Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Q & A => Topic started by: chinchillaboy4 on August 04, 2006, 02:04:27 AM
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Ive been feeding Dusty oxbow pellets but my mom recently saw a store selling mazuri and she remembered that i said it was the best, which i what iv heard, but im wondering if i should switch Dusty over?
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Not that I know much, and anyone please feel free to correct me if I am wrong here, but I believe that if you are switching the food that you are feeding your chin that you should add a little but of the new food in with his old food for about a week or two. Then mix them half and half for two more weeks, then switch him or her over completely, because chins have very VERY sensitive tummies :-[
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I would think you should stick with the Oxbow. Mazuri is suppose to be good but if it is coming out of a pet store it probably isn't fresh. I just recently switched mine to Kline that I get from a breeder not to far from me.
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;) Hi Harveythechin is right do it slowly. I get my Mazuri from a breeder.
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I use Mazuri, and I order it right from their website:
www.mazuri.com (http://www.mazuri.com)
Shipping can be expensive, but it comes right to your door and it is always fresh.
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I use to order Mazuri directly from them too. I found a local pet store that will order the 25 pound bags for me at $12.99 a bag now, NO SHIPPING!!!!! They get it right from Purina/Mazuri fresh. You should check around to see if any pet stores or feed stores can order it for you.
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LUCKY LUCKY YOU!!!!!!!!!!! I am so jealous ::puke::. I have checked all of the pet stores, and local feed stores and no one will order it without passing the shipping cost directly on to me, maybe I sounded too desperate when I was talking to them :doh:
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;) I used to get mine for a Small pet store. But the lady is closer to my home. ::silly::
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I was using Mazuri until recently. I just finished completely switching over to Purina Show Rabbit. I can already see a big difference in my chins. They look bigger and they have larger poo. They are eating tons more pellets than they used to. My little girl is up to 600 grams. She was always min tiny little BV, I guess she's not my mini chin anymore. Her neutered husband has always been tiny. He is 520 grams, but he is eating more pellets than he ever has before. I am already starting to see improvement in him. :::grins:: I guess they just didn't like the Mazuri.
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::silly::I may get fussed at, but if it will get here on time, on a regular basis and give me better results in my chins, I'm gonna try it. ::nod:: I have always been a staunch believer in Mazuri ... but ... due to the fact it's next to impossible to get it here on a regular basis :flames: ... I've been checking on other brands of chinchilla pellets and comparing the ingredients and such. :-\
I've spoken with some other long-term breeders and was told Manna Pro Sho is good for chinchillas and they have gotten very good results from it. ::gossip:: So, I'm going to give it a try! When you have 200+ hungry little mouths, you have to be able to feed them. I'll keep you posted on the results ... pictures before the change over and after 6 months on the Manna Pro Sho and see if we can tell any difference.
::wave::
Jo Ann
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I'll keep you posted on the results
Yes do that Jo Ann.
I switched to Martins a few months back, and have had great results. I find the show rabbit much better then any pet shop chin feed I could get around here.
I was using Lani's recipe for years, show rabbit, Senior horse equine, and calf manna, but like the Martins better, it's so much easier too.
Though I would do what ever for my chins.
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I was using Mazuri until recently. I just finished completely switching over to Purina Show Rabbit. I can already see a big difference in my chins. They look bigger and they have larger poo. They are eating tons more pellets than they used to. My little girl is up to 600 grams. She was always min tiny little BV, I guess she's not my mini chin anymore. Her neutered husband has always been tiny. He is 520 grams, but he is eating more pellets than he ever has before. I am already starting to see improvement in him. :::grins:: I guess they just didn't like the Mazuri.
Is eating more, weighing more and having more poss actually more healthy for chins? I ask this because in the case of my dogs this is not. I feed them a more expensive brand of food with less fillers. Their coats are better, they eat less because they are getting better nutrients in the food, their stools are less because of course less fillers and they have a ton more energy. 2 friends that breed and show dogs tell me the food they are on is awesome. That is why I ask is this better for chins?
I recently found my Mazuri at a nearby feedlot. It wasn't as fresh as I would like it though. I plan on talking to them about when they order and how much. However if the Purina Show Rabbit is that good I might try that. My girl has always been on the thin side and a little extra weight would never hurt her.
