Two feeds I see little about...any opinions??

[blondeangel]

I feed my two chinchillas (2 yrs + 7 yrs male) now a variety of three different pellets. Oxbow, Kaytee's Timothy Complete and Carefresh Complete. The last two brands - I rarely see any feed back on the forum about. Here's the stats on them....any opinions?

Kaytee Timothy Complete Chinchilla Food
Sun-cured timothy grass hay, dehydrated alfalfa meal, dehulled soybean meal, wheat middlings, ground wheat, ground oats, oat hulls, dried beet pulp, dried cane molasses, dicalcium phosphate, salt, soy oil, wheat germ meal, carbon carbonate, dl-methionine, vitamin A supplement, choline chloride, yucca schidigera extract, riboflavin supplement, ferrous carbonate, ethyoxyquin (a preservative), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin E supplement, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, niacin, copper oxide, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity) cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, calcium iodate, biotin, folic acid, dried A. oryzae fermentation extract (source of protease), dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude protein (min)…16.0%
Crude fat (min) 2.5%
Crude fiber (max) 22.0%
Moisture (max) 12.0%

CareFRESH Complete Food for Chinchillas
Ingredients:
Timothy hay, orchard grass, brome grass, alfalfa, soybean meal, corn, oats, ground split peas, banana, brewers dried yeast, molasses, yeast, yeast extract, sodium bentonite, lignin sulfonate, dl-methionine, l-lysine, vitamin e supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of stabilized vitamin c), choline chloride, anise, natural and artificial flavors, salt, ferrous sulfate, biotin, yucca schidigera extract, zinc oxide, manganeous oxide, niacinamide, vitamin b12 supplement, rosemary extract, mixed tocopherols, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, beta carotene, vitamin a supplement, calcium pantothenate, sodium selenite, folic acid, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin k3), vitamin d3 supplement, cobalt sulfate.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude protein (min) 14.0%
Crude fiber (max) 20.0%
Crude fat (min) 2.0%
Moisture (max) 10.0%
Ash (max) 10.0%
Omega 3 (min) 0.26%
Omega 6 (min) 0.6%


I am purchasing a baby tomorrow from a local breeder and she uses PNAR and besides personally despising purina in general I don't like the vague ingredients. The breeder recommends I con't this feed for the next few months until the chinnie is all settled in, so I am sucking it up and purchasing a few pounds for him, but can anyone tell me what could be wrong with these other two foods I use?

Thank You.

 

[threewingedfury]

Though you may be opposed to using Purina products, it would be best to stay away from any Kaytee product and the Carefresh product is definitely one to stay away from due to the fact that it's filled with junk (split peas, banana). You want a timothy or alfalfa based pellet. Anything with treats or fruits and veggies in it is a definite no.

PANR and the new PRCS is highly recommended on this forum, but you can check out Oxbow or Mazuri pellets if you're hoping to get them from a pet store.

 

[tunes]

I wouldn't use either of them. The one is loaded with treats, and both are questionable for their shelf life and storage.

As Tiffany said, either Oxbow or Mazuri is at the pet store. The other stuff comes through feed stores or individuals selling it. Often times, it's cheaper to pay the shipping and get the food in that way than it is to buy a little tiny bag at the pet store. You would be surprised how cheap a 50 pound bag of good feed is, from a feed store.

Oxbow is an excellent feed. Can I ask why you are adding two inferior feeds to it?

 

[blondeangel]

oxbow I purchase through a vets office which isn't exactly super local, if I am running low I will grab something on my way out of work, I am a manager at Petco. The carefresh came in a few months ago and I've used two bags, one for my chinchillas and one for my guinea pig. I picked out the non-pellets and used it on both, they both loved the pellets in the carefresh formula very much. The timothy complete I just never saw much wrong with the formula - it tells you exactly what is in it and nearly all of it is a forage type product.

I know I can get big bags of feed from feeds stores cheap, (even cheaper because a coworker runs a barn and gets discounts), but with only 3 soon to be 4 animals eating pellets and two different types of pellets at that a 50 lb bag isn't money saving when it will go bad quicker then I can use it all. I have tried Mazuri once, and woke up in the middle of the night with my oldest chin throwing it at my head. I took that as a dislike. Seeing how the new baby I'm getting is housing with my current youngest chin I am going to be solely feeding the PNAR in that cage for the next few months. But my oldest chin seems to love timothy complete over anything else. My pig loves oxbow. They are all so darn picky hah.

 

[threewingedfury]

Just because a chin likes a certain pellet over another, doesn't mean that it is healthy for them. Kaytee products seem to be filled with sugar and aren't really geared towards the health of a chinchilla, even with the name 'Chinchilla' on the bag. That feed isn't as bad as many as I've seen, but there are much better options out there.

