# How long does rabbit food stay good for?



## MyBoyHarper (Jul 2, 2006)

Thinking about switching Harper to the Oxbow stuff. 10 pounds won't last that long for the cost of shipping, and I considered getting the 50lb. I use air-tite containers for all my foods, but I'll have to buy a bigger one for the 50lb bag. How long does rabbit food typically stay fresh?


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## canela_2004 (Jul 2, 2006)

You can freeze part of it to help it last longer.


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## Spring (Jul 2, 2006)

I'm trying to find that thread that I think JimD did some research about the pellets. Hmm.. I'm not having much luck though!


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## MyBabyBunnies (Jul 2, 2006)

Unless you can freeze it, it's not worth buying a 50 lb bag. Pellets lose most of their nutritional content in the first 2 months, even in a sealed bag. Oxbow comes with an expiration date but that is just the date it should be used before it has next to no nutritional content or spoils. I don't feel comfortable feeding feed that's sat for more than 4 months and I doubt you'd use a 50 lb bag in 4 months, not with 2 rabbits.


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## BACI (Jul 2, 2006)

When researching to find an old thread with locations to buy pellets for you members stated that the pellets cannot be frozen. The reason given was that the consistency of the pellets changes during the thawing process as well as condensation issues. If I find the thread I will edit it in later

oops ok so here's the edit

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=9854&forum_id=1&highlight=pellet+feed

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=8953&forum_id=1&highlight=freezing+pellets

just type freeze pellets in search and you will find several links.


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## MyBabyBunnies (Jul 2, 2006)

Really? I never saw that thread. I've only everseen people recommend freezing it. I don't have room in a freezer to freeze mine so for that purpose anything older than 4 months is tossed. Of course, on the pellets I have now, I feed a 50 lbs bag in less than 4 months just to my 3 rabbits! And only Mocha is slightly chubby.


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## Spring (Jul 2, 2006)

I've read that too that you shouldn't freeze.. I'm looking aswell for that pellet thread!


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## Spring (Jul 2, 2006)

Found it!

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=13525&forum_id=1&highlight=Purina+freeze


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## Bunman (Jul 2, 2006)

One of the pellet makers, i forget which one, says that an unopened bag will stay good for up to a year. I can't evaluate that statement, but we would expect a pellet maker to understate & not overstate how long their product will stay fresh, so people will buy more! 

In any case, when i get a bag of pellets i put the contents into large zip-loc bags. This helps them to keep. 10 pounds fits easily into a 2.5 gallon bag.


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## pamnock (Jul 2, 2006)

There's no problem with freezing pellets as long as the pellets are fresh, dry and frozen immediately after purchase. Inmy region (North Eastern US), pellets are often frozen and unfrozen during the winter as they are shipped in unheated trucks and stored in unheated warehouses. My feed mill stores the pellets in an outdoor, unheated building.

As with freezing anything,a small amount of nutritional value is lost - but not as much as leaving the pellets out. It is especially risky to to keep pellets over a long period of time in humid climates.

Humidity is far more of a concern than freezing the pellets.

This is a quote from the PMI Nutrition site which has also beenstated by most feed companies:

"The National Institutes of Health and Good Laboratory Practices recommend using animal feeds within three months of manufacture. PMI[suP]®[/suP] Nutrition International agrees with this practice, but has found through research that PMI products should retain their nutritional quality for up to six months after manufacture. *PMI[suP]®[/suP] Nutrition International does not warrant the quality of products beyond six months of age."* 

Source: http://www.labdiet.com/indexlabdiethome.htm



Pam


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## Spring (Jul 2, 2006)

Ohh! Ok thanks Pam!


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