Pellets Which Oxbow food?

[Number1Sticky]

Which one do you think it the best option for an adult male guinea pig; Essentials, Natural Science or Organic?

Oxbow Essentials:
Ingredients
Timothy Grass Meal, Soybean Hulls, Wheat Middlings, Soybean Meal, Cane Molasses, Sodium Bentonite, Soybean Oil, Salt, Lignin Sulfonate, Limestone, Yeast Culture (dehydrated), L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), 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

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min) 14.00%
Crude Fat (min) 2.00%
Crude Fiber (min) 25.00%
Crude Fiber (max) 28.00%
Moisture (max) 10.00%
Calcium (min) 0.35%
Calcium (max) 0.85%
Phosphorus (min) 0.25%
Copper (min) 30 ppm
Vitamin A (min) 19,000 IU/kg
Ascorbic Acid (Vit C.) (min) 400 mg/kg
Vitamin D (min) 900 IU/kg
Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg

Oxbow Natural Science:
Ingredients
Timothy Grass, Orchard Grass, Oat Grass, Oat Hulls, Canola Meal, Whole Yellow Pea, Whole Barley, Tomato Pomace (dehydrated), Cane Molasses, Flax Seed, Yeast Culture (dehydrated), Sodium Bentonite, Salt, Lignin Sulfonate, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Rosemary, Dried Thyme, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), Inulin, 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

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min) 12.00%
Crude Fat (min) 3.00%
Crude Fiber (min) 22.00%
Crude Fiber (max) 26.00%
Moisture (max) 10.00%
Calcium (min) 0.40%
Calcium (max) 0.80%
Phosphorus (min) 0.35%
Copper (min) 35 mg/kg
Vitamin A (min) 19,000 IU/kg (min)
Vitamin D (min) 900 IU/kg (min)
Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg (min)
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) (min) 400 mg/kg
Omega 3 Fatty Acid (min) 0.45%
Omega 6 Fatty Acid (min) 0.90%

Oxbow Organic:
Ingredients
Organic Grass Hay, Organic Canola Meal, Organic Wheat Straw, Organic Sunflower Meal, Organic Barley, Organic Flax Seed, Sodium Bentonite, Limestone, Sea Salt, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Organic Dandelion Leaf, Organic Ground Rosemary, Inulin, Organic Cranberry, Organic Blueberry, Dried Yucca Schidigera, 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

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min) 12.00%
Crude Fat (min) 2.00%
Crude Fiber (min) 23.00%
Crude Fiber (max) 25.00%
Moisture (max) 12.00%
Ash (max) 9.00%
Calcium (min) 0.60%
Calcium (max) 0.90%
Phosphorus (min) 0.30%
Vitamin A IU/kg 19,000 (min)
Vitamin D IU/kg 900 (min)
Vitamin C mg/kg 400 (min)
Vitamin E IU/kg 190 (min)
Copper ppm 25 (min)
Omega 3 Fatty Acid (min) 0.30%
Omega 6 Fatty Acid (min) 0.41%

 

[bpatters]

I'd rule out Organic because of the excess amount of calcium. There appears to be less salt in the Natural Science than in the Essentials, so of those three, I'd take the Natural Science. But I prefer KMS over Oxbow any day.

 

[AmberCalzone]

When I had my girls on pellets, they were on Oxbow Organic. That was more because my family only allows organic foods in the house. I can back up what bpatters said about the calcium though. Before I took them off of it, their urine was milky white (which I was told was a sign of too much calcium).

Right now they're not on pellets because I really don't find it necessary with the vegetables they get (I provide multiple vegetables high in vitamin C)... but I also haven't been able to find another organic brand that's friendly to the wallet, and this one caused white cloudy pee x.x Since they've been off Oxbow their pee has been back to 'normal'.

 

[Number1Sticky]

I was looking at KMS. But after reading the "Menadione Bisulfate" in the ingredient list I ruled it out. Menadione Bisulfate is potentially toxin to the kidney, liver and lungs so I stay away from it just to be on the safe side.

 

[Artista]

Mooshy loves KMS far more than she did Oxbow thankfully since she has calcium problems and KMS is better for that issue.

 

[bpatters]

I think most of the literature on menadione bisulfite has to do with dog food. And pellets should only be 5% of a pig's diet, not 100% the way dog food is for a dog. I'm not worried about it.

 

[Number1Sticky]

I think most of the literature on menadione bisulfite has to do with dog food. And pellets should only be 5% of a pig's diet, not 100% the way dog food is for a dog. I'm not worried about it.

I understand that, but I still want to stay away from it.

 

[Lizzieball12]

I feed all three of mine the essentials. It's a great food, and a lot healthier yet still fair in price compared to the other food at the pet stores here in town. However it also depends on your needs. I switched my boys to the essentials because there is less fat and protein then what they were eating before and with their ages (7,3, and 2) they don't need as much fat and protein, less activity means more likely they'll gain weight leading to more issues later.

Depending on the age of your pig and his activity level, the choice is really yours. Hope this helped!

 

[Leanne 71]

I have a thin Pig and I just started switching him over to the Natural Science today.

 

[PiggieWigglies]

I give mine Oxbow Cavy Performance. Not sure which one that is but they gobble it up.

 

[bpatters]

One of the mods over at GL asked Linda at KMS about the menadione bisulfite. It was removed from KMS pellets altogether several years ago, but getting it off the labels fell through the cracks, she said.

 

[veggiegirl]

I feed my pigs The Oxbow Natural Science pellets, The ingredients are pretty similar to the Cavy Essentials but it has extra goodies like herbs and tomato and while the Oxbow Essentials does not really have much of a smell the Natural Science smells like a herb garden, it really smells so good and the pigs seem to like it as well.