Kaytee Timothy Complete vs Oxbow Bunny Basics T

[Bunder]

Which is better? and WHY, what ingredients make one better/worse? I have been feeding Kaytee but just found a place that sells Oxbow nearby so am considering switching.

Kaytee:
Sun-cured timothy grass hay, oat hulls, wheat middlings, dehulled soybean meal, ground wheat, ground oats, dried cane molasses, salt, dicalcium phosphate, dl-methionine, yucca schidigera extract, vitamin A supplement, choline chloride, ferrous carbonate, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, exthoxyquin (a preservative), niacin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity) cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, calcium iodate, biotin, folic acid, dried A. oryzae fermentation extract (source of protease), dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite.

Crude protein (min)…13.0%, crude fat (min) 5%, crude fiber (min) 18.0%, crude fiber (max) 23.0%, moisture (max) 12.0%, calcium (min) 0.3%, calcium (max) 0.8%, phosphorous (min) 0.3%, salt (min) 0.25%, salt (max) 0.75%, vitamin A (min) 5000 IU/lb

Oxbow:
Timothy Grass Meal, Soybean Hulls, Wheat Middlings, Soybean Meal, Cane Molasses, Sodium Bentonite, Soybean Oil, Salt, Lignin Sulfonate, Limestone, Yeast Culture (dehydrated), Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Selenium Yeast, Vitamin A Supplement, Folic Acid, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Biotin, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Magnesium Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Etheylenediamine Dihydriodide

• Crude Protein min 14.00%
• Crude Fat min 1.50%
• Crude Fiber min 25.00%
• Crude Fiber max 29.00%
• Moisture max 10.00%
• Calcium min 0.35%
• Calcium max 0.85%
• Phosphorus min 0.25%
• Salt min 0.50%
• Salt max 1.00%
• Copper (min) 30 ppm
• Vitamin A (min) 19,000 IU/kg
• Vitamin D (min) 900 IU/kg
• Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg

 

[kirbyultra]

If it were me, the incentive to switch to Oxbow would be Kaytee's high fat content (5% min), slightly on the low side of protein (13%) and lower fiber than Oxbow (18%). Mostly I wouldn't want the extra bit of fat.

 

[BethM]

I can't tell you the difference in quantitative terms, but I can give you my personal experience.......

When I got my bunnies, I was told that Kaytee Timothy Complete was ok to feed them. I went with that, because the other option suggested could only be had from a feed store that was a long drive from me. (This was before I joined RO, so I thought those were my only two good options.) The Kaytee was available at various convenient places.

I could only feed the Kaytee two times a week, and only 1/4 cup for two rabbits. The reason being, Nick has a very sensitive stomach. If he got any more than that small amount, he ended up with gas, and left many, many cecals in the pen.

After joining RO, I read about different foods that were good, and several people here liked the Oxbow. I decided to give it a try, and it turned out that I could give 1/2 cup for two rabbits, every day, without Nick having problems. After a month or so, I noticed Nick and Amelia both had nicer fur, and both had a lot more energy. Amelia, who has always been a little on the chunky side, slimmed down a little. Nick, who is more slim, did not lose weight.

I know some people who have good results with the Kaytee Timothy Complete, but it does not give good results for my rabbits.

(I have since switched to American Pet Diner Timmy Pellets, but between the two you are deciding between, I would feed the Oxbow again, but will never feed the Kaytee to my rabbits again.)

 

[tamsin]

I think I'd agree Oxbow has a slight edge on the numbers. There's not too much in it so if your feeding small quantities it won't make much difference.

 

[Bunder]

I bought a bag of the Oxbow, though he doesn't seem to like it too much. I've been mixing it in with the Kaytee and he eats all of the Kaytee and leaves the Oxbow behind.

BethM, what is the reason you switched to American Pet Diner? I haven't heard of that brand before.

 

[kirbyultra]

Bunder - your buns will tend to like the Kaytee more. Any bun would given the chance because it's more fattening! Buns, like humans, gravitate towards foods that are tastier, not necessarily better for them.

American Pet Diner does make a wonderful pellet. I have heard many people say that their bun's fur has benefited from it and that it's a very high quality, nutritious product.

Oxbow is pretty good too, I can access it more easily than APD so I feed Oxbow. It is one of the "lower calorie" types of pellets from what I've read, from which I gather it is lower in fat content.

 

[BethM]

Bunder wrote:

BethM, what is the reason you switched to American Pet Diner? I haven't heard of that brand before.

There were a couple of reasons I switched....
At the time, I had been buying the Oxbow at PetsMart, but it started getting really sporadic as to if they would have any in stock when I needed it. A couple times, I ended up driving an hour (each way!) to the only PetsMart in town that had it in stock. (The local store a couple blocks from my house carries it, but I refuse to shop there.) PetCo here does not carry it in-store.

Additionally, I found that I can get the APD for a lower price, by buying larger quantities. I can easily store 25lbs (I freeze half of it so it doesn't go bad). This quantity costs me about $1.80 per pound, even including shipping. I think I was paying $12.99 or so (plus tax) for a 5-lb bag of Oxbow. Since I'm able to store it, it's more convenient for me order a couple times a year and have it delivered, than it is to have to go to the store to get it every 4-6 weeks.

The HRS chapter I volunteer with sells the American Pet Diner hay, so I was familiar with the brand. Since one of my bunnies is sensitive to sugars, I like that the APD does not contain cane molasses.

Here's the nutritional info for the Timmy Pellets, from their website:


Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (not less than) 14.50%
Crude Fat (not less than) 2.00%
Crude Fiber (not less than) 22.00%
Crude Fiber (not more than) 30.00%
Ash (not more than) 11.00%
Calcium (not less than) 0.50%
Calcium (not more than) 1.00%
Phosphorus (not less than) 0.40%
Sodium (not more than) 0.75%

INGREDIENTS:


Sun Cured Timothy Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Whole Pressed Safflower Seed Meal, Dehulled soybean Meal, Canola Meal, Yeast Culture (Diamond V “XP”), Salt, Sodium Lignosulfonate, Mono-Sodium Phosphate, Mold Inhibitor (Propionic Acid, Acetic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Ammonium Hydroxide), Yeast Cell Wall Extract, Vitamin E Supplement, Flavoring, Magnesium Oxide, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed tocopherils, Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Silicon Dioxide (carrier for liquid antioxidants), Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite (source of Vitamin K activity), Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyidoxine Hydrochloride, K-Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Ethylene Diamine Dihydroiodide, Cobalt Sulfate, Sodium Selenite.


I see from the ingredients that it contains vitamins A, D, and E, but not analysis is provided. When I started feeding the APD, it also had papaya, but doesn't now.

If you have easy access to the Oxbow, it is a good pellet.
It did take my bunnies awhile to start eating the Oxbow when I switched them off of the Kaytee. Give your bunnies some time to get used to it, they'll eventually start eating it!