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 |  | Automatic Feeders: $10-$180 |  | Electronic Automatic Feeders: $45-$180 |
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Automated pet feeders dispense food over several days, either for dogs or cats on a diet or for busy owners.
Typical costs: |
- Automatic pet feeders cost $10-$180, depending on the size and style.
- Some automatic feeders use gravity to dispense food from a chamber as it's eaten from a dish below. These feeders cost $11-$92.
- Electronic automatic feeders, which release allotted amounts of food based at timed intervals, cost from $45 to $180. For example, PetMate's Le Bistro Pet Feeder[1] costs $85 to $100.
Related articles: Pet Fountains, Dog Food, Cat Food, Dog Daycare, Pet Sitting
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What should be included: |
- Feeders can hold enough kibble or canned food to last as much as eight days for small dogs and cats.
- Gravity-driven feeders are usually made of all plastic, can be used indoors and out and all parts are washable. For example, Drs. Foster and Smith's Caf?? Feeder costs about $10.
- Miller Manufacturing's Chow Hound feeder[2] is made of galvanized steel, making it a sturdy outdoor automatic pet feeder. It costs $92.
- Electronic feeders use either batteries or have a cord to plug into an outlet and dispense food as programmed.
- The simplest electronic feeder has two chambers that pop open at pre-set times, divvying out food over up to two days. It costs $45.
- DogChannel.com[3] recommends PetMate's Le Bistro feeder for its portion control features and display showing the current status of meals served and programmed.
Additional costs: |
- Some electronic models require batteries. These need replacing every three months or longer, and cost less than $10.
Discounts: |
- Some manufacturers sell feeders and water dispensers together as a package at a discounted price, so consider this if planning to have automated versions of both. For example, LeBistro feeder and waterer sell for $18 each, but are sold as a combination set for $32.
- Bergan's K-9 Caf?? doubles as a feeder and waterer. Amazon sells this model[4] for $50.
Shopping for automatic pet feeders: |
- Feeders can be purchased at pet stores like America's Pet Store[5] , Petco[6] or retailers like Target[7] and Walmart[8]
- Consider the pet's eating habits before buying an automatic feeder. The gravity-operated versions would not be appropriate for a pet needing to lose weight or with diabetes.
- Check the manufacturer's guidelines to be sure the pet's food will fit through any dispensing apparatus. Some have specifications for what size and shaped kibble will move easily from the chamber into the pet's dish.
- Some users have complained in reviews of electronic feeder models that the portions are bigger than advertised for the food they use. Monitor the portion size and adjust settings accordingly to prevent overfeeding.
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
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External Resources: |
- www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14582
- www.miller-mfg.com
- www.dogchannel.com/dog-magazines/dogworld/dog-world-november-2007-good.aspx
- www.amazon.com/Bergan-Cafe-Tray-Pack-Colors-Vary/dp/B000FSFHG4
- www.americas-pet-store.com/
- www.petco.com/
- www.target.com/c/pet-care/-/N-5xt44#ie=UTF8&node=1038602
- www.walmart.com/cp/pet-supplies/5440
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