placing a block of hard wood in the cage as a gnawing block. Rats and mice enjoy gnawing on small chicken bones. Mice also enjoy cuttlefish bones that are a good source of calcium.

3. WATER
 
Ensure your pet has plenty of fresh water, rats in particular get quite thirsty. We recommend a gravity flow plastic bottle with a metal tube (sipper tube) as this keeps water clean. Replace daily.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
 
NSW Fancy Rat & Mouse Club,
Cindy Cairns , Ph. (02) 9681 7719
Victorian Fancy Rat & Mouse Club,
Bronwyn Blake, Ph.(03) 9437 7739 Victorian Rat & Mouse Association Inc.,
Belinda Bouthier , Ph. (03) 9578 5152

These quality products are endorsed by:

and the Victorian Rat & Mouse Association Inc. and the NSW Fancy Rat & Mouse Club.


PETERS PURE ANIMAL FOODS PTY LTD (ACN 007 161 551)   49-53 Capital Link Drive CAMPBELLFIELD VICTORIA 3061 AUSTRALIA
Telephone: (03) 9357 8110    Facsimile: (03) 9357 8145    Email: peters@vicnet.net.au