Shipping cost so expensive (for quality food)

[cindy324]

I want to purchase quality food and hay but notice if I purchase 25 lbs of hay and 25 lbs of pellets (for example), the shipping runs about $40 or more....

How do all the "Piggie Pros" handle such expensive shipping costs?

I want my new piggie to have a great diet and I know hay and pellets should be of high quality....
Please let me know of any ideas to cut shipping cost or where to buy from that has reasonable shipping. I live out in San Antonio, and all that's around me are "Pets(not so)Smart/PetCo and some other family petshops. I have not seen any Alfa hay nor high quality pellets.
The pellets I have i'm sure are "junk" so i'm in a hurry to order some.

Thanks in advance!!

[LucyJane]

Try looking not in a pet store, but in a feed store or farm supply store. Some carry supplies for small animals as well as farm animals. Also, ask your vet. If they don't carry what you are looking for, maybe they can suggest where to look. Can you post your question on your local Craigslist? Do you have a shelter or rescue nearby whom you could ask?

For good Timothy hay (adults want Timothy; pregnant mommies and babies want Alfalfa) at a reasonable price, ask someone who keeps horses, llamas, alpacas, or other large animals. They need so much of it, they would never pay the prices that small animal owners pay. Even if they don't do pure Timothy, they should be able to point you in the right direction. I get my Timothy (good fresh stuff, too) directly from a farmer, by the lawn and leaf bag full, for free . Okay, so I married a farmer's brother, but still, if you ask around, you'll find a local, inexpensive source.

Good luck!

[newpiggiemommy]

If you figure out the price of 25 pounds of hay and 25 pounds of pellets (from Kleenmama) plus shipping cost. Then divide it by the pound. It really does work out to be less per pound than the little bags. Plus it is 100% better for your piggies and they will love it 100% more.

It just looks like a lot because you are not realizing how long it will last, and because you are spending it all at once instead of over the next 6 months like you would be if you got it at the store!

Good luck!

[PhoenixFeather]

Originally Posted by cindy324

I want to purchase quality food and hay but notice if I purchase 25 lbs of hay and 25 lbs of pellets (for example), the shipping runs about $40 or more....

How do all the "Piggie Pros" handle such expensive shipping costs?

Think of it as an investment. If you figure out the cost to buy 25lbs of not-so-nice hay and 25lbs of junky pellets, you will probably find that it adds up to more than the cost of the quality hay and pellets including shipping.

It's a lot to pay up front, but if you buy 25lbs of each, it will be a looong time (depending on the number of piggies, of course).

[fourboys4now]

I recently ordered from Oxbow for my boy's pellets. For 50 pounds and with shipping it was a total of $54.00. That sounds like a lot, but it is barely over $1 a pound for high quality food. I just froze what cannot be used within 3-4 months. Just shop around so you get the best price and shipping costs.

[cindy324]

Thanks so much for the response!
That does make sense when you divide it all up per pound!!

I'm gonna go ahead and make my order!

Thanks again!

[gpigluver14]

I'm really hoping to get some hay and pellets from KM.com, but since it's in WA, and I'm all the way across the country in PA, the shipping is estimated to be about twelve bucks (for 15 pounds in hay and pellets). I understand that it's high quality stuff and it is a pretty long trip, but all the same, it's a bit high for just the shipping....... How much does the shipping run from Oxbow?

[SerpentineSylph]

Another comment to make, Oxbow has a fabulous Store Locater that you punch in your area code and they show you the nearest store that has Oxbow available right on the shelf! I found one that's only 8 minutes away from me (I didn't even know about most of these shops!), and few others - one being only 14 minutes, too. I called the one that's 8 minutes and they're charging $9-something or other for 5lbs bag, and $15.69 for 10lbs bag. Now, it costs $11.40 for the 10lbs bag online BUT, it costs $13.83 shipping for me since I'm on the east coast... At $15.69, talk about a deal! It's worth digging around to find a local store, trust me!

