Anyone Else Angry At Kaytee Comp. ???! - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

lipglossartist · #1 01-16-05, 03:36 pm

Kaytee is the largest small animal product supplier in the industry. Not because I am loyal to their company but because they sell the widest range and most favored products by my gp's. My question is.........has anyone else noticed fluxuating quality in their products recently?!? ie>shavings, hay?

I have 2 major complaints about their "aspen" shavings (which most of us here use) that I would like you to all know about.

1. If you are purchasing the large 141L. bags (the huge ones) for your c&c cages an a regular basis BEWARE!
Kaytee has being doing a tricky system in recent months that I have caught on to and am very pissed. Watch the Litre. content of the large bags.
They change from the regular 141Ltrs. to a drop of a mere 113 ltrs.!!!!
And they are being sold for the SAME PRICE! The bag is even the same size just hoping that you may not notice. If anyone else has come across this, please pm me about it.

2. Again with the Aspen shavings. Im hoping that I am not the only person that has noticed this because its hard to fight a war alone.
But last week I noticed that my aspen had about 30% CEDAR CHIPS in it.
Does KAYTEE think we are stupid?!?! We dont notice and dont know what it does to our GPs?!!? I emailed kaytee over 2 weeks ago about this, and of course NO response.

If you have had any experiences like this of your own, please write here and let us know about it.

**KmKrazy9** · #2 01-16-05, 05:05 pm

I have had bad experiences with Kaytee products too. The bedding that I got was horrible! I even got splenters in my hand just from grabbing a handful. I had to use towles for their cage until I could get it returned.

**RubyPiggie2** · #3 01-16-05, 05:34 pm

Wow. Kaytee really sucks! Glad I don't buy anything from their company, hmm.
Though I did notice that their Aspen came in smaller bags than usual. I don't buy aspen though, I get Kiln Dried Pine. That really pisses me off that they put Cedar chips in the Aspen... what a load of morons, eh?

**mncavylover** · #4 01-16-05, 05:37 pm

I've noticed awhile back that Kaytee was only in it for profit. That's why they market unsafe foods, beddings, give out ridiculous advice about how much hay to feed (half a handful a day!), their hay was rather dry, etc. I will not buy Kaytee products, as some of you may remember me posting.

**RubyPiggie2** · #5 01-16-05, 05:38 pm

Yes, I agree with you MN, they do give out crappy advice. I don't buy their products either and will not, I'm not going to support their crappy company...

lipglossartist · #6 01-16-05, 07:16 pm

Would you be willing to work with me in contacting Kaytee on that issue if needed? I am hoping to generate a HUGE group of people who swamp them all at the same time with complaints regarding these products. They will learn that they can not ingore ONE single one of us owners! Because with us come MORE!!!

Thanks for responding,
Melissa

Quote:

Originally Posted by KmKrazy9

I have had bad experiences with Kaytee products too. The bedding that I got was horrible! I even got splenters in my hand just from grabbing a handful. I had to use towles for their cage until I could get it returned.

lipglossartist · #7 01-16-05, 07:20 pm

Would EVERYONE who reads this thread be willing to send me a written letter of their complaints? I have started high class complaints with their corporate office.

**kalrik** · #8 01-17-05, 07:27 pm

That's so weird because I just bought a huge bag of Kaytee Aspen, and I was thinking, Man does this stuff smell bad. It felt damp too (Isn't that weird?) so I had to let it air dry before I put my pigs in their cage. I am changing to fleece after this bag is done. The smell did it. What a coincidence.

**DocDolittle** · #9 01-17-05, 07:36 pm

I used to use their hay, but then I looked at OxBow's hay, and it was so incredibly different. About 50 percent of Kaytee hay was brown and it smelled bad, and Oxbows was green and smelled really fresh. I stay away from Kaytee products now, but sometimes I put Kaytee hay(that I make sure isn't moldy, even though they don't use it) beneeath there houses to make comfy beds for them.

**Furkidsmommy** · #10 01-17-05, 07:56 pm

Kalrik, I too noticed a strange smell and dampness with the large bags of aspen.
It never occured to me that it was cedar in there. How do you know it was cedar?
I know the quality of the bedding goes up and down and I recently took 2 of the extra large bags back to the store and got a refund. I would be more than happy to complain on a corporate level.

**sofiemuffins** · #11 01-18-05, 08:10 am

Out of shear desperation I purchased a bag of Kaytee Aspen shavings. The actual pieces of wood are so small, they are more like little particals! If I dont like them, I'm sure my piggies dont too! They dont absorb as much, and they scatter everywhere when my pigs run around. I only purchased them because that's all they had at the store I go to (The only one in the area that doesnt sell animals!). I'll never do that again!

**AngelsCavies** · #12 01-18-05, 11:37 pm

I noticed that too. Just before I found out that regular pine is bad for any small animals I would get a bag thats nice and soft and dry. Then the next time I got one it was rough, wet and smelly. I went to a feed store and they make sure that the amount is right. I paid 9.50 for a 9.0 cubic feet of aspen bedding from a local feed store.

**kalrik** · #13 01-19-05, 07:20 am

How do I find out if I have a local feed store? I live in a big city, and I know there are not many farms around. . . I need to find a place to get bedding and supplies and whatnot. Any advice for how to find one?

**DocDolittle** · #14 01-19-05, 10:08 am

When in doubt, check the yellow pages! Lol, I got in touch with mine because they belong to our Parish.

**AngelsCavies** · #15 01-19-05, 10:48 am

I thought the same thing that you did kalirk.Look it up in the yellow pages under feed store. Good luck also ask them if they carry timothy hay as well. they sell them cheaper than the store.

Faunn · #16 01-19-05, 11:50 am

I have never heard of Kaytee, but I have a solution for those who live near Santa Rosa, CA.
There is a feed store somewhere in Santa Rosa, I'm going to go, my bro's friend said they have a huge stack of hay, on large bale for 3$ I called and they said they had 10pound bags of food for 5$!! I want my mom to start getting foor there instead of Walmart.

**cavylover_76** · #17 01-23-05, 09:12 pm

I have had a problem with their hay recently. It used to be pretty good, but now it seems as dry and brown as the off brands. They even started packaging it to where you think you are looking at green hay inside, but it's just a picture!

I use shredded bills/newspapers for litter, so I don't know about that. But, I'm very disappointed in the hay.

Let me know if I can help,
Marie