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Hay Ugh! Bad Oxbow bag yet again.

KimmiA

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I don't understand. I use to LOVE Oxbox hay for Basil!. I received my first bad batch of Oxbow timothy hay (stiff, yellow, pieces, dusty) once, thinking it was a fluke, the next bag I got for her was fine...then today when I went to open her new bag of oxbox timothy hay, it was stiff, yellow, and dusty yet again! :mad:

I'm so frustrated. Has anyone contacted their customer service? I used to love their hay, and now I'm frustrated that I'm wasting my money-Basil won't even eat the pieces I tried to pick out for her that weren't brown, hard, or yellow. Has anyone else experienced Oxbox Timothy Hay being poor quality too?

I put in an order for small pet select just a moment ago. I hope I'll get better quality assurance from this company!
 

PiggieGuinea

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I used to feed oxbow. I found my pigs ate nothing except the seed heads. I switched to Kaytee 3 years ago, and now I have a mix of Kaytee and 2nd locally grown timothy hay from a farm.
 

RodentsRus

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I haven't but if I was you I wold try.. Maybe you'll get free stuff..
 

ClemmyOddieIndy

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This time of year it tends to be hard to find good hay for our horses. I'm assuming the same is true for companies like Oxbow. I've used Oxbow for 4 years without ever having a problem with their hay. But, at the same time maybe because of how bad I know some hay can be I forgive yellow pieces. I would contact the customer service line though if you are concerned. Most companies will try very hard to make you happy to keep you as a customer.
 

Lasinalia

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Take it back to the store you got it. They will most likely switch it out. Open the bag while you're there to make sure it's a good one. I have noticed that the bigger bag you buy, the more likely you are to get green hay. Just dries out too much when you get the teensy bags.
 

bpatters

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Folks, I have a real problem with users posting a complaint about a company here when you haven't even contacted the company and given them a chance to make things right. Even if you get the problem resolved 100% to your satisfaction and Oxbow gives you 100 bales of free hay, someone will read the first few posts of this thread and conclude that Oxbow is not a good company to do business with.

For Pete's sake, pick up the phone and call their customer service department -- they're guaranteed to have a toll-free number. Their website probably has a form for reporting problems. It's very much in their best interest to keep you a happy customer -- hold up your end of the bargain and give them a chance to do it.

If, after contacting them, you still don't get any satisfaction, then yes, post that here. And if are satisfied, post that also. That way, they've had an opportunity to resolve the issue, and either did or didn't. But complaining about them on the internet without notifying them isn't fair.
 

aspecht

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I got a bad bag of Kaytee hay. I have used them up until now and had no complaints with the hay. The hay was always green and smelled awesome. This bag was brown, dusty and just gross. I contacted the company, and was sent a coupon for a free bag of hay since I couldn't afford to send mine back at that point (we had just suffered a tornado). Contact their customer service. I agree with [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION], before posting negative comments, contact the company regarding the issue and if they don't correct it, then maybe say something about it.
 

KimmiA

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Whoa, whoa, whoa, @bpatters - and I'm tired of certain Admins putting down your own users with these "you people" attitudes. I thought this board was to share experiences, and from them, get what's the best plan of action from here.

Have you ever been frustated with your cavies? Don't you want to express that with other cavy-loving people? Why, as an admin, would you try to push away users who are trying to actively participate on this board? Do you think I'd be happy to participate and expand the forum community after that unnecessarily rant? This is my very first time coming across a problem with this- I needed advice- I'm sorry that was too much for you to hold your tongue and reply with something less aggressive.

I'M SO SORRY for not following 'protocol'. I didn't realize there were rules on here other than bullying your users to be completely acceptable. Do you think I would respond positivity to that negative post you attacked me with? Yes, I appreciated everyone else who posted on here- notice how they didn't seem to think making sweeping 'you people' statements was necessary, because I don't frequent that boards as much as you do. Notice how they take my naivety with grace rather than making me feel stupid? I admit you probably know more about cavies than I do but PLEASE DO NOT reprimand me or any other of your users like you have done to me.
 