[alerz]

Originally Posted by gpigluver14

I'm really hoping to get some hay and pellets from KM.com, but since it's in WA, and I'm all the way across the country in PA, the shipping is estimated to be about twelve bucks (for 15 pounds in hay and pellets). I understand that it's high quality stuff and it is a pretty long trip, but all the same, it's a bit high for just the shipping....... How much does the shipping run from Oxbow?

I am in PA as well and recently (December) ordered hay from KM's for the first time. I ordered 25 pounds of hay for $13.00 plus shipping ($25.32), so it cost me a total of $38.32 for 25 pounds of wonderful hay. Per pound, that equates to ~$1.50. There's a feed store close to where I live which sells Oxbow hay at $10 for ~2 pounds, which equates to ~$5.00/pound! Honestly, you can't beat it. And like I said, I bought my hay about a month and a half ago and it doesn't even seem like I have dented the bale. Did I mention my boys go crazy for it? They sleep it in, tunnel through it, popcorn all over the place when you stick a piece of hay through the cage grids even though they have a big pile already! It's worth it for so many reasons.

[gpigluver14]

I'll hopefully order some hay from KM, but I think I'll just buy some Oxbow pellets or something, because I'm getting really low and I'm worried it won't arrive in time before it's empty.

I am in PA as well and recently (December) ordered hay from KM's for the first time.

How long did it take to get to you?

[naturegal592]

You can also ask at a local feed store or vet if they can special order food and hay for you. I ordered hay and food from Oxbow at a feed store and got it a lot cheaper than I would if I had ordered it myself.

[TX_2_Pigs]

I just ordered a 25 lb box of timothy from Oxbow on Monday the 4th. I paid $19.75 and $22.31 for shipping (total $42.06). That comes out to $1.68 a pound.

I received an email on Wednesday the 6th that it had shipped and gave me a tracking number. I just checked the tracking number and it says it is on the truck for delivery (the 8th). It shipped out of Nebraska and I am in Central Texas. I did notice that on the tracking info it said the box weighed 29 lbs.

[Feylin]

I'm in Ohio and I ordered hay and pellets from KM - the order shiped on Monday and it still has not come. I'm guessing it will come Friday or Saturday since I picked 3-5 day ground shipping.

[alerz]

Originally Posted by gpigluver14

I'll hopefully order some hay from KM, but I think I'll just buy some Oxbow pellets or something, because I'm getting really low and I'm worried it won't arrive in time before it's empty.

How long did it take to get to you?

It took about a week for delivery.

[gpigluver14]

There's a new store pretty close to me called Pet Ave that sells Oxbow. So I bought 10 pounds of pellets for a little over $9 and 40 oz of hay for $9 as well. Plus we had a coupon for $3 off. (The store doesn't sell any animals by the way.) And I don't know if it's for all stores that sell Oxbow, but if you fill out a card you can get your 7th purchase of both a hay or pellet product for free!

Anyone know what kind of cut the Oxbow Western Timothy hay is? It didn't say on the bag, but there's a lot of seed heads in it, so I'm thinking it's definitely not all third cut but maybe a mixture of second and third? But my piggy loves it! -I haven't given her any of the pellets yet.

[QuackXP]

Originally Posted by newpiggiemommy

If you figure out the price of 25 pounds of hay and 25 pounds of pellets (from Kleenmama) plus shipping cost. Then divide it by the pound. It really does work out to be less per pound than the little bags. Plus it is 100% better for your piggies and they will love it 100% more.

It just looks like a lot because you are not realizing how long it will last, and because you are spending it all at once instead of over the next 6 months like you would be if you got it at the store!

Good luck!

As much as it ticks me off that I spent more on shipping a 50lb box of hay from Oxbow than the hay it self the $/lb is about 1/3 of buying even the largest bags at the petstores. Plus then you are not contributing the petstores that sell animals.

My main sources for piggie supplies are

Oxbow.com - For hay and pellets.
Tractor Supply - Aspen Shavings plus they have some supplys like water bottles and food bowls.
Local grocery store produce dept - for veggies.