Pet supply stockpile

[madhen]

Just curious how many of you do this. If so, what do you stock in it, and what do you want to stock that maybe you haven't/can't buy just yet?

I have a number of animals in my life, all in varying degrees of "petness," and have been thinking lately about how to best prepare so that THEY will be comfortable should I get into a situation where I can't buy them food (either through my financial hardship - hopefully not - or through natural disaster).

I've mentioned before that I live out on a bluff, so I don't worry about floods, and I'm on a solid chunk of rock, so earthquakes won't have much of an impact (unless the one that makes Las Vegas the new coastline hits). Fire is my biggest threat, and no amount of stockpiling can really do much about that. But I do have times when normal services fail (like last month, when the power AND the phone lines went out due to, you guessed it, a fire).

My dogs eat a raw diet, so I am thinking I can dehydrate a bunch of meat and keep enough to feed them for a couple of months. I can use the older stuff as training treats as I dehydrate new supplies.

I don't yet have a hay barn, but I'm starting to try to figure out if there is way to construct something relatively easy. I currently use tarp to protect the hay, but that is pretty cumbersome, especially when it is storming and the tarp is wet and the wind is blowing horizontally.

I can stockpile chicken feed, but only enough to last about two months right now. If I invest in a few more aluminum garbage cans, I should be able to boost that up to six months.

The parrots/finches eat pellets, which go bad if left out. I can extend the life of the pellets by freezing them, as well as seed. I can stockpile sprouting seeds, so they have fresh food, and I am in the process of starting a windowsill garden for the fresh greens, so hopefully I'll have a continuous supply of those. I also give the parrots a veggie/pasta/bean mix. I typically keep a two-week supply of that in daily serving-sized containers in the freezer, but I think I could boost that up to a six-week supply without worrying too much about loss of quality. If that runs out, they would be just as happy (albeit maybe not as healthy) on just seeds.

I have a small pharmacy in my downstairs bathroom (and some meds in the fridge) specifically for my animals, including penicillin, peroxide, iodine, betadine, surgical scissors, styptic powder, syringes and needles, vet wrap, dosing needles, etc. I need to add some more items to that, including some gavage needles for the little birds, splints for the birds, get another six months' supply of heartworm preventative for the dogs.

I have carriers for all the birds, all outfitted with perches. I need to make some covers for them, as well. I have multiple hospital cages of various sizes set up and ready for immediate use, if necessary. I should set my tack room up for better triage use should something happen with a chicken, goat, or donkey, and I should probably set up a small triage area in the dogs' room, so I can deal with emergencies without having to run around looking for stuff.

The pond fish are easy. Just keep a couple of canisters of pellets in the freezer.

Water is a huge issue if the power goes out. I am thinking perhaps I can set up a water collection tank near a trough in the pasture that feeds into it if necessary. I have a 1500 gallon holding tank, but that goes pretty fast, so I am looking into having another built next to it. Haven't decided how big - space and finances will play into that. Between that and the bottled water, however, I should have plenty to keep all the domestic pets okay.

That's pretty much all I've got right now.

[EmilyD]

I don't have near the animal population you have .. how do you feed them all and stay frugal??

Anyway, I always have a two week stockpile of dog and cat food. Sometimes two or three extra bags (1 bag per two weeks). I also have a 2 week supply of canned food for both.

I have an extra 2 week supply of bird seed, millet, and gravel.

I have an extra container of fish food .. the first one has lasted for 6 month. I have 6 weeks worth of tablets to add to the water. We are down to 4 fish and I am planning to take the tank down when they are all gone.

Dog food has gone up to $16.00 for the container I was buying ... too steep for me .. am now buying less expensive (still $9.00 for 8 pounds) and the same with the cat food. Hers is up the $16.00 as well.

[madhen]

Well, the goats and donkeys do eat a lot of hay, but they help me by eating brush on the property, so they do give back. Ever since I got them, I haven't had to worry about being out there with a chain saw. Given the huge fire danger in this area every summer, I love that they have cleared a swath around the house. I rotate them into different pastures, and in the spring and fall, when everything is growing, the hay consumption goes way down. The goats are also cashmere goats, so I get fiber from them. I am also looking into moving them up to a friend's property in the summer, when it is dry and dusty here (nothing for them to eat) as he is up in the mountains, where it is cooler for them, and he has nineteen acres of brush for them to work on!

The chickens give me eggs and keep the bugs down. They are also great for eating scraps (nature's little composters).

