How long can you keep pellets before they expire?

[Sandi]

I know to keep them in an air-tight container, but since I'm ordering on-line with members selling them to me in zip-loc bags, I just don't know how long it is before they expire? I have 2 chins and have had 10 lbs. of pellets since before Christmas, it looks to me that I have about 2-3 weeks left of the 10 lbs. Should I consider getting 5 lbs. at a time instead? Thanks for your help guys!

 

[DaphnesandFreddysmom]

I think pellets are good for 3 months before they start losing their nutritional value. I have 2 too and I had no idea how much I should order them. I figured i'd order 6 lbs to see at first. I keep my refrigerated I heard refrigerating and freezing helps to contain some nutritional value to the pellets.

I ordered 2 lbs when we had just the one chinny but she's not a big pellet eater so that was plenty to last her a month. Our new boy eats them quite eagerly so we'll have to get the 6 lbs to see next time we order.

 

[ForCHINate Chins]

I ship pellets in ziploc bags, but they are kept in air tight containers until they are packaged in the bags. General rule is 4 to 6 months after they are milled. I pick up new tradition pellets every month to two months and fresh mazuri every 2 to 4 weeks so that anyone that gets them from me get the freshest possible pellets

 

[mishalaa]

Freezing and refrigerating does absolutely nothing to preserve the nutritional value and extend the life of pellets. They start to loose value at 3 months from the mill date, and are pretty much useless after 6 months. I can tell when my pellets are going stale as the chins waste a lot more of them.

 

[DaphnesandFreddysmom]

Freezing and refrigerating does absolutely nothing to preserve the nutritional value and extend the life of pellets. They start to loose value at 3 months from the mill date, and are pretty much useless after 6 months. I can tell when my pellets are going stale as the chins waste a lot more of them.

Hmm, I guess I can stop wasting space in my fridge than. I have a whole section just for my chinchilla food.

 

[Essentia]

I have heard different opinions on this. Some people say that freezing/refrigerating the pellets does help, others are completely against it. Does anyone have any concrete proof for or against?

 

[NOLA Chins]

Depends on the pellet and the packaging. 5 and 10# of Oxbow, 2 years; 50# bags should be used within 1 year of milling date and 6 within months of opening.

I have found that, as a rough rule of thumb, a chin fed @ 2 tblsp/day will eat 10# in 4-6 months.

While ultra freshness is to be applauded, from what I have found, the actual nutrional loss within the above ranges is very minimal.

YMMV.

Rick

 

[Dolyphinm]

I have tried to freeze some pellets as I was unsure how long the amount I had would last. When I got down to using those pellets my girls didn't seem to eat as much of them and yes they were in an air tight container.

 

[Cinder and Me]

I was told no more than 3 months. And for the pellets that you will not be using on a weekly basis (your surplus) keep it in the fridge.

 

[DaphnesandFreddysmom]

I never froze them just refrigerated. Ours don't seem to mind but I've always refrigerated them. Although my girl hardly ever eats them so maybe she doesn't like them refrigerated. The boy chows down he eats a little more than 2 tablespoons. Daphne would rather eat supplements.

 

[oxchincerelyxo]

I've heard three months as well. I have four chinchillas and buy the 5 lb bag for them...it's the only size that my store carries...but I notice when I had a bigger bag once (just had order it that one time) and it lasted me a lot longer, by the time I hit the bottom I was wasting half the dishfull. They would dig out most of it...so personally I would't push three months...

 

[jags]

All the feed dealers and animal nutitionalist I have spoken with have said that the pellets hold their labeled value for at least 6 months and only slowly lose value from there as long as they are keep cool, dry and in the dark. They also said freezing can hurt as much as help so there is no use indoing it.

 

[Tagna]

I think it depends on the type of pellets as well. I get one kind that is milled locally and 3 months is the rule of thumb with that kind. It gets crumbly after that.

I keep my own chins food in lock n lock containers out of sunlight and they smell fresh when I open the container!

 

[Chinniechantel]

All the feed dealers and animal nutitionalist I have spoken with have said that the pellets hold their labeled value for at least 6 months and only slowly lose value from there as long as they are keep cool, dry and in the dark. They also said freezing can hurt as much as help so there is no use indoing it.

This is what I have heard as well. 6 months from the milled on date, 4 months if you want to be really safe. Do not freeze it, that does not help, and actually makes thing worse, as JAGS mentioned.

 

[Anne-Lise]

But I don't understand why freezing wouldn't help. I don't freeze my food, I always use it really quickly, but being logical, freezing your steak will make you keep it longer. SO why wouldn't it does the same thing with pellets? Only problem with this is, you gotta use it faster when it is unfrozen.

 

[CerLynn]

I think the difference with freezing meats, etc is that you're keeping microbes and whatnot from growing in/on it... that doesn't mean it's not losing nutritional value, it's just keeping it safe for consumption.

 

[alli713]

I always remember reading 6 months? I keep all my feed in airtight containers and get fresh food so I don't worry about mine going stale. It all gets used up rather quickly so I'm always getting new bags so I haven't worried about it too much with my chins and store.

As far as freezing, I thought I remembered reading that when you thaw the pellets, it can cause moisture to get to the pellets? I'm not sure that it would be from ice forming or something? I don't know if this is true, I just remember reading it at one point in time.

 

[SunshineChins]

As far as freezing, I thought I remembered reading that when you thaw the pellets, it can cause moisture to get to the pellets? I'm not sure that it would be from ice forming or something? I don't know if this is true, I just remember reading it at one point in time.

That makes me think of freezer burn, where it would get sort of nasty? I don't freeze our pellets we keep them in an air tight container and just use it all within 3 months. I just never had enough room in my freezer to store extra bags of food.

 

[alli713]

well even when you take something out to thaw, moisture forms due to condensation. So maybe just thawing the food out can cause this? I don't know, just a guess.

I agree, I'd need a seperate freezer for the 50 lb bags of food haha

 

[lilchinchilla]

well even when you take something out to thaw, moisture forms due to condensation.

If the pellets get moisture/wet they can get moldy... and mold on the feed is not good. I always tell people to not freeze their pellets, just keep enough on hand to last 3 months, and then get new stuff again in 3 months time.

I like my feed fresh and just my opinion, I imagine the chins do too, so nothing sits around here for too long, as far as pellets or hay goes. I get fresh stuff every month and a half or two months... but that is just me.