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I personly use Oxbow pellets and Oxbow hay, But sense Sarah says Purina Show Rabbit is good I'll do research on it! ::nod:: I am trying to help Strawberry Shortcake eat more because her owner give her so many diarrhea prevention pills (even though she didn't have it) her stomach is messed up because of it. :flames: i feel very bad for her! ::sadtears::
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How can you tell how fresh the pellets are? And what should you look for in them when you are choosing a pellet?
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::silly::Hi Jenova,
Fresh pellets are the best ::nod:: ... One way to tell is by the date on the bag ... if it is a mill date, that means the day it was processed (Mazuir has this on their bags), IF stored properly (under 70 degrees F), it is suppose to be good for 90 days after the mill date, according to Purina.
An expiration date is the last date the company advises the food is to be used.
The amount of sediment in the bottom of the container will give you a good idea if it is no longer beneficial to give your chin ... the more sediment (dust) there is, the more the nutrients have been broken down and more nutritional value that has been lost. :-[
The ones that are "Deluxe Mix" are a big "no-no" ... they have a bunch of treats mixed in with the pellets and like a child ... when given the choice ... a chinchilla will eat the treats and leave the stuff that is good for them. ::puke::
Oxbow, Mazuri, Traditions, Manna Pro Sho are all good and have every thing they need except the added hay and a lava stone, which all chins should have at all times. :::grins::
::wave::
Jo Ann
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The ones that are "Deluxe Mix" are a big "no-no" ... they have a bunch of treats mixed in with the pellets and like a child ... when given the choice ... a chinchilla will eat the treats and leave the stuff that is good for them.
The container could say "Complete Chinchilla Diet", and I've yet to see a pet shop feed with an expiry or a milled date.
Folks think they are doing good when it says things like"Deluxe, or Complete", but they still need hay, and sure don't need extra treats.
I tell all customers not to buy or try any feed that does not have either date on it. :::(((
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I have been buying my Oxbow pellets online from chinchillas.com but they are now switching over to Tradition. Does anyone know how this compares to Oxbow? This web-based store is awesome, by the way, they are giving away (for free) their Oxbow pellets to help everyone with the transition. They actually ship directly from Oxbow and their pellets are always very fresh.
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Tradition is a very good food. It was formulated by a breeder. Riterspach, I believe. Many large ranchers use it. I was about to switch myself when The sweet head guy at Manna Pro agreed to help me get their SHO Rabbit feed shipped to me. ::Lovehearts:: (Which is my all time FAVORITE choice of chinchilla food)...but I digress ::(:Down:: .... you should have great success with Tradition. ::nod::
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::silly::It was Ritterspach ... he's had chins since he was 19 and is about my age now (56), he is also a judge for many chinchilla shows ... local and national.
I can't get Traditions where I am, but I've got Manna Pro Sho on order. Normally I use Mazuri, but I've had lots of trouble getting it in on time. When you have 200 hungry little mouths to feed, you have to have one you can depend on getting in a timely manner. My local distributor has had to have it shipped in UPS several times and the shipping cost is as much as the Mazuri itself.
::wave::
Jo Ann
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My local distributor has had to have it shipped in UPS several times and the shipping cost is as much as the Mazuri itself.
Yes postal is robbery, I just shipped in 50 pounds of Blue Cloud, and it was about $8 more for the shipping than I payed for the dust.
Even a small program like mine can't do without feed.
I used to ship everything in but being late just didn't work. ::)
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Hi just thought id keep you posted and tell you that we have switched to Mazuri we found a good feeder store and the food is fresh.
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::silly:: Hi ChinchillaBoy4,
Great! Freshness is an important as the food itself ... once the food is old and the nutrition in it is no longer there, you might as well feed them cardboard. If it is old, no matter what brand it is, it is not doing any good.
Make sure it is stored in a cool place, that helps it last longer. Most pellets are good for 60 to 90 days, as long as they are stored in an area that is under 70 degrees (F) ... anything above 70, it breaks down much faster.
::wave::
Jo Ann
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I have to buy big quantities of food all at once to justify the shipping costs. I end up having to freeze some pellets. I figure it's better than just letting them sit in the humid air. I'm careful to date everything though and not freeze it for more than a few months.
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::silly::Hi Leslie,
Have you thought about getting yourself those vacuum sealed bags that people use with food (they are reuseable) ... OR, if your very careful and put the pellets in a plastic bag, then put that in one of those vacuum sealing clothing bags? That would work as good, if not better, than freezing OR in addition to freezing it. I use both for so many things, if we ever open all of them at the same time you would not be able to go from one room to another in the house! rofl I put 10 blankets, we use on the beds, in two of the chester drawers last week.
