100% Lablock Diet?
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100% Lablock Diet?
by CucumberMouse Tue 27 Mar 2018, 10:59 pm
What would the pros and cons be of an all lab block diet? Variety is important, but why is a varied diet necessarily better than a lab block diet? What are the chances that a mouse could get a vitamin deficiency from a seed and varied diet? How would you tell if they have a vitamin deficiency?, and how might it affect a mouse?
CucumberMouse- Sr Member
- Join date : 2017-09-25
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Re: 100% Lablock Diet?
by CallaLily Wed 28 Mar 2018, 8:52 am
From the Mouse Diet thread.
As for variety, just like us a wide range of different foods is the best way to get all the nutrition we need. Sure we could eat say... cheese pizza every meal and take a multivitamin and probably be fine, but vitamins and minerals are best absorbed straight from the source. And a wide variety of foods helps insure you’re getting everything you need. Mice naturally eat mostly grain, seeds, and insects - though of course do take full advantage of edible nuts, fruits, plants, herbs, fungi, and yes even sometimes carrion. So the best way to make sure your pet mouse is getting everything they need is a good seed mix with lots of variety, rounded out with a good block to supplement, and small amounts of fresh foods a few times a week.
Studies clearly show that mice must have mixed food as at least part of their diet to stay healthy. Being scavengers by nature, mice have a physical need to forage food. Scavenging for food keeps a mouse mentally spry. This directly reflects in their behavior as well as their health. A mouse that is given a healthy diet that they can scavenge for will be healthier and live longer than mice that are not given this opportunity. However, you need to make sure that your mice are not only picking out the stuff they like best and leaving the rest before you refill their dish. Additionally, make sure you check the food daily to insure they have actual food, not just empty shells.
As for variety, just like us a wide range of different foods is the best way to get all the nutrition we need. Sure we could eat say... cheese pizza every meal and take a multivitamin and probably be fine, but vitamins and minerals are best absorbed straight from the source. And a wide variety of foods helps insure you’re getting everything you need. Mice naturally eat mostly grain, seeds, and insects - though of course do take full advantage of edible nuts, fruits, plants, herbs, fungi, and yes even sometimes carrion. So the best way to make sure your pet mouse is getting everything they need is a good seed mix with lots of variety, rounded out with a good block to supplement, and small amounts of fresh foods a few times a week.
CallaLily- Hero Member
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Re: 100% Lablock Diet?
by CucumberMouse Mon 02 Apr 2018, 5:35 pm
My vet said he wanted me to go to a 100% lablock diet, because he thought Cucumber might be scratching from a vitamin deficiency. However, I'm a little doubtful of this and I don't think Cucumber has any sort of vitamin deficiency. How would I be able to tell if Cucumber was missing out on vitamins? He seems to finish all of his seed mix, and I don't refill it until it looks like he's eaten most of it. Should I put him on a 100% lablock diet? I know it's what my vet recommended but I'm pretty doubtful...
CucumberMouse- Sr Member
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Re: 100% Lablock Diet?
by CallaLily Tue 03 Apr 2018, 11:54 am
It’s usually best to follow your vet’s advice over a random forum member like me. I will say that your average veterinarian doesn’t usually know a whole lot about animal nutrition. Not that I’m an expert either. 
I’m not sure how to tell if they’re deficient in anything. If you’re not sure your vet’s advice is good, it may be a good idea to look for a second vet’s opinion.
Scratching... Did they test or treat for mites? What is the crude protein in the food you have been feeding? What’s the humidity like in your house? Is he scratching himself raw?
I’m not sure how to tell if they’re deficient in anything. If you’re not sure your vet’s advice is good, it may be a good idea to look for a second vet’s opinion.
Scratching... Did they test or treat for mites? What is the crude protein in the food you have been feeding? What’s the humidity like in your house? Is he scratching himself raw?
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Re: 100% Lablock Diet?
by CucumberMouse Tue 03 Apr 2018, 10:48 pm
The vet said that it was really unlikely that it was mites or lice. He said it was probably an allergy, so I'm working on treating it. It's pretty dry here, not sure the exact humidity, but I live near mountains and pretty high up. Currently Cucumber is on a mix of things, but has an average of 13.75% protein. He's scratching himself to the point he bleeds, and he got his ear kind of bad last week.
I would really like another vet opinion, but I really don't have the money to spend unless it's more of an emergency. This was my first time using the vet, and my first time being in a small animal check up. I really can't tell what characteristics would be of a good or more experienced vet. There are things that make this vet seem really great, and things that make him seem not so good. I'm just really not sure what a "normal vet quality" would be like.
I would really like another vet opinion, but I really don't have the money to spend unless it's more of an emergency. This was my first time using the vet, and my first time being in a small animal check up. I really can't tell what characteristics would be of a good or more experienced vet. There are things that make this vet seem really great, and things that make him seem not so good. I'm just really not sure what a "normal vet quality" would be like.
CucumberMouse- Sr Member
- Join date : 2017-09-25
Posts : 158
Re: 100% Lablock Diet?
by CallaLily Wed 04 Apr 2018, 11:21 am
If you can pick up a humidifier (and a hygrometer to monitor), the itchiness could be dry skin. They have a pretty broad range that’s considered suitable - 30-70% but it can’t hurt to check.
Mites are actually pretty common. I’m surprised your vet didn’t even consider testing for them. There’s even more info on mites here: https://www.petmousefanciers.com/t17-itching-hair-loss-and-parasites. There’s also treatment advice there. Lice you can see with the naked eye, mites not always.
I think your food sounds ok %-wise. Is there a lot of sunflower seeds or peanuts in the mix? Some mice are overly sensitive to them. But it’s my understanding that hot spots from too much protein are usually all along their back.
Mites are actually pretty common. I’m surprised your vet didn’t even consider testing for them. There’s even more info on mites here: https://www.petmousefanciers.com/t17-itching-hair-loss-and-parasites. There’s also treatment advice there. Lice you can see with the naked eye, mites not always.
I think your food sounds ok %-wise. Is there a lot of sunflower seeds or peanuts in the mix? Some mice are overly sensitive to them. But it’s my understanding that hot spots from too much protein are usually all along their back.
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