KimmiA

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Just please, [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION]- try a little kindness.
 

pinky

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Don't buy bagged. Go online and order boxed hay instead. You have no idea how long bagged hay has been sitting at the store so chances are, you might end up with old hay. If the bag has clear plastic, look at it closely before buying it. I'd take it back to the store if just opened it and didn't use it. I've always had beautiful boxed hay from Oxbow.
 

KimmiA

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Yea [MENTION=15081]pinky[/MENTION] , I just ordered from small pet select, and from what I see, their product looks really promising. I'm excited to have it arrive at my doorstep :)
 

TheUniqueNique

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Definitely contact Oxbow. I had a bag where the hay was so straw like it made me bleed. At first I sent a letter, they sent one back and said to either call or return the letter with the shipping address and product information. They wanted the number code on the white piece that ties the bag (like the bread bag ties) but I already threw it away but they still sent me replacements. It also came with a little folder of information and things like that. Oxbow handled my situation very well and said to contact them again if I got another bad bag. Good luck!!! I hope they do the same for you!
 

Aleks

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Whoa, whoa, whoa, @bpatters - and I'm tired of certain Admins putting down your own users with these "you people" attitudes. I thought this board was to share experiences, and from them, get what's the best plan of action from here.

Have you ever been frustated with your cavies? Don't you want to express that with other cavy-loving people? Why, as an admin, would you try to push away users who are trying to actively participate on this board? Do you think I'd be happy to participate and expand the forum community after that unnecessarily rant? This is my very first time coming across a problem with this- I needed advice- I'm sorry that was too much for you to hold your tongue and reply with something less aggressive.

I'M SO SORRY for not following 'protocol'. I didn't realize there were rules on here other than bullying your users to be completely acceptable. Do you think I would respond positivity to that negative post you attacked me with? Yes, I appreciated everyone else who posted on here- notice how they didn't seem to think making sweeping 'you people' statements was necessary, because I don't frequent that boards as much as you do. Notice how they take my naivety with grace rather than making me feel stupid? I admit you probably know more about cavies than I do but PLEASE DO NOT reprimand me or any other of your users like you have done to me.

I think you might be taking her post the wrong way. She expressed her opinion on the matter, that of which being that she doesn't like it when people post negative things about companies without first talking to the company.
As she stated, someone will read the first few posts of this thread and conclude that Oxbow is not a good company to do business with.
I feel that that's a completely reasonable explanation as to why she doesn't appreciate this.

All she was saying was that it isn't fair to the company when people bash them online without giving them a chance to make it right.
Please don't take my comment in the wrong way or feel that I am attacking you or anything. I just feel that there was a slight misunderstanding.
It is very hard to tell what tone-of-voice, so to speak, that people are using when you're reading a post on the internet. I really don't think she meant to put you down.
 

KimmiA

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Right, however when an admin replies with "you people" "I'm so tired" to a user like myself, who's clearly not as experienced, it really is not encouraging to use this site. Adding snarky introductions like "for pete's sake"...well what type of community are users trying to build with negativity? If you feel that's a completely reasonable explanation and response to reply to a cavy owner who is still learning about the care of a cavy, then why even have a site for cavy owners to learn from each other and ask questions?

I wasn't completely slamming down on Oxbow- as I mentioned, I was frustrated because my hay is normally acceptable quality from them, and I was curious if anyone else had an experience like myself.

Im not taking your comment the wrong way, I appreciate the attempt at an explanation as to why bullying is acceptable on this site.... A site for guinea pigs.....All that I'm saying is that it isn't fair to be attacked and feel shamed on a site that's supposed to encourage learning from one another. I completely feel that the others have not done this, however it's disappointing that an admin would.
 

Agrimony

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Oxbow has fantastic customer service, I have had them help me with poor quality hay before as well. Just take a picture of it to send them and the date/ codes on the bag and they will help you out.
 

Aleks

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Right, however when an admin replies with "you people" "I'm so tired" to a user like myself, who's clearly not as experienced, it really is not encouraging to use this site. Adding snarky introductions like "for pete's sake"...well what type of community are users trying to build with negativity? If you feel that's a completely reasonable explanation and response to reply to a cavy owner who is still learning about the care of a cavy, then why even have a site for cavy owners to learn from each other and ask questions?