I just got my Manna Pro Sho {500 pounds} in today, now I will start the change over with half of the herd. At this time and for years, I have given nothing bur Mazuri, but you have to be able to get it in a timely manner to give it to them. :-[ I am hopping it will do as good with mine as I have seen in the improvement in some of the breeders I have visited after they got it to their little ones.
::wave::
Jo Ann
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I recently switched to Oxbow Hay, I finally found a place that had it and fresher to. Thank god to because I was feeding them Kaytee. :noway: Thay love it . ::silly::
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If people are having trouble getting fresh hay locally, they may also consider ordering through Kleenmama's Hayloft (http://kmshayloft.com). I've ordered through them when the hay at my favorite feedstore has looked more brown than I'd like. They have wonderful hay. Shipping, as with anything, is expensive, but the cost of the hay itself and the fact that it is of high quality helps to offset that price.
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Susan has nice hay and she is in AZ as well.
http://chinstore.azchins.com/List.htm
She is a very quick shipper. :) I don't know how close you are to her, but it's free delivery to the Phoenix area.
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She and I use the same feed store. If I don't like the look of the hay they have, buying it through Susan isn't going to make it any better. rofl
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LOL! ;D
Maybe its just that time. ::shrug::
I hope you find something good.
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Oh! It's been perfectly fine for me! I've only had to order from Kleenmama's twice in the last... 4 years? I just wanted to let people know it's an option. :) It's much better than Kaytee hay, in my opinion.
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::silly::In changing over your feed brands if you can not use/do not want to use/can not get, the same brand Chinchilla Pellets as the breeder you get your chin from, I strongly suggest you ask for two weeks of their brand food to help with the change over.
Each chin leaves here with two weeks of food, among other things.
With the following instructions to use it the first 4 days,
day 5 - 9 breeder brand 4 parts to 1 part new feed,
day 10 -14 breeder brand 3 parts to 2 parts new feed,
day 15 - 19 breeder brand 2 parts to 3 part new feed,
day 20 - 24 breeder brand 1 part to 4 part new feed,
Day 25 change to all new feed.
This gives your chin's system plenty of time to adjust to the new food.
On August 22 we got 400 pounds of Manna Pro Sho (this is not put out by Purina ... diffrent company) and we started mixing the current 300 pounds of Mazuri to change them over. We are a little past the half way point and I am already seeing changes in some of the chins ... those that were on the thin side are putting on a little weight (not fat, needed weight).
As far as the fur, it looks the same, much to soon to tell a difference in that.
The kit size is still the same ... again to early to tell a difference yet.
The poos are the same, so far.
No diarrhea associated with the change over.
They seem to like it and none have lost any weight.
The ingredients in the Manna Pro Sho is very similar to the Mazuri.
Will keep you posted.
::wave::
Jo Ann
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When we bought our chins, they had been o Onxbow so that is what they have stayed on. However, lately I have not been pleased with the hay from Oxbow. We get our supplies form a local petshop. The problem is that the cut hay length is only about 2" long. This poses a real problem as it falls through their hay mangers and gets all over the shelves. Of course the they poo and wee all over it. The total bag is the consistancy of the stuff found at the BOTTOM of the bag. Is it better to get it direct? Would it make any difference, or is the length of the hay dependent more on the time of the summer that it was cut. In that I mean if it was the last cut of the season, the hay may have been short.
Another question; I thought you weren't supposed to give chins rabbit pellets? or is that just the name?
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I have read both about rabbit pellets. I have read you should not feed it to them, and I have read that it is quite beneficial. I compared the ingredients and the Pro Sho formula is very similar to most of the major brands of chin food. I have all of my guys on the Pro Sho, (I actually and using the mix recommended by California Chins) and have for about 6 weeks now, and have seen a tremendous difference in them already. They have all put on some weight, particularly my breeding females, and their coats have become much shinier. They eat better than they did on Mazuri and they are more active. So I am inclined to believe, based on these results, that it is beneficial. I do know, however, since the diet is rich in nutrients and vitamins, that it is important to make sure the chins are drinking enough water, so their bodies are able to process all of the vitamins and not have a build-up in their system.
