Feeding for exhibition
Every fancier will feed his mice differently, even when using the same basic ingredients. There is no one 'right' way of feeding your stud and what works for one person and their mice might not work for others. Getting the right balance requires you to know your mice (different varieties and strains may tolerate different things) and of course use good quality food.
Oats
One thing that mouse breeders tend to agree on is the use of oats as a main part of their mix. Personally I use bruised oats but rolled and whole oats and groats are all fine too. The brand is not as important as the quality - both of the product itself and the way it has been prepared, packaged and stored. Don't buy oats that have been sitting round for a long time - and of course always use (well) before the date on the bag to make sure you're getting the maximum amount of nutrients.
Other grains
I use flaked barley as a secondary grain in my mix. I don't give as much of this as I do oats, but still it makes up a good proportion of the food. Some people use corn/maize, although others disagree with this practice as they believe it will cause tumours in both mice and rats. This is based on the fact that the corn can be contaminated with mycotoxins such as aflatoxin and fumonisin, which cause cancer and tumours; however the corn itself is not to blame.
Seed
A mixed wild bird seed makes up part of my mouse food and provides natural oils and fats. This contains millet and sunflower seeds amongst others. Some breeders also give a pinch of linseed the week before a show to boost coat condition.
Dog food
Dry complete dog food provides animal protein, which wild mice get by eating insects. I try to use a brand without too much protein in, as it can be hard on the kidneys if too much is consumed, so I stick to a protein percentage around the low 20s. I have used a few brands over the years and most were suitable for mice, including Wafcol greyhound maintenance and Chudleys. What is a good brand of food for dogs (and therefore quite expensive) isn't usually necessary for mice; they are fine on a grain-based kibble as long as you avoid lots of unnecessary additives and colourings.
Pobs
Pobs is the word used to describe a mix of stale bread and milk, sometimes with other ingredients such as raw egg, soaked and then squeezed out. This is then given to mice to provide moisture as well as food. Some traditional fanciers swear by this method, however it's too messy for my liking and my mice don't seem to have suffered from eating a dry diet (water is always available via water bottles).
Other foods and additives
There is such a wide range of foods given by fanciers that I can't possibly cover them all here, but some of the more common ones are:
Oats
One thing that mouse breeders tend to agree on is the use of oats as a main part of their mix. Personally I use bruised oats but rolled and whole oats and groats are all fine too. The brand is not as important as the quality - both of the product itself and the way it has been prepared, packaged and stored. Don't buy oats that have been sitting round for a long time - and of course always use (well) before the date on the bag to make sure you're getting the maximum amount of nutrients.
Other grains
I use flaked barley as a secondary grain in my mix. I don't give as much of this as I do oats, but still it makes up a good proportion of the food. Some people use corn/maize, although others disagree with this practice as they believe it will cause tumours in both mice and rats. This is based on the fact that the corn can be contaminated with mycotoxins such as aflatoxin and fumonisin, which cause cancer and tumours; however the corn itself is not to blame.
Seed
A mixed wild bird seed makes up part of my mouse food and provides natural oils and fats. This contains millet and sunflower seeds amongst others. Some breeders also give a pinch of linseed the week before a show to boost coat condition.
Dog food
Dry complete dog food provides animal protein, which wild mice get by eating insects. I try to use a brand without too much protein in, as it can be hard on the kidneys if too much is consumed, so I stick to a protein percentage around the low 20s. I have used a few brands over the years and most were suitable for mice, including Wafcol greyhound maintenance and Chudleys. What is a good brand of food for dogs (and therefore quite expensive) isn't usually necessary for mice; they are fine on a grain-based kibble as long as you avoid lots of unnecessary additives and colourings.
Pobs
Pobs is the word used to describe a mix of stale bread and milk, sometimes with other ingredients such as raw egg, soaked and then squeezed out. This is then given to mice to provide moisture as well as food. Some traditional fanciers swear by this method, however it's too messy for my liking and my mice don't seem to have suffered from eating a dry diet (water is always available via water bottles).
Other foods and additives
There is such a wide range of foods given by fanciers that I can't possibly cover them all here, but some of the more common ones are:
- Pea and corn mix (dry or soaked)
- Crackers
- Cat food
- Milk powder (sprinkled on dry food)
- Hay
