Producer's Pride Rabbit Feed?

I just had an interesting question brought up to me and was hoping to get some input from some of y'all. One of the FB groups I belong to includes people with all types of pets, and today I noticed a post from someone regarding the 2 chinchillas they'd recently adopted. It's a male and female being housed together (ughh), they're in a cage with plastic shelves, have a wire mesh wheel that has a diameter of 12" at the most, and are being feed some sort of chinchilla food "mix" that the owner says she picks all the dried fruits out of and puts in a different container to feed as treats.

I offered advice on what needed to be done to provide a safe environment (along with separating them but I get the feeling she's already decided she wants them to breed), and gave her suggestions regarding what type of pellets to feed--and ditch all that dried fruit obviously lol.

Another member then replied and basically criticized the pellets I'd recommended because they all contain cane molasses in the ingredients. He then said that Producer's Pride Rabbit Feed (it's sold at TSC apparently), doesn't contain *any* sugars and is the only product on the market that doesn't, and suggested it would be a better choice for chinchillas as well.

I'd never heard of that brand before so right now all I know about it is the fairly limited amount of info I've found online so far. It contains 15% protein min. and 15-18% fiber. So far I haven't been able to find a complete ingredient list, although I did find a site where it mentioned that the first 5 ingredients are "Processed Grain By Products, forage products, roughage products, grain products, plant protein products". Am I being paranoid or do those sound a bit "sketchy"?

Anyway, I'm curious now and would like to be able to confirm to the person who brought it up whether it is or isn't appropriate and why. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I've been using the Producer's Pride brand for the last year. I'm happy with the results and they haven't had the seasonal quality control issues that Manna Pro was having.

I'll keep using it until they change the formula, that seems to happen with feeds every few years.

Regarding the sugar, I don't pay too much attention to that as all feeds use molasses. I haven't noticed any unusual fatty buildup or kidney/liver issues in the last 15 years beyond my stint at using Animax/Calf Manna (don't).

i cant seem to find any info on that product. No company website or anything. Only thing i can find is the tractor supply page that sells the 50lbs bag. But they don't include an ingredients page on there. Which makes me skeptical.

With one of my chins being diagnosed with diabetes and couldn't handle the sugars used in making his food, ive been searching around and looking at quite a bit of foods. So far i haven't found nay that don't have some kind of molasses in it.

hopefully ill remember and take a look at it next time im in at TSC

If you really need sugar-free feed this stuff is very nice but my chins didn't find it palatable - it is extremely hard to wean anything off of the taste of sugar, including humans!

But in your case I would give it a try; http://store.naturalrabbitfood.com/

I was in tractor supply today and saw the Producers Pride Rabbit Feed so i jotted down the listings and ingredients.

Crude Protien min 15%
crude fat min 1.8%
crude fiber min 15%
max 18%
calcium Ca min .7%
max 1.2%
Phospherus P min .4%
Salt NaCl min .25%
max .75%
Vitamin A min 3000 IU/LB


Ingredients

Processed grain by products, forage products, roughage products, molasses products, calcium corbinate, grain products, salt DL Methlonine, choline chloride, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, niacine supplement, riboflaven supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, cobalt carbonate, manganese sulfate, ethylendiamine dihydriedidle, zinc sulfate, basic copper chloride, sodium selenite.

anyone that knows about it have an opinion on its %'s and ingredients?

Chins like it, I like it's consistency, lack of extra sugars (molasses) and no ash content.

I would be hesitant to use it in states with a high wheat/legume production as the ambiguous ingredients at the beginning basically mean that they use whatever by product is in season and available.

In the deep south where this mill is we get mostly beet pulp, corn, amaranth and quinoa as the 'grain by products'.

*it is not allowing me to attach the pictures for some reason, sorry.

I personally switched from Mazuri to Producers pride through a suggestion from a friend. As a breeder being able to buy a large amount locally helps alot. Mazuri was great, They delivered fast but the Producers Pride not only is it cheaper it seems to be more nutritionally complete or should I say contain less additives the chins do not need. I have seen some of my chins be hesitant at first but they ate it up quickly. To each their own though as long as they don't go out and buy it at Petco with all the frilly leaves and fruit in it.