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I know what ya mean with the hay. I order mine from Lone Star and the last bag looked good so I ordered 2 more. I hope they will look as good as the last one. I have got a few bags that don't look very good at all. I don't know why that is eather. ::shrug::
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I hated the bagged hay, and found it much better to buy timothy by the bale from a local supplier.
It's way cheaper and so much better. Remember to get only what is fed to horses, the stuff for cows is fermented and not good for chins.
A cow can digest anything, but horses have sensitive systems like a chin,if a horse can eat it usually, a chin can too.
Have any of you used the horse cookies? I'm going to pick some up this month and try them.
I'm being told they make a great healthy hard chewing treat.
This come from the chinmail list, I'm not making it up. ;)
Yes I've been told by some for many years that rabbit pellets are not good for chins.
That's not 100 % accurate. Like any feed for any animal, you need to know what's in it.
Just like some cat and dog food is not fit,{ some have as much as 30% fat} so are some rabbit and chin pellets not fit.
I would never feed my chins that crap of a chin pellet from the pet store. :noway:
Chins need extra vit.c and calcium, you can actually get that by mixing a little GP pellets with a great rabbit pellet, or as I do supplement.
I have not seen a feed yet with everything a chin needs in it, most people use a grain supplement or vit. supplement of some kind.
We just need to do our home work, find the freshes feed locally or easily shipped in, and add what is missing.
Making sure the pellets are timothy based, and 100% vegetarian.
Add great timothy hay, and fresh water everyday and your chins should flourish.
Anything out side of that should be treated as a treat.
Never buy those cheap rabbit pellets from the grocery store, or Wal-Mart.
though I know some Wal-marts in the States carry the better rabbit pellets.
The key do your home work. ::nod::
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Have any of you used the horse cookies?
Yep! I give a few different types of horse cookies in extreme moderation. ::nod::
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Our Oxbow is obtained from Friends Of Nature a feed store and animal/pet supply store. If you only have 6 chins wouldn't a bale of Horse hay go bad before it would be used up? At least THAT hay would be of a longer length to better fit in the mangers.
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If you only have 6 chins wouldn't a bale of Horse hay go bad before it would be used up?
Properly stored hay can last up to a year. Regardless, it can be cheaper to purchase a bale than it can be to not, depending on what you're buying. For example, I have 16 chinchillas, plus any offspring who happen to be here, and I buy a bale of hay when I need it for around $22. This lasts me for approximately 5 months. Unfortunately, I can't take the entire bale with me because I can't fit it in my home, so I take about 2/3 of it and give the other 1/3 to someone else who may need it. In the long run, even though I'm not taking the entire bale, I'm saving money and getting a nice quality hay.
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Yes, i find baled hay to be a lot cheaper too. I have 13, plus babies, and my group will go through a large bag of oxbow in two to three days. Around here those bags cost about $6 each. I can get a large bale of hay for about $15, and I keep it in a large rubber maid storage box with hoels pucnhed in it. It usually lasts me about three months, and I only had it go bad once, when it accidentally got wet. I also find my chins eat the baled hay even better than the bagged, maybe it seems fresher to them.
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We only get two cuts of hay per year, so yes if stored properly it should last all year.
I go through about 6-8 bales per year, depending on how much I share out.
We get a 40 pound bale for $9.50.
What ever is left over is used in the garden.
Please note if not stored properly or left over from season to season still baled, for more than the one year it will mold.
Wast not want not, so share with a friend if a bale is too much.
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::nod:: Hmmmm will look into the baled hay as I have quite a few friends who are into horses.
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I tried the horse cookies, well i tried them with the chins. ;D
Watch out some have corn and other things in them.
I got the all natural with black strap molasses in them.
Some loved them, some didn't, but they are a nice hard treat.
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;) Wow, hay is expensive for you guys. I have gone around to several horse breeders/stables in our area and have gotten a fair range of prices of around 4-5$a bale. The first stuff I had gotten was home grown by a woman who had Welshy ponies. Go tthe hay home and it had a very odd smell to it. If you have ever milked goats or cows that was what it smelled like. At first I thought it was just me but then hubby smelled it too. The chins must have as well 'cause htey at first nibbled at it but then turned their noses up at it. The next stuff I got actually came from a horse vet and was a much better quality and had the usual hay smell. I tried a small handful for each and they all seemed to like it. We' will see...at least it goes into the manger without scattering all over.