I wasn't completely slamming down on Oxbow- as I mentioned, I was frustrated because my hay is normally acceptable quality from them, and I was curious if anyone else had an experience like myself.

Im not taking your comment the wrong way, I appreciate the attempt at an explanation as to why bullying is acceptable on this site.... A site for guinea pigs.....All that I'm saying is that it isn't fair to be attacked and feel shamed on a site that's supposed to encourage learning from one another. I completely feel that the others have not done this, however it's disappointing that an admin would.

I don't see "you people" anywhere in her post, though. Perhaps you read it wrong? I would, actually, find someone using the term "you people" as being rude.
What I said is that I feel that the explanation of; "someone will read the first few posts of this thread and conclude that Oxbow is not a good company to do business with" is reasonable as to why she doesn't like it when people bash on a company before contacting them about the problem first, not a reasonable explanation for being rude to someone.

Anyways, if it were me I would just try to let it go. I see where you're coming from, but it's really not something worth getting worked up about. Please don't feel like you're being shamed or attacked, I honestly don't think that was anyone's intention. :/
 

bpatters

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@KimmiA, I'm sorry you were offended by my post. I thought I was making clear by saying that I have a problem with that kind of post that I wasn't speaking as a representative of the forum, but just as an individual poster. I didn't mention that it was against forum rules, and in fact, there is no "protocol" for such posts.

But, I'd like to point out that neither "you people" nor "I'm so tired" appear in my post. You appear to be reading into it things that I neither said nor meant. I made no personal attack on you, nor would I do so to you or any other poster on the forum. No one is trying to push you away, or keep you from posting.
 

pinky

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I didn't read anything that was bullying or "snarky." The point she was trying to make is that it would have been better to try and rectify the situation before slamming the company. You could have returned it to the store or called them and it could have been resolved very simply. I can understand that you probably haven't had to resolve these kind of situations so you didn't know how to handle it but you'll get better results being proactive instead of reactive.
 

KimmiA

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@bpatters I'm sorry I was silly enough to assume that I'd associate your position as administrator with being a representative of the forum. I guess I'm perplexed to grasp the idea that if you're so tired of these type of posts, why you would criticize my questions to the board and actually take the effort to respond rather than moving on to the next topic post in the forum. I'm aware, like yourself, that there is no protocol- but I can't help to feel like I must have set off a red flag with you when I was describing hay...Hay. This whole thing started because I got a bad bag of hay and I wanted to see if anyone else has run into this problem, and seeing what the users with the same problem have done in the past to resolve their problems.

And I'm not a mind reader. I would not have known what to do had I not asked other members what they have done in their situation. If those who think I'm in the wrong, you could just refer to my original post and notice that I'm not concluding that Oxbow sucks all the time, just recently, and my personal experiences have proved to be dissatisfying- and frustrating- and yes, I believe I'm trying to be proactive. There are, as it seems, two options which are doable in my situation and thankfully, users kind enough were able to provide some knowledgable insight.

I don't feel that I'm reading too much into this- [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION], if you could just go back and re-read what you responded with, maybe you would see that a simpler response sans attitude would have sufficed.

Unfortunately, my topic has sadly turned into anything but what I had simply sought out to talk about. I got it. I got the message. I'm sorry I even asked, and won't be asking anything anytime soon.
 

pinky

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It's valid to ask how to resolve a problem with a bag of hay or any problem that you're trying to resolve. There have been other threads about issues with hay, pellets and other products. I don't think she was pointing a finger at you. Seeing this sort of thing pops up every once in awhile, I think she was just suggesting that everyone go through proper channels to resolve those type of issues. Complaints about specific companies without having attempted to resolve the problems can damage their reputations. You ended your original post by saying you hoped to get better quality assurance from a different company without allowing the store or Oxbow a chance to take care of the problem. I understand that it probably was really frustrating not knowing how to handle it. Oxbow and other competitors stand by their products. I think if you gave them a chance, you'd be impressed with their customer service, even though I'm guessing the store is to blame for the problem.
 
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