# Buying Rabbit Food in Bulk?



## Jess_sully (Jul 17, 2006)

There are absolutely no pet stores, rescues, or anything close to that anywhere near me, so I've been trying to figure out where I could get good quality rabbit food somewhere nearby. I could order online from Oxbow, but a ten pound bag of Bunny Basics is $25.00, and I'd have to reorder it a lot. However, I found a feed store nearby that sells Purina Complete Plus Rabbit Chow, it has 21% min fiber and 25% max, and it has good fat, protein, etc. levels too. Not to mention, it's CHEAP! A 50 pound bag is only $11.00.

My question is, how long would the food last before it expired? That's a LOT of rabbit food, and considering how little rabbits eat each day, I don't think we'd be able to use it up fast enough. This would be for an apporoximately 8-11 pound bunny. What do you think?


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## MyBabyBunnies (Jul 17, 2006)

Feed should be consumed in 3-6 months but I throw out anything that's older than 4 months. I don't think it's a good idea to store that much for one rabbit to be honest. Is there someone in the area you could split a bag with?


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## Jess_sully (Jul 17, 2006)

I was thinking the same thing. There really isn't anyone I could split the food with, either :?I'm having a really hard time finding good rabbit pellets!


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## MyBabyBunnies (Jul 17, 2006)

Is it possible to freeze it?


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## Jess_sully (Jul 17, 2006)

I suppose I could, I wasn't sure if that was an option. We have a large freezer in the garage in addition to the one attatched to the fridge. If I froze half of it, would that keep it from expiring?


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## MyBabyBunnies (Jul 17, 2006)

I know freezing it in small packages (5 or 10 lb bags) helps it keep it's nutritional content longer and I'd assume it would allow you to feed it long thatn 4 months but I'll let someone who actually does it tell you for sure.


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## Jess_sully (Jul 17, 2006)

Well, I just found out that a feed store near me sells Kent Family Care Rabbit Food in 25 lb. bags, which is a much more manageable size, I think. However, there is ABSOLUTELY NO information online about it... no guarenteed analysis or anything... so I guess I have to go there and check it. Hmmm.


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## MyBabyBunnies (Jul 17, 2006)

Here is their website:

http://www.advancedag.com/kent_feeds.htm

If you scroll down and near the bottom on the right it says 'Family Care Rabbit Ration' under Rabbit. You can probably contact the company through the webpage to ask for information.


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## Jess_sully (Jul 17, 2006)

Thanks, that's the only link about it I could find, too. Frusterating, really  Maybe I'll see if I can email them!


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## JimD (Jul 18, 2006)

*Jess_sully wrote: *


> Thanks, that's the only link about it I could find, too. Frusterating, really  Maybe I'll see if I can email them!


 Maybe this the one?....

It lists Kent Commercial Rabbit and Kent Rabbit Complete

http://www.kentfeeds.com/familyfriendsproducts.html


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## Jess_sully (Jul 18, 2006)

GREAT link, it's just what I was looking for! Well, here's the guarenteed analysis for the most important partsof the kind they sell in 25 lb. bags, and it's pretty dissapointing: 

*Crude Protein (max): 16%*

*Crude Fat (min): 3.5%*

*Crude Fiber (min): 15%*

*Crude Fiber (max): 17%*






The protein is okay, but the fat is WAY too high, and the fiber is WAY too low. How dissapointing! Does anyone know of any other rabbit feeds (better ones) that would come in smaller bags? Or would freezinga lot of the 50 lb. bag of Purina be okay?


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## Spring (Jul 18, 2006)

I'd just go with the 50lb bag. It seems like a pretty good rabbit pellet, and even if you do have to throw out some, you still save money if you were to buy from somewhere else and get a worse quality pellet. It's a bit of a waste, but still.


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## Jess_sully (Jul 18, 2006)

That's what I was thinking. At $10.00 for a fifty pound bag, even if I have to throw out half of it, I'm still saving money from the $30.00 it costs for one ten pound bag of Oxbow. From what I can tell, and from what I've heard from other owners, Purina has a pretty good guarenteed analysis, even if it IS made of alfalfa rather than Timothy. The fiber is still high... 21% minimum fiber! Low fat and moderate protein, too.


