carefresh complete

[1frankie7]

Well I saw this new food at petsonotsmart(looking for oxbowno luck).

I do not know if this is alright to feed as it has corn bits and is a mix of different shaped pellets.

Though if it is better then what I am feeding(martins) Then I would give it a try.


Ingredients: Timothy Grass Hay, Orchard Grass Hay, Brome Grass Hay, Alfalfa Hay Suncured, Ground Corn (Source of Omega 6), Soybean Meal, Oat Groats, Wheat Mill Run, Ground Barley, Split Green Peas, Ground Peas, Carrot Dehydrated, Canola Meal, Yeast Culture, Yeast Extract (Source of 1, 3, 1, 6 Beta Glucans), Molasses, Salt, Sodium Bentonite, Lignin Sulfonate, Flax Seed (Source of Omega 3), Calcium Phosphate, L-Lysine, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source Of Vitamin C), Anise, Choline Chloride, Ground Limestone, DL-Methionine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, Mixed Tocopherols (Source of Viatmin E), Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Lecithin, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Magnesium Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Colbalt Carbonate, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodide, Thaimin Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hychloride, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide.

What do you think of this food?

[Ly&Pigs]

It's low quality garbage and has colored bits and pieces in it. Cavies need plain pellets only of a high quality.

You're better off sticking with the Martins.

[1frankie7]

Yeah I did not like to look of the corn or really anything in it.

Thanks Ly!

[SandyF]

It's low quality garbage and has colored bits and pieces in it.

Actually, CareFresh pellets do not contain "colored bits" per se; it contains a small amount of dehydrated carrot and pea. The bulk of it consists of plain pellet.

I've used this particular product in a pinch when waiting for my Kleenmama shipment, and have found it to be pretty acceptable. I would certainly recommend its use over Martin brand pellets.

Carefresh Complete has a fiber content of 21% (Kleenmama Timothy has 25%; Martin only has 18%); crude protein at 13% (Kleenmama Timothy is 14%; Martin is 16%); it has moderate amount of fat at 2.25% (Kleenmama has 2.5%; Martin has 3.35%); and like Kleenmama (and unlike both Oxbow and Martin), Carefresh Complete does not contain calcium carbonate -- an ingredient which may exacerbate sludge in prone guinea pigs.

All things considered, I really don't find Carefresh Complete to be "garbage."

[Ly&Pigs]

Well that may be your opinion, but I certainly do not share it. Pigs do not need dehydrated carrots or peas in their pellets, they need PLAIN pellets only with nothing else added. It's not fiber or fat content that make pellets good or not, it's the ingredients. These pellets have a lot of fillers in them.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Here is a photo



The "bulk" of it doesn't look like plain pellets to me. It has grains, oats, corn, ground split peas and carrot in the ingredients. Either way, it should be all plain pellets. It also has alfalfa in it so it isn't a completely timothy or grass hay pellet.

If you want to feed your pig that, that is really up to you but there are better feeds available. And it is the same price as Oxbow at Petstupid.

[SandyF]

"It's not fiber or fat content that make pellets good or not..."
On the contrary, fat, calcium, fiber, protein -- they're all extremely important components of any guinea pig diet.

Over the years, I have tired and compared just about every brand of pellet available at one time or another. Kleenmama is my top choice by far (with Oxbow a very distant second), but CareFresh complete is a fairly decent alternative. Certainly better than Martin brand, which I would place in the same general category as LM or Hartz. Martin brand is pure alfalfa and therefore not suitable for adult guinea pigs.

As far as the dehydrated vegetables in CareFresh, they make up a very very small percentage of the overall content -- certainly not enough to skew the nutritional content of it, and almost certainly constitutes fewer sugars per serving than a baby carrot per day.

And finally, as far as "fillers" are concerned, both Kleenmama and CareFresh contain oats, barley and soybean, molasses. The only ingredient (aside from the small amount of carrot and pea) that differs from Kleenmama is corn. But even so, interestingly, the fat content of CareFresh is still lower than Martin brand.


The poster asked for opinions on CareFresh Complete...in making informed decisions about guinea pig care, it's generally more beneficial to hear more than one viewpoint.

[1frankie7]

I am sorry but here is what I just read.


