Hare Today Increasing Prices (namely Rabbit)- Alternative Raw Food Suppliers?

[Kotoko & Kenai]

Just a heads up for those Hare Today buyers:
Rabbit has increased in price by about $1 per lb and the boneless rabbit chunks are missing from the inventory options and ground rabbit organs are missing
Duck organs have gone up in price too... among other meats/bones/organs

Are there any other suppliers that people here use to supply kitty favorites like duck and rabbit? I'd like to have options if my wallet can't handle more price increases lol! I was looking at My Pet Carivore but they are always nearly out of everything. Any suggestions?

-Rebecca, Kotoko, Kenai

 

[LTS3]

Try a local raw food co-op: DogAware.com: Raw Dog Food Co-ops and Local Groups

 

[EmersonandEvie]

I got my latest order from wefeedraw (formerly reel raw).

Premium Raw Pet Food. Grass-Fed, USDA Inspected Meats

I get their bulk patties in the combo, chicken, turkey and pork. In my next order I will try their chunked meats. The food arrived frozen solid and I have no complaints!

 

[sophie1]

D**n! What is going on at Hare Today with these serial price increases?

Although, it's not quite as bad as stated. I just checked, and the price increase for boneless ground rabbit is 50 cents a pound (now $6.49). The rabbit organs are there, at the same price that I paid in February. For comparison, the wefeedraw site's rabbit is $8.29/lb (unsupplemented), and the description is so vague that I'm not sure I'd trust it to be 80/10/10 in composition.

I've also had that supply issue with MPC. I order from them when they have what I need when I need it, which turns out to be something like once every 2 years. You can't rely on them as a primary source.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

To be honest, I've given up on finding rabbit grinds with all the increases, especially at HT (ah, the good old days where their whole carcass grinds were $5/lb). I've have to settle on feeding Merrick Purrfect Bistro Rabbit and some Merrick Backcountry rabbit pouches because mine can't get enough rabbit. I do raw in the morning and then canned in the afternoon, and a snack at bedtime (either a rabbit pouch or a very small amount of dry food). I just can't do $6+/lb for cat food :/ we don't spend that on our own meat for humans...lol.

Also! I did contact wefeedraw before I started buying from them and their owner (small company) told me that all of their patties are PMR 80/10/10. That's definitely nice to know. I also received a hand-written thank you card from the owner after my first purchase, so their customer service is on point and made me a recurring customer!

 

[sophie1]

Well, I don't see how this is going to deter me from continuing to buy from Hare Today (yet). The price of finished food won't be $6.49 because I add 1/2 lb chicken thigh per pound of rabbit grind. That is way cheaper than any canned rabbit food. Even for chicken, good quality canned costs around $10-12/lb, plus cats end up eating more canned than raw by weight so in the end you are actually shelling out twice as much for canned as for good homemade raw.

Sounds like wefeedraw is worth a second look! Having pre-made, pre-mixed patties is a convenience that may be worth paying a bit extra. Still have to supplement though. I know that Tracy at Hare Today is planning to start producing complete cat food (mixed with supplements) sometime in the near future. Omaspride is another local supplier, but alas they don't carry rabbit so it doesn't make sense to order raw from them.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

Part of the reason I do a complete canned diet for half of their food is because I'm paranoid that I have somehow messed up the supplements necessary for a raw diet. I have read the literature and double checked the recipe I use for accuracy when I do it, but I always have a little "what if?" in the back of my head.
I have noticed that Evie is getting a little bit of tartar buildup (Emerson chews on his cat tree rope like a dog, so that cleans his teeth...), so I'm going to start giving a few meals per week with chunked meats and some EZ complete. Where do you get your chicken from?

 

[sophie1]

Well, I've been feeding my cats raw for 5 years now, and they're both magnificently healthy. Dr. Lisa Pierson has been feeding her cats the homemade diet for much longer than that, as have many people on this forum. AAFCO feeding trials, on the other hand, involve feeding 6-8 cats for 6 months and then evaluating with a vet exam and limited set of blood tests. If anything, the canned food diet is the one to be suspicious of (warning, that is possibly a very unorthodox view not shared by all on the forum).

Having to mix whole animal grinds with meat chunks is a royal PITA, but the meat chunks really are effective at keeping teeth clean. The meat is either from Hare Today (venison cubes, rabbit organs) or from a local butcher (chicken & turkey thigh, fresh chicken giblet packages). I package up giblets and rabbit organs in 4 oz amounts (enough to supplement a 1 lb chicken or turkey grind), and the meat in 1/2 lb packages. I pair each rabbit, goat, or pork grind with one package meat. Chicken and turkey grinds get paired with two meat packages and one organ package. I supplement the grinds only, and then either mix in the chunks or feed them separately. Feeding separately is easier and less messy, and I think my cats like it better.