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## JimD (Jul 18, 2006)

Here's the Purina green bag analysis:


[align=left]Crude Protein, not less than
16.0%

Crude Fat, not less than
1.5%

Crude Fiber, not less than
17.0%

Crude Fiber, not more than
20.0%[/align]


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## Jess_sully (Jul 18, 2006)

Thanks, the one I like better is Complete Plus, whichhas similar ingredients but the minimum fiber is 21%, max24%. This one would be better, right? Also,what's a good calcium and salt level? Does anyone know?


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## JimD (Jul 18, 2006)

Kaytee Supreme:

Crude Protein (min)..........16.0%
Crude Fat (min).................2.0%
Crude Fiber (min).............15.0%
Crude Fiber (max)............18.0%


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## Jess_sully (Jul 18, 2006)

Kaytee Supreme? I don't like Kaytee brand feeds, they're mostly all overpriced and junk, in my opinion. It's what drove me to create my own food mix for my hamster, Mowgli, and our rats (rip). It's too bad we can't do that for rabbits! Did you know that some owners completely stop feeding pellets and only feed fresh veggies, hay, etc? I'd be uncomfortable with this though, because there's no way to know if the rabbit were getting all of it's minerals, vitamins, etc.

Here's the Purina Rabbit Chow Complete Plus guarenteed analysis.

[align=left]Crude Protein, not less than
16.0%

Crude Fat, not less than
1.5%

Crude Fiber, not less than
21.0%

Crude Fiber, not more than
24.0%

Calcium, not less than
0.6%

Calcium, not more than
1.1%

Phosphorus, not less than
0.4%

Salt, not less than
0.5%

Salt, not more than
1.0%

Vitamin A, not less than
2000 IU/lb[/align]


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## JimD (Jul 18, 2006)

Can you find Mazuri Rabbit Diet.....it a subsidary Purina Mills Inc.

(alfalfa-based)

Protein, min = 14% 
Fat, min = 1.5%
Fiber, min = 20%
Fiber, max = 24%


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## JimD (Jul 18, 2006)

Lookie what I found on the HRS site..... they compare different brands.

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-4/pellet-info.html


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## Jess_sully (Jul 18, 2006)

Hmmmm... I know PetSmart sells Mazuri for rats, but I don't think they carry the Rabbit kind. As with everything else, the closest PetSmart is two hours away, too... along with the closest mall, etc. Wow, I really hate living so far up north. My options are really limited :?

Edit: just saw your comparison link, nice find! They all have low fiber levels though, too  and I doubt that I could find any in my area.


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## JimD (Jul 18, 2006)

I was considering Big Red. Our Agway carries it, but the PetGoods that carries the Purina is much closer in distance. With the price of gas and all.....


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## Jess_sully (Jul 18, 2006)

Exactly. With the price of gas these days, you end up paying MORE for feed that you drive further to obtain :XDarn oil companies, lol! 

Edit: I forgot to mention that I went to the feed store to have a look at the 50 lb. bag of Purina, and it's HUUUUUUGGGGEEE! Way larger than I expected. Wow.


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## JimD (Jul 18, 2006)

*Jess_sully wrote: *


> Wow, I really hate living so far up north.


 
You're not so far up as the UP (upper peninsula)are you??

We used to own a vacation house on Pickeral Lake in Petosky


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## Jess_sully (Jul 18, 2006)

Believe it or not, I'm an hour NORTH of Petoskey  I'm on the very "edge" of what is considered the UP. But the good news is that I'm moving down south (Grand Rapids) next summer for college, yes! And, don't worry, I'll be staying in a pet friendly apartment, and the furkids will come with me.


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## MyBabyBunnies (Jul 18, 2006)

I looked up Mazuri because I'm looking for a suitable alfalfa based pellet for Spice but all I ever find is 2.5 lb bags. Is that the only size it comes in?!


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## Jess_sully (Jul 18, 2006)

Before we made our own rat food, we bought Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet in 5 lb. bags, so I'm assuming that they have to have it in larger bags for rabbits, too? Good luck on finding a good pellet, I'm having the same problem!

http://www.mazuri.com/Home.asp?Products=2&Opening=2

Hmmm. Looks like they only carry 2.5 lb bags. I could've SWORE we bought it for rats in 5 lb. bags... but then again, that was almost three years ago, so maybe they changed it, or I'm just losing my mind


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