I'm so excited!

[ErinsChins]

As some of you know, I am friends with the owner of a local pet store. I actually used to volunteer there a lot last year. I went in there today because she wants me to work with the two chins she has now, but I actually stayed for a few hours. We talked about me working there for money now (finally!) and she also said she could get in a ton of stuff for me at wholesale prices (without marking it up!). Cuttlebone for 0.10c, ferret nation for under $100, 8lb timothy hay $7, and some other GOOD chin stuff. I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but she was feeding the chins crap food until the other day I took in some mazuri for her. I was asking her how much crap food she sells in one week and she said about 3 bags (for chinchillas). She told me the wholesale price for Kaytee and it was $3.03 for a 2.5lb bag. I told her I could get Mazuri for $1 a lb and Oxbow for a little more. She really cares about the animals, and I told her that I could come back with some evidence as to why Kaytee, CC, Sunseed, and some others are crap. Does anyone have any proof that I could print and take in? I can tell her verbally all day that the treats can cause bloat, but she wants it written. She actually looked at Mazuri's website and said they looked like a good reliable company. Anyway, I will basically be responsible for everything small animal there. Oh, and last question, if I did want to sell the Mazuri, i'd have to pakage it myself. What would be the best way to do that? Thanks!

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

Zip Lock bags are the best way to package it, or any type of container that seals out moisture. And it would be good to get different sizes of course...

 

[ErinsChins]

Zip Lock bags are the best way to package it, or any type of container that seals out moisture. And it would be good to get different sizes of course...

I was just wondering, from a customer point of view, would you buy food in a ziplock bag? That was what I was concerned about.

 

[caiti]

I was just wondering, from a customer point of view, would you buy food in a ziplock bag? That was what I was concerned about.

Yea, I can see customers being skittish about buying something they know has already been opened. But, then again, I see that with dog food all the time. Or it's even in those bins with a scoop like you'd see in a candy shop (that I wouldn't suggest trying). Maybe if you have the bag with the mill date on display and you can print out some sort of labels with the nutritional information, it would make people feel better about buying it?

 

[MyLilPintoBean]

You could apply tape at the top of the ziploc bag so it's "sealed" and you can tell if it's been tampered with. I agree with caiti about labels being put on the bags! I know I hesitate when things aren't labeled!

 

[Rimbaum]

I was just wondering, from a customer point of view, would you buy food in a ziplock bag? That was what I was concerned about.

Honestly, from a customer point of view, I probably wouldn't. Maybe if there was a label for homemade/locally prepared items, like chin cookies or applewood twigs. (Of course, I always prefer to support local suppliers of things like that!) But for a name brand of chin food, I'd rather buy it in a more professional-looking bag.

 

[~SG~]

I used to work at a place where we bought boxes of candy and then sold it by the bag.

I weighed it out and put it in zip lock style bags, printed off copies of the nutrition label that also told how much the bag weighed and when it was bagged up. I stapled that label to the top of the bag above the ziplock. That way I could tell if anyone had opened the bags

 

[ErinsChins]

Zip Lock bags are the best way to package it, or any type of container that seals out moisture. And it would be good to get different sizes of course...

I used to work at a place where we bought boxes of candy and then sold it by the bag.

I weighed it out and put it in zip lock style bags, printed off copies of the nutrition label that also told how much the bag weighed and when it was bagged up. I stapled that label to the top of the bag above the ziplock. That way I could tell if anyone had opened the bags

That's a nice idea! I think i'll try that at first!

I may also consider finding out the wholesale price, i'm not trying to make any money, so i'll do whatever needs to be done to get it in. I know that if I were there that they would probably buy it, but if i'm not there to explain they might be hesitant.

 

[mishellyshel]

as a mazuri distributor, you may want to check with them regarding their laws and regulations on "repackaging". i would also check if they permit the selling of bulk from a container. perhaps you can get the smaller bags and make less of a profit.

but congratulations on your new position. it is good to have one of the good guys on the inside!

 

[AZChins]

You could get a vacuum sealer/bag sealer machine.

http://www.harborfreight.com/15-1-2-half-inch-electrical-impulse-sealer-43477.html

That one is on sale. Seal up the bags and put a nice label on them. You can ask a Mazuri rep about the food being repackaged to be in a retail setting. But, they've let petstores sell it in their bags for a few years now when they used to require that only the Purina dealers could sell it. So...I don't know.

 

[addictedtochins]

she also said she could get in a ton of stuff for me at wholesale prices (without marking it up!). Cuttlebone for 0.10c,and some other GOOD chin stuff.

Cuttlebone is not safe for chins, too much calcium which will cause kidney stone.

 

[ErinsChins]

Cuttlebone is not safe for chins, too much calcium which will cause kidney stone.

I do not give it regularly. Only to chins that lack calcium (with pearly white teeth). Since most rescues that I get in need calcium, I try to keep some on hand.

 

[selfprodigy]

I do not give it regularly. Only to chins that lack calcium (with pearly white teeth). Since most rescues that I get in need calcium, I try to keep some on hand.

I somewhat disagree. Kidney stones are pretty rare in chinchillas compared to guinea pigs / rabbits. It's a fundamental difference in the way they metabolize calcium. Guinea pigs and rabbits absorb all of it. Chinchillas like other mammals dispose of whatever calcium they don't use. Could it cause a stone sure. I would think malocclusion and calcium deficiency are far greater problems then kidney stones though.

I have both guinea pigs and chinchillas. With my guinea pigs all of there food is timothy based pellets. The chinchillas are on mazuri and it's alfalfa based pellets. If i switched my guinea pigs to oxbow's performance (alfalfa based diet) it would cause kidney stones. But if i gave it to the chins they would be fine.

I give my chin's cuttle bones and they only partially chew them before the pee on them and forget all about them anyways. I do however give them vitamin c every other day and their teeth and bones couldn't be better.