Is there any possible way to find the GA if you pick things out?

by AnonymousMouseOwner Mon 16 Jan 2017, 3:49 am

I pick striped sunflower seeds, corn, and some of the black oil sunflower seeds out of the bird seed I feed my mice. I know that messes up the GA, and I'll be honest, I don't properly calculate it currently because I can't figure out how to do it if I take ingredients out of the mix. The mix has three different types of seed after I pick out those ingredients, which are white millet, red millet, and black oil sunflower seeds. I add a pinch of meal worms, a pinch of dried papaya, a bit of golden millet, a bit of whole wheat pasta, a handful of oats, a tiny bit of rice crispies, 3 or 4 Mazuri lab blocks, 2 dried banana slices broken up, and 3 dried crickets to a (about) 2.5 pound mix. I'm shooting for variety. But I really need a way to calculate the GA of my mix. I only have a scale that weighs in ounces, and I don't know how to calculate it. I tried using a method for calculating the GA of hamster food that I found on a hamster forum, but I just kept getting lost while trying to calculate. I could really use some help with making a proper diet for them Cookie

So here are my ingredients in order of most to least used:

White millet, red millet, oats, whole wheat pasta, mealworms, dried papaya, black oil sunflower seeds, rice crispies, golden millet, dried banana pieces, Mazuri lab blocks, dried crickets

by MooMouse Mon 16 Jan 2017, 8:43 am

I know that Dr. Foster's and Smith sells basic ingredients such as millet, red millet, dried bananas, etc. and they list the GA for each. Here is the link: http://m.drsfostersmith.com/bird-supplies/food-formulas-diets/foster-smith-premium-food-blends-seeds/ps/c/5059/5911/8539

As for the whole wheat pasta, rice krispies, and any other human food that you don't have a guaranteed analysis for, you would have to find it. Here is a page that lists how to calculate it: http://hamsterhideout.com/forum/topic/102287-hamster-nutrition-iii-calculating-the-guaranteed-analysis-of-a-mixed-diet/

Then, you have to type each ingredient into the calculator on the same page. But wait: you need to find the percentages for each item in the mix! To do this, you must weigh each item individually for the amount you would normally put in the mix. Then, divide it by however many ounces in total and multiply it by 100. That's your percent. Type them all into the calculator and there you have it, the GA of your mix!

I tried to do this once as well but gave up because I didn't have a scale to use. I hope that the process I described makes sense, if it doesn't please let me know or correct any mistakes I could have possibly made. I like math, but sometimes when I try to describe it to other people they look at me like I have 3 heads or something, lol Laughing

by CallaLily Mon 16 Jan 2017, 9:18 am

I used one of the methods listed in that site when putting together my mouse mix and when mixing commercial foods for my hamster. Using a different source to try to figure out the GA for a commercial mix that you've picked stuff out of isn't always accurate. Sometimes the GA is different for the same individual product brand to brand.

For example, Foster and Smith's white proso millet has, according to their site:

Crude Protein
11.0% min
Crude Fat
3.0% min
Crude Fiber
7.0% max

And this bag has this listed according to the seller:

Crude Protein: 13.0 %
Crude Fat: 4.0 %
Crude Fiber: 8.0 %

Both products are 100% white proso millet.

by MooMouse Mon 16 Jan 2017, 9:26 am

Right, it's not going to be 100% accurate, but it's pretty close and I think that calculating the GA of your mix in this way will at least give you a round-about idea of what you are feeding your mice. If you didn't want to use other sources to get the GA of certain ingredients in order to improve the accuracy of your results, you would have to contact the company of the bird seed and ask them the guaranteed analysis of each of their ingredients.

by CallaLily Mon 16 Jan 2017, 9:35 am

I just want to make sure the OP or anyone reading know it isn't an accurate way to get the GA after picking things out of a commercial food. The results could be very different than what the food actually is, which means you still wouldn't know what the GA is. No different than just picking things out and/or randomly tossing things in. Lots of people do that here and haven't noticed any ill effects as far as I know. But I took it that the OP was looking to find the actual GA. Pardon

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Is there any possible way to find the GA if you pick things out?

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