The dogs protect the property and, along with the donkeys, are a great early warning system when I have visitors. Not to mention that most people respect the sound of two 90+ pound dogs barking at them and don't take liberties when they show up at my house. (Some don't even get out of the car until I tell them it is okay!)

The parrots are the pets I've had the longest, about ten years now, and they provide me with entertainment and joy every day. My African Grey calls out, "Time to go to work!" as I leave for the day. My Hahn's says "Night, night!" when I come home and check on them in the evening, before putting them to bed. And while my yellow-collared macaw is not the best talker, he is the only one who knows how to fall over and play "dead bird" when I pretend to shoot him. The finches are an investment and also a joy to watch. I am setting up a breeding colony of Lady Gouldian finches as my retirement business. Out here, one regular finch sells for approx $75-100, and an uncommon mutation can sell for upwards of $250. A proven pair can go for as much as $400. One good pair of finches can have a clutch of 3-4 babies per year (more if you are greedy, but I want my finches to enjoy life and not just be baby-producing machines).

It is actually cheaper for me to feed my dogs raw than it is to buy kibble. As you mentioned, you are paying $9.00 for 8 lbs. I can often find meat for less than $1 per lb, especially as I am part of a co-op that was formed specifically so those of us who feed raw can buy in large quantities and get the same discounts that stores get. This co-op isn't as good as the one I used to be in. We used to be able to get human quality foods as well, often getting great cuts of meat for a little over .25 cents per pound. Add in some mixed veggies, and you end up with a meal that costs about half of what a can of dog food costs and feeds a 90-pound dog.

I haven't done a cost comparison on the birds' pellets vs. seed, but if you think about it, they eat ALL of a pellet, whereas they waste quite a lot of the seed. They hull the ones they do eat, and they typically leave quite a few uneaten in the dish, so I suspect the pellets don't cost that much more overall. The green foods are all grown at home, more to be sure they are organic than to be frugal, but it DOES save me the cost of buying organic produce at the store.

Fish food is cheap. The pond fish, I have to admit, don't do much that is practical, but I can sit at the pond and watch them for hours.

[AGierald]

wow... im so jealous, and almost speechless!! I would love to see pictures, because your home sounds like heaven!

[madhen]

I have an album here with quite a few of the critters on it.

Any other pet supply stockpilers out there? I'm always looking for good ideas to figure out if I've forgotten anything important!

[jettsmom]

I have a good supply of dog food. My dog is small and doesn't eat much, so a 20lb bag goes a long way. I can't justify the difference in price for the 5lb bag, so I get the bigger one.

The other thing, he will eat what we eat. He likes carrots, apples, meat, rice, potatoes. So if we run out of dog food, he can just eat with us.

[fixer]

We have two dogs and one cat. The dogs are 175 lbs. and 120 lbs. They eat a lot so we watch for sales and use coupons when available. The cat eats so little in comparison she always has food since I instinctively grab the biggest bag possible.

[Cricketlegs]

My projected stockpile is a doozy--

60 large bags of holistic dogfood--lab with allergies
12 large bags purina one--the only food that doesn't make one kitty itch and hurl
3 regular containers of betta food
12 4lb bags of parakeet food(I have been told to freeze it first??)
12 huge plastic tubs with lids cat litter
12 50 count puppy pads
3 large bottles Dr Bronners Peppermint soap for bathing doggies
6 cuttlebones for birds
12 bags millet for birds
12 multipacks of parakeet flavored logs

dog food--$10 a bags (have 6 bags in stock)60=$600
purina one cat food 16lbs 12x$20=$240
3 betta foods--(have one already in stock)2 x $2=$4.00

parakeet food 12x$5.00=$60
cat litter 12x $10=$120 for 27lbs
puppy pads 12x$13=$156
Dr Bronners--not in price book yet est $30-$40
Cuttlebone 6x$1=$6
millet 12x3=$36
flavored logs 4pack--12x4=48

total for a year=$1270.00 not counting the dr brommers and minus 5 dog foods I already have.

! only have $130 a month to build it up so I hope to catch some good sales and as time goes on I may be able to cut down on some of my estimates on amounts needed such as cat food. One bag goes longer than a month etc.

[Gardengal18]

60lb of Dog food (for 1 Shih Tzu, that should last her about 1 year lol! ) and 50lbs of Cat Indoor Formula for 3 cats, 100lbs of Kitty Litter. And plenty of treats for the "Royals" of the household too!

