# Oxbow Critical Care Shelf Life & Flavor Qs



## KeltonB (Apr 4, 2013)

It probably only seems like this, but usually if something goes wrong with the bunnies, its always on Friday at 5:05 pm. I'd like to have a bag of Oxbow Critical Care on hand for times when the vet office is closed. Is there a shelf-life on unopened Critical Care?

Also, has anyone tried the apple-banana flavor? Did your bunny seem to like it? The anise flavor smells dreadful, so I don't imagine it can be very appetizing.

Thanks y'all!


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## tonyshuman (Apr 4, 2013)

Apple-banana is usually preferred by buns, if you can get it. I have the anise and have only had to give it a few times, and both buns liked the taste enough to eat it without me forcing them, but those two are also not picky eaters at all. I keep mine in the freezer, I think that extends it past the expiration date some, although I wouldn't keep it more than a year past expiration even if frozen. You can also keep pumpkin puree on hand (I have mine frozen from a bumper crop in the garden last summer, although most buy it canned), and baby food of the squash variety. Those have a bit of fiber and aren't too high in sugar in case you have a bunny that just won't eat but only needs a little encouragement. Other varieties of baby food are ok but usually too high in sugar. If the bun doesn't get back to eating normally within 24 hrs, they probably have to go to an emergency vet anyway.


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## missyscove (Apr 4, 2013)

All the critical care I have is directly from Oxbow (some I ordered to have on hand through their ordering program for vet students, others were free samples of the anise I got at meetings) and it's all dated to expire between March and September 2014 so it looks like the expiration date is about 18 months past when you get it from Oxbow (ordering elsewhere it may sit on the shelf for a while first). 
If you have the choice, get the apple banana (they're the same price from oxbow, but the anise is available in a smaller size that they don't sell the apple banana in). I've never personally had a bunny that I gave critical care to that felt good enough to just eat it, but I have a friend whose bunny's molars mysteriously disappeared and he lived off the apple banana critical care which he ate out of a dish willingly.
I would feel comfortable using it past the expiration date, especially if it wasn't open. They no longer include a probiotic (because they didn't have the data to back up putting it in there) so that wouldn't be a concern.


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## Geoff (Apr 5, 2013)

I agree with keeping an open bag in the freezer and pretty sure it will vastly prolong the shelf life... though this is not mentioned as an option by Oxbow, so I cannot comment on how long it will actually remain 'good' doing this. I keep all my Oxbow Critical care products in the freezer once opened (the carnivore product has an extremely limited shelf life once opened per Oxbow- don't use this one in rabbits, though!).


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## KeltonB (Apr 5, 2013)

Exactly the feedback I was looking for! Thanks everyone! :thanks:


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## Orchid (Mar 1, 2014)

I'm sorry I was reading through this thread and I wondering. ... Did I miss? 
Was there a consensus on an open bags shelf life if kept in the freezer?

Thanks.


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## JBun (Mar 1, 2014)

I couldn't really say it would last past the date on the bag, because there is just no way of knowing. But technically, the colder the temp food is stored at, the longer it lasts. I had a baggy of it in the fridge for over a year, and ended up using it, and it seemed just fine. I would think that if kept dry and sealed in the freezer, that it should last much longer. You would want to check before using, to make sure it didn't smell off or rancid though.


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## Orchid (Mar 1, 2014)

JBun said:


> I couldn't really say it would last past the date on the bag, because there is just no way of knowing. But technically, the colder the temp food is stored at, the longer it lasts. I had a baggy of it in the fridge for over a year, and ended up using it, and it seemed just fine. I would think that if kept dry and sealed in the freezer, that it should last much longer. You would want to check before using, to make sure it didn't smell off or rancid though.



As always Thank you!


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## BlueMoods (Mar 1, 2014)

I have enough bunnies that I need to always have Critical Care on hand. I order by the case, and if it gets to a month from expiring, I freeze it in ice cube trays, then store the cubes in vacuum sealed bags. I use it for up to a year from frozen. I just take a cube, drop it in my Ninja (a blender or food processor would work too) and pulverize it. It thaws almost instantly that way and, the bunnies generally eat it, unless they are really feeling bad. It's also good for very hot days if the power and thus Ac is off. I will give a frozen cube rather than the pellets for the day and, the rabbits seem to like the cold food on those days. (I live just outside tornado alley in the US so, it isn't all that uncommon for the power to go out for 1-3 days at a time here.)


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## Orchid (Mar 1, 2014)

BlueMoods said:


> I have enough bunnies that I need to always have Critical Care on hand. I order by the case, and if it gets to a month from expiring, I freeze it in ice cube trays, then store the cubes in vacuum sealed bags. I use it for up to a year from frozen. I just take a cube, drop it in my Ninja (a blender or food processor would work too) and pulverize it. It thaws almost instantly that way and, the bunnies generally eat it, unless they are really feeling bad. It's also good for very hot days if the power and thus Ac is off. I will give a frozen cube rather than the pellets for the day and, the rabbits seem to like the cold food on those days. (I live just outside tornado alley in the US so, it isn't all that uncommon for the power to go out for 1-3 days at a time here.)




That's an interesting idea. 
I don't have a/c here.


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## BlueMoods (Mar 1, 2014)

If you don't want to replace the feed with Crit. Care, you can give them ice cubes in the water dish, frozen pieces of fruit, frozen fresh greens, or fruit juice cubes to help them keep cool and, of course frozen bottles of water to lay over or beside too.


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