 

[valentine319]

It’s still cheaper than the canned I used to feed my cat. A quick note. I remember a person getting rabbit from another vendor. Sometimes the meat can taste different from different vendors. Just a reminder if you have any issues with your cat not eating from a different vendor.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Well, I've been feeding my cats raw for 5 years now, and they're both magnificently healthy. Dr. Lisa Pierson has been feeding her cats the homemade diet for much longer than that, as have many people on this forum. AAFCO feeding trials, on the other hand, involve feeding 6-8 cats for 6 months and then evaluating with a vet exam and limited set of blood tests. If anything, the canned food diet is the one to be suspicious of (warning, that is possibly a very unorthodox view not shared by all on the forum).

Having to mix whole animal grinds with meat chunks is a royal PITA, but the meat chunks really are effective at keeping teeth clean. The meat is either from Hare Today (venison cubes, rabbit organs) or from a local butcher (chicken & turkey thigh, fresh chicken giblet packages). I package up giblets and rabbit organs in 4 oz amounts (enough to supplement a 1 lb chicken or turkey grind), and the meat in 1/2 lb packages. I pair each rabbit, goat, or pork grind with one package meat. Chicken and turkey grinds get paired with two meat packages and one organ package. I supplement the grinds only, and then either mix in the chunks or feed them separately. Feeding separately is easier and less messy, and I think my cats like it better.

We've taken to feeding mostly grinds (RMB's and organs and any "all cat" supplements in a big batch) in the morning as these are quickly eaten and, since mornings are usually busy, I don't have to physically referee the occasional jerk cat that decides to swipe food from his/her brother or sister.
Chunks of meat fed in the evening, I can watch and make sure everyone gets their fair share. Individual supplements are given at this time too.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Unless we're talking serious digestive/food problems, would bulking out rabbit (boneless) with a cheaper bone in grind (chicken, etc.) be a way to stretch the budget? Just a thought...
Our cats LOVE rabbit but it's not the staple of their diet due to cost and availability. Whenever we get it, it's stretched out with other protein sources and other organs.

 

[sophie1]

Sure, I mix proteins all the time. My cats don't have any sensitivities, fortunately. I think the cheapest option would be whole rabbit grinds mixed with chicken meat.

 

[valentine319]

Turkey was a good deal the last time I ordered it from hare today. Unfortunately my cat is allergic to turkey, fish and assuming chicken. Allergies are limiting.

 

[1 bruce 1]

So I've checked this place out for protein sources we can't get easily. Rabbit isn't easily gotten for us, an our cats LOVE it, so I was looking around and the website stats on the whole ground (meat, bone, organ) says that the whole ground rabbit contains the thyroid gland. We have no hyperthyroid cats here but I'm assuming this isn't a huge concern? I'm also assuming a hyPO-thyroid dog would benefit?

Any help/feedback appreciated, thank you =)

 

[valentine319]

So I've checked this place out for protein sources we can't get easily. Rabbit isn't easily gotten for us, an our cats LOVE it, so I was looking around and the website stats on the whole ground (meat, bone, organ) says that the whole ground rabbit contains the thyroid gland. We have no hyperthyroid cats here but I'm assuming this isn't a huge concern? I'm also assuming a hyPO-thyroid dog would benefit?

Any help/feedback appreciated, thank you =)

If you mix your own slurry you just don't add lite salt that has the iodine.

Are you using a premix?

 

[1 bruce 1]

If you mix your own slurry you just don't add lite salt that has the iodine.

Are you using a premix?

No, we don't use premixes but we pre mix our own (Dr. P). We feed grinds in the morning and whole chunks in the evening =)

 

[valentine319]

You can check with the supplier but it sounds like with thyroid it has everything needed. You should be good to go.

 

[1 bruce 1]

You can check with the supplier but it sounds like with thyroid it has everything needed. You should be good to go.

Definitely going to check into this!! Thank you!

 

[valentine319]

When I used to feed whole carcass rabbit you were adding supplements but no iodine because the thyroid was in the mix. The supplements were to be safe and assume during freezing you lose some nutrients. That being said some who fed whole carcass wouldn't supplement. The idea was it was like they would eat in the wild.

If you're getting a grind that's everything but the fur just watch ratios (I'm sure you do) bone content is usually higher so I had to add a bit of boneless and bit of liver to balance those. For me that usually results in needing to add a fraction of lite salt (for iodine) to make up for about a lb of the 3 lb mix not having thyroid. Thyroid being included just makes it complete. That's why if you see someone asking how to supplement whole carcass rabbit we try reminding them don't add lite salt/iodine(kelp in premixes). Long term you could cause hyperthyroidism in kitty.

Most of the providers for the meat are great about telling you the ratios and "it has thyroid included don't supplement with iodine".

 

[sophie1]

Per Dr. Pierson's website:

• 1 tsp Morton Lite (or Windsor Half and Half for Canadian residents) salt with iodine when using chicken but use 1/2 tsp when using rabbit + chicken (contains potassium and sodium – make sure that it contains iodine – see below for further explanation.)

This is a very good reason to make your own supplements rather than using Alnutrin.