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[Jo Ann]

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.

 
Jo Ann

[Pookahsmom]

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?

[Abby W.]

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.

[Stacy]

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.  

[Debbie.nl.ca]

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.
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.

[ChinchillAZ]

Have any of you used the horse cookies?

Yep!  I give a few different types of horse cookies in extreme moderation.   

[Pookahsmom]

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.

[ChinchillAZ]

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.

[Abby W.]

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.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

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.

[Pookahsmom]

  Hmmmm will look into the baled hay as I have quite a few friends who are into horses.   

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I tried the horse cookies, well i tried them with the chins.
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.

[Pookahsmom]

  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.