[cheapskate 49]

Dh and I were just talking about this today as I brought home 3x14kg boxes of cat litter to add to the 5 we have already,my reply was it won't go bad and we'll always need it-I only have 2 cats but I have 4 litter boxes.I also have about 4 months supply of food.
It was a few years ago I was watching the news about floods(can't remember where)and a lady had gone back to rescue her animals-she was on a horse and was leading 2 behind her and had 3 dogs swimming along side,it made me cry,to see the love she had with her pets(ok-- crying now too) that's when I started stockpiling for my guys and I went out and bought 4 cat carriers.Now when we have tornado warnings I make sure I know where the lads are and that the carriers are easily accessible

Funny how things stick with you.

[madhen]

Yes, Cricketlegs, freeze any seed for at least 48 hours, and then you can use it. This is to kill off any moth eggs in the mix. I would be very careful storing large quantities of seed outside of a fridge, because even if you kill any eggs in there, if moths can get to it later, they'll infest it.

I have a number of birds, so I buy the 25-lb bags of seed. I separate it into weekly rations, and in airtight bags. I freeze it for 2 days, then store it in the bags. That keeps it bug free, and if by chance I do get an infestation, it is only in one week's worth of food. I also keep some D-con in the back of the cupboard for any rodents that decide to come in for a snack.

[wanderlusting]

Good idea-and WOW madhen- I'm impressed with your stockpile!

I have a dog and three cats. I already have enough dog food to last 2 months. And enough cat food to last 3 weeks. I know I should get more. I think I'll start buying extra kitty litter each time I go shopping.

[cheles2kids]

We have two dogs and one cat. The dogs are 175 lbs. and 120 lbs. They eat a lot so we watch for sales and use coupons when available. The cat eats so little in comparison she always has food since I instinctively grab the biggest bag possible.

Okay, I have to ask. How much food do they go through in a month?

I'm curious because we have 4 large dogs-1 labrador, 3 Greyhounds & our little chihuahua and we currently go through 2 of the 40 lb. bags of food per month.

Each of our large dogs weigh in the range of 60-75 lbs., and our fat little chi. weighs in at about 14 lbs., she really needs to lose about 4 lbs.

Oh & your baby in your avatar picture is absolutely gorgeous!! He looks like part labrador & part bull mastiff?

[Cricketlegs]

Okay I am freaked out about the birdseed. I may just cancel their stockpile and buy it as regular.

[Patty A]

Old chest type freezers make great grain holders! We live where we get lots of snow and they are great to make sure grain don't get wet. We have geese, goats, chickens, pigeons, cats (all out doors), dogs, and house birds. We keep a stockpile of pellets and seeds for the indoor birds in the freezer and 50 pounds last a long time. Birds don't eat much. For the goats we have hay, just cover it with a trap and all pallets to the top to keep it in place along with ties to hold the sides down. New traps are added closest to the hay, then the old one on top to keep it from sun rotting. We keep plenty of grain and scratch on hand for the chickens and geese and gather fallen leaves in the fall, stored in buckets in the shed for the goats to have a treat in the winter time, they love them.
The dogs is another story all together. With so many it would be impossible to keep enough food on hand to get past more than a month. I have no place to store it to be sure it wouldn't get ruined. The cats are all strays, they come in as I refuse to have anything go hungry. We keep extra food for them in trash cans on the back porch, it works great. I keep a emergency backpack full of meds and equipment so I can grab it and run to the corrals if needed. I keep the meds, scissors, tape, bandages of all kinds, needles, clamps, flour for bleeding birds, iodine, meds for bad eyes on geese and cats, wound dressings including blue lotion, Rolled gauze,Gauze pads,Cotton Swabs,Ace bandages
Peroxide, Tweezers,Stethoscope,Antibiotic ointment, wash cloths and hand towels and a roll of paper towels. Some of the meds I like to keep on hand are;
Benadryl,Pepto Bismol, Aspirin,Milk of Magnesia, Antibiotics, and worm meds.
I also keep extra collars and lead ropes for the critters, you never know when you might need one.

I also keep animal poison control centers number posted on my fridge where it easy to find and use.
For those that don't have it:
888-426-4435 Its a 24 hour emergency Vet number for poison help.
We used it not to long ago due to a black widow bite to our pigmy buck getting bitten. They are great and willing to help at any time. It is a nice feeling to know you can get help on what to do.