# Conversion from seed mix to lab blocks



## CatWoman (Jun 19, 2010)

I've been feeding my mice a homemade mousie mix and they do well with it, but I need to switch over to feeding lab blocks for a little while. I decided to go with Harlan 2018, because I can get it locally, in sufficient volume, at a reasonable cost.

I usually buy oats, wheat, and mixed bird seed in 50lb bags, then add dog food, split peas, lentils, barley, rice, pasta, and a few other bits in small amounts, for variety and entertainment. When I'm finished mixing everything together, I usually have about 170lbs of mouse mix, give or take ~5lbs.

Can anyone give me an idea of how much lab block I would need to equal my usual 170lbs of mousie mix?


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Sounds a good feed you give them harlan 2018 is ok for young mice too is there a website where you can buy lab blocks? ,I have never used them catwoman.I have a box of Trill Budgie food it contains canary seed,red millet,white millet, yellow millet can these seeds be fed too mice. I used too feed my foreign finches a mix containing these are they ok for Mice .Im not going to get too the pet warehouse for a while My supermarket has sold out in all bird seeds .Theres no delivery of bread or milk now for 2 days with the heavy snow.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

With such a good mix, why switch to lab blocks?


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

CatWoman said:


> I've been feeding my mice a homemade mousie mix and they do well with it, but I need to switch over to feeding lab blocks for a little while. I decided to go with Harlan 2018, because I can get it locally, in sufficient volume, at a reasonable cost.
> 
> I usually buy oats, wheat, and mixed bird seed in 50lb bags, then add dog food, split peas, lentils, barley, rice, pasta, and a few other bits in small amounts, for variety and entertainment. When I'm finished mixing everything together, I usually have about 170lbs of mouse mix, give or take ~5lbs.
> 
> Can anyone give me an idea of how much lab block I would need to equal my usual 170lbs of mousie mix?


I suspect like most of us an alarming amount of food gets cleaned out each week and is wasted,however you ought to be able to retrieve uneaten block as its a good deal larger than seeds etc. Another point is being a complete food, the mice will eat much less of it than a seed mix, efficient nutrition etc. so I personally would get in 60 % of what I normally do.,then go from there.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

The mice will love the trill geordiesmice.In this cold weather and with mine being outside I also give a few supermarket basics digestive biscuits.I have used lab blocks and I literally had to starve the mice into eating them.They either detested the taste or simply never recognised them as food.The latter I think.They lost so much condition I gave up.


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

I have used Trill also. They love it. Gets exppensive to use all the time, but i buy a box every now and then


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

I have known a few fanciers try blocks and they have never been happy with the results for a variety of reasons. I had a friend who worked in a lab and even they gave up using blocks because the mice simply didnt thrive on them. The last fancier I spoke to who did it gave up because he couldnt get his mice into show condition feeding blocks.


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Trill was all the supermarke had it is expensive shiprat but its mixed in now with every thing else, all the wild bird seed etc was sold out as well as bread, and milk and meat lol. Im not buying lab blocks I dont think there is any need too Sarah I get good tips on here and think ill try that but will miss on lab blocks. I have never seen any mouse mix in large sacks, which is a shame , maybe the retailers think people only keep the odd mouse or Children even. There sadly wrong I would buy 10 kg or 15kg sacks if they were available I dont think they do 25kg now for lifting its a health and safety heavy lifting issue at work.My pet warehouse had these round white things in the mice and rabbit section, would these be salt do you give Mice salt blocks I noticed these the last time I was there.Salt would just make a animal drink all the time I think alot of these supplements etc are just gimicks to make you buy.


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## CatWoman (Jun 19, 2010)

I've introduced some of the lab block already, so I could do a slower conversion. I didn't want to switch too fast and upset any tummies. So far, everybody seems to be fine with it. Some were a little more exuberant about it than others, but nobody rejected it outright.

At 60%, would be 96 pounds. I wonder if I'd be ok with 100lbs. Or should I get more than that? It's just a temporary thing. I need to make sure I have enough to get through, because won't be able to go get more, but I don't want to end up with a ton of leftover either.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. :?

Rhas, I'll PM you details, because it has something else to do with you.


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

just remember in manufactured foods that it has a shelf life, much less than naturally packaged foods like seeds and the grains etc.- vitamin guarantees etc. so research that as well.


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## CatWoman (Jun 19, 2010)

According to Harlan, the shelf life is 6 months from the production date, when stored properly (cool, dry, pest free location). I'll only need it for about a month, so I should be safe on that count. The 170lbs of seed mix usually lasts me 3-4 weeks, so I figured I'd just trade out one full feed cycle, plus the conversion time.


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