Kaytee Timothy Complete

[JimD]

LatelyS'more hasbeen having rather soft/mushy poops and excess cecals.
I was starting to get concerned and was considering having a fecal float done.

Then several of the other buns started with the same issues.

I started looking at the common factors....starting with the feed.
As I started to examine the Kaytee Timothy Complete I found that there's a lot of "extra" ingrediants that shouldn't be in it...various small seeds, lots of sunflower seeds both whole and shelled, colorful little cereal bits, whole kernels of dried corn, PEANUTS!, etc.
I can sift or pick all of that garbage out for now, but my concern is that the pellets are not all timothy and may have alfalfa pellets mixed in. And the higher protein is probably playing havoc with the buns' GI systems.

So I call Kaytee.
They tell me to send the unused portion back with the sales receipt and they'll refund my money....yadda yadda yadda.
I told them that I need to have feed, but I can already see the same foreign stuff in the new bag that I haven't opened.
They told me to exchange the new bag back at the store.
Now I'm getting frustrated and explained that ALL of their feed could be contaminated, I don't have receipts, and I sure as heck ain't paying to ship it back to them.
They said that I'd have to send it to them and they will have it inspected. But I'd have to pay for shipping it there.
I asked what I should do for feed in the meantime.
"Idunno" says the lady from Kaytee.
I said "How about if I don't send it back and never buy another Kaytee product again. And I'll also pass the word to the other 7000 rabbit owners that I communicate with."
"That's up to you." says the lady from Kaytee.

So I don't even mention that their crappy expensive hay is mostly brown crud with root material.

Bye-bye Kaytee! (...or rather, "DON'T buy Kaytee!")

Idiots!

I think I'll be switching to the newer Zupreem timothy feed....."Nature's Promise".
14% (min)protein, 28% (max) fiber. No soy...no wheat.
It's only been out for about a year.
I called Zupreem. A very nice lady took quite a bit of time giving information and helped me locate a retail source to buy from.
Pet Smart, Petco, Pet Goods, and a few independant stores are distributors in my area.
She told me if they don't stock it, itshouldn't be a problem for the store to order it for me.

 

[Maureen Las]

I buy Kaytee timothy complete and it looks the same as it always did..but it's possible I have older batches.
Well there goes Kaytee timothy complete

 

[SOOOSKA]

JimD, I use Kay Tee hay, I know it gets real expensive with 6 rabbits and believe me they are all BIG hay eaters.

I'm curious what kind of hay do you use? I really wish I could order some hay in bulk but it's really expensive. Geez I was quoted by one company the shipping charges from the States to Canada was $270.00 yes that's $270.00 for shipping, that wasn't including the hay.

Thanks

Susan

 

[JimD]

angieluv wrote:

I buy Kaytee timothy complete and it looks the same as it always did..but it's possible I have older batches.
Well there goes Kaytee timothy complete

I got 2 or 3 ten pound bags that had extra "stuff".

Then I bought a few bags that were okay.

Then the last 2 bags had stuff mixed in again.

It's got to be certain lots, but the lot/date stamping on the bags I have is so bad that I can't tell if they're all the same or not.

I recommend going through it scoop by scoop to check for mixed in stuff.

Each pic is what I found in differnt bags. That'a a 10 inch paper plate it's on.
The firsttwo bagsI just thought is was a fluke, because the next few bags were okay.
And then it was like every other bag had stuff mixed in.

This is the pic from the bag I'm using now...and it's only from half of the bag used...

 

[JimD]

SOOOSKA wrote:

JimD, I use Kay Tee hay, I know it gets real expensive with 6 rabbits and believe me they are all BIG hay eaters.

I'm curious what kind of hay do you use? I really wish I could order some hay in bulk but it's really expensive. Geez I was quoted by one company the shipping charges from the States to Canada was $270.00 yes that's $270.00 for shipping, that wasn't including the hay.

Thanks

Susan

I was buying Oxbow online, but most of it was going in the garbage.....lots of chaff (dust) and brown/root material.

I went back