"And finally, as far as "fillers" are concerned, both Kleenmama and CareFresh contain oats, barley and soybean, molasses. The only ingredient (aside from the small amount of carrot and pea) that differs from Kleenmama is corn. But even so, interestingly, the fat content of CareFresh is still lower than Martin brand"

Wow here again are the lists of Ingredients

kleenmama timothy

Timothy grass hay, oats, wheat, barley, soybean hulls, soy meal, Choline Chloride, stabilized Vitamin C, Vitamin A supplement,Vitamin E supplement, Manganese Oxide, Meniodine Bisulfate, dl-Methionine, Zinc Oxide, d-Calcium Pantothenate,Copper Sulfate, Niacin, d-Biotin supplement, Pyrideoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, Riboflavin supplement, Cobalt Sulfate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, Calcium Iodate, Cane molasses


carefresh complete:



Timothy Grass Hay, Orchard Grass Hay, Brome Grass Hay, Alfalfa Hay Suncured, Ground Corn (Source of Omega 6), Soybean Meal, Oat Groats, Wheat Mill Run, Ground Barley, Split Green Peas, Ground Peas, Carrot Dehydrated, Canola Meal, Yeast Culture, Yeast Extract (Source of 1, 3, 1, 6 Beta Glucans), Molasses, Salt, Sodium Bentonite, Lignin Sulfonate, Flax Seed (Source of Omega 3), Calcium Phosphate, L-Lysine, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source Of Vitamin C), Anise, Choline Chloride, Ground Limestone, DL-Methionine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, Mixed Tocopherols (Source of Viatmin E), Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Lecithin, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Magnesium Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Colbalt Carbonate, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodide, Thaimin Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hychloride, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide

I do not think that kleenmama and carefresh completeare compairable at all kleenmama is a high quality plain pellet and carefresh is a pellet mix/w dried peas and carrot and it has a lot of corn.

Also just for fun here are the marting pellet.


[SIZE=1]Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Soybean Hulls, Wheat Shorts, Barley, Soybeans, Soya Oil (preserved with Rosemary Extract, Vitamin E and Citric Acid), Brewers Yeast, Lignin Sulfonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Ascorbic Acid (A source of Vitamin C), Rice Hulls, DL Methionine, Mannan OligoSaccharide, Choline Chloride, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Iron Sulphate, Manganese Oxide, Vitamin E, Zinc Oxide, Niacin, Copper Sulphate, Mineral Oil, Vitamin A, Folic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Selenium, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, Vitamin K, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Iodate, Thiamine Mono-nitrate, Cobalt Sulphate. [/SIZE]

[rabbitsncavyluv]

The ingredients don't list how much of each is on there. Molasses is needed as a binder. The overall amount is usually minimal.

IF KM has oats and etc too, they are probably tiny in comparison to how much Carefresh or other brands are using.

[1frankie7]

"Over the years, I have tired and compared just about every brand of pellet available at one time or another. Kleenmama is my top choice by far (with Oxbow a very distant second), but CareFresh complete is a fairly decent alternative. Certainly better than Martin brand, which I would place in the same general category as LM or Hartz. Martin brand is pure alfalfa and therefore not suitable for adult guinea pigs."

Actually alfalfa pellets are acceptable to feed adult guinea pigs if limited to 1/8 cup per day per pig, In fact I do not know if she still does but I think Ly feeds mazuri witch IS an alfalfa based pellet and I am almost SURE she would never feed her pigs LM OR hartz.

[SandyF]

Alfalfa pellets are extremely high in calcium at 1.19%. Oxbow is right around .7%; Kleenmama is even lower at .42%. Over time, high amounts of calcium in the diet have been shown to contribute to sludge and calcium carbonate stones in guinea pigs. For that reason, most exotics veterinarians and knowledgeable sources will advise against feeding an alfalfa-based diet to mature guinea pigs, unless the pig is pregnant or lactating.

According to Oxbow:
"Alfalfa-based Oxbow Cavy Performance is specially designed to provide high fiber, protein, calcium and energy required for young guinea pigs to thrive. The optimized, balanced protein and stabilized vitamins also help nurture pregnant and lactating animals."
Oxbow Animal Health | Cavy Performance

According to Ly:
"Unlimited alfalfa based pellets can be fed up to 1 year in age but I think it's better to switch to timothy based pellets at or around the 6 months mark because too much calcium in the diet can lead to sludge/stones.

"...because alfalfa is high in calcium and even though young pigs need more calcium that older pigs (except those with bone density problems) giving too much over a long period of time can lead to the formation of stones or sludge. If there is only a small bit of alfalfa hay mixed in with the timothy then that's no big deal."
http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/diet-nutrition/40695-mazuri-pellets.html

Mazuri is a brand that has been on the market for a very long time, and was originally one of the few guinea pig diets that was commercially available. It quickly became a popular choice of labs, and eventually made its way into the public sector. Because it is inexpensive, many rescues, shelters (and breeders) continue to buy this brand and feed it, despite the fact that better diets are now widely available.


But really...all of this is getting a little off-topic from the original poster's request for opinions on CareFresh Complete.

[1frankie7]

"But really...all of this is getting a little off-topic from the original poster's request for opinions on CareFresh Complete." I am the OP.


And all that I am saying is that alfalfa pellets are fine to feed as long as limited,(by the way both of my pigs are under a year old).

Either way The alfalfa pellets are only temporary untill my oxbow shipment comes in.