 

[tunes]

I know I can get big bags of feed from feeds stores cheap, (even cheaper because a coworker runs a barn and gets discounts), but with only 3 soon to be 4 animals eating pellets and two different types of pellets at that a 50 lb bag isn't money saving when it will go bad quicker then I can use it all.

If you get, just as an example, a 50 pound bag of Tradition, you could take what you need, then donate the rest to a rescue. A 50 pound bag is around $15.00. That's still a significant savings over buying a 7 pound bag in a pet store, even with donating what you don't use. Plus, you get the bonus of helping a rescue.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

I second Peggy and Tiffany. Those two are crap feed. You can easily buy a 25# of a high quality pellet for $8.00. Take what you need for one month and freeze the rest. Rabbit feeds are good for 6 months from mill date...3 months after you open the bag.

I think you will notice the difference once you switch to a better feed. Stick to oxbow if they like it. That food is good. Get rid of the rest. You aren't doing them any favors.

 

[blondeangel]

I usually am typically against almost all kaytee foods and try to go what is best nutritionally for my animals (besides the chins and pig, i have dogs, cats, hedgehogs, rats, short tailed opossums, some reptiles, flying squirrels, and a few more)...I mean even my rats are on a sole diet of oxbow because its the only rat food I found with no corn - which in my three ratties has proven to lessen poops dramatically. I am honestly a huge huge advocate for good pet food, but I just don't understand why the PANR is much better when breaking down ingredients (I do get why its fed, based of protein levels). But this is my problem specifically with it:

forage products (alfalfa): if it was just alfalfa, then it should read alfalfa as first ingredient. But because it does not that basically mean....it can be alfalfa....sometimes.
roughage products (oat or rice hulls): cheapest product they can get at the time goes into the food - inconsistencies throughout the year.
plant protein products, grain products : read to me as "?" .... if you don't know what it is, its pretty much not great. Just like when you see "meat products" listed in dog food - its never healthy.

 

[mishellyshel]

i dont know much about the foods, but as others suggested buying in bulk is definitely more cost effective.
i used to buy a 2.5lb of mazuri for 9 bux at petsmart but can get a 25 lb bag for 13 at the feed store. what i didnt use i could donate or simply throw away and still save a ridiculous amount of money.

 

[blondeangel]

I did not ever think about donating it, that is a good idea. If I decide to buy in bulk, i will def. look into donating it.

 

[Euphoric]

I buy in bulk, but I usually go through a 50lb bag in 3-4 months and I freeze it (There is debates if it actually works or not, but I like it, the color stays darker so I figure its doing something)

Donating would be really nice! I donate to my SPCA otherwise they feed crap food. I donate 2 bags of PANR a month.

 

[Essentia]

Freezing does nothing for your feed.

As for the other feeds mentioned, I have to agree with the others. Also, when thinking about Purina, the Purina Mills company and the Purina who makes dog/cat food are two completely different companies (or at least that's what I have been told). I am also not a huge fan of the vague ingredients, but I will say my chins do fantastic on the feed. They do not need the fruits/veggies that are in the other feeds.

You can also buy a 25 lb. bag of Mazuri at the feed store instead of a 50lb. bag of Purina Show formula. The Mazuri here is $13.00 for 25 lbs. Fibre3 (also a good quality rabbit feed that is fine for chinchillas) can be ordered in as little as 7 lbs.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I have 3 chins and they were on PANR. I can only get the 50 pound bag, but it's only $17.50. I have them scoop out 20 pounds for me, and then drop off the rest at Denver Dumb Friends. That way, ny boys always have fresh food and DDF gets a helping hand!!! They love me there and I love giving back. :thumbsup: I just kept them on the whatever PANR's new name is, and they transitioned well.

 

[jrosler04]

Excuse the ignorance..what is PANR?

I have finally found Oxbow pellets...they are HARD to find here. I was out of town & found them at petsmart..ridiculously expensive...but worth it for these guys!

I am going to talk to a local store to see if I can order them in bulk..

 

[tunes]

PANR was Purina Advanced Nutrition Rabbit, but they changed the name to show chow or something? I just ordered a couple bags. I'm going to try doing a mix of Nutrena and the Purina and see how it goes.

 

[Silverrose]

It's now called Purina Rabbit Chow Show Natural AdvantEdge. The Natural AdvantEdge line also includes Fibre3, which a few others are using as well.

 

[Dolyphinm]

Excuse the ignorance..what is PANR?

I have finally found Oxbow pellets...they are HARD to find here. I was out of town & found them at petsmart..ridiculously expensive...but worth it for these guys!

I am going to talk to a local store to see if I can order them in bulk..

I feed oxbow and just order it off of Sandi on here. With shipping I get twice as more than the 5lb bag at the pet store and its cheaper than what 10lbs would cost at the store.