Feed Store vs. Pet Store Foods?

[MelissaPenguin]

I personally feed the stuff I can buy from the Feed Store. Mainly because it's much cheaper to buy when you have multiple rabbits, but I also supplement my rabbits with plenty of fresh veggies and treats, which I know some people would prefer not to.

Is there any major pros/cons to feeding pet store brands like Kaytee vs. what you can buy in bulk from the feed store? What do you feed, or prefer to feed, and why?

 

[Cheyrul]

I was having similar thoughts. I use Kaytee pellets but find Timothy hay much cheaper at Tractor Supply, they also have Care Fresh cheaper.
I was also wondering if the hay the for horses, which has Timothy hay, oat hay and other grasses with molasses would be good for bunnies. It was about $12 for a large bale.

 

[MelissaPenguin]

I buy a giant bag of pellets for about $15 at the feed store, then buy the 'mini bale' of hay from Walmart for $4. I haven't actually looked into prices for pellets from a pet store, but I know when I had a Chinchilla a tiny bag of food cost $12 or more.

My mothers boyfriend has bales of Grass Hay for sale. Would this be okay for my rabbits? (I'm pretty sure it's Grass Hay anyways... Don't know what the difference is between grass hay and alfalfa or timothy.)

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Any kind of timothy/grass/oat/bermuda/etc. hay is great for bunnies. What you want to stay away from is alfalfa, which is a very strong smelling, green hay. This just has too much calcium in it.

I prefer feed store foods personally, but the Kaytee brands and such are fine for people who only have a pet or two. It would be hard to get through 25-50 lbs. with only a few buns while the food stays fresh.

 

[MelissaPenguin]

I have 3 buns, with 2 more coming in 2 weeks, so I buy from the feed store. Buying from a pet store would cost a ton more money, and I'd have to buy a lot more bags lol

 

[Ronin Shinobi]

Don't need to buy in bulk having only one rabbit so pet store works for. Though may buy some of the other stuff like bedding material at the feed store if it's cheaper

 

[itsazoo]

I buy hay and bedding at the feed store. I dont feed pellets but when I had guinea pigs and my first rabbit(12 mouths total) we bought the feed store pellets, a big bag for $15 and hay we bought 12 bales at a time from farmers(we went through a "small" bale a month). when Peepers was younger I did feed her pellets while weaning her onto veggies, in that case I was feeding petstore pellets(Oxbow) expesive but I only ever needed 1 1/2 bags anyhow lol

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I shop at pet stores for most stuff. I feed Oxbow to 2 of my rabbits and get than at pet stores (locally owned and they don't sell animals). I don't usually buy much else, but do get toys once in a while. The other pellets I give can be bought at a local pet store or feed store, but the pet store is closer and it's not worth spending a bunch on gas and driving an hour 1 way to save a couple dollars.

For litter, I would go to a feed store but there aren't any that are really close anymore. I have gotten wood pellets from a hardware store, but those aren't a year round thing. I do have friends who go to feed stores more often, so can get litter from them if needed.

For hay, I go direct to the farmer. Feed stores around here don't sell hay and pet store hay is far too expensive for 4 rabbits.

 

[elrohwen]

I feed Oxbow, which I technically buy from a feed store and not a pet store, though it's definitely a more of a pet store brand, generally.

Other than Oxbow, I don't like most of the pet store brands and I'm really not a fan of Kaytee. If I had to choose between Kaytee and feed store brands, I'd go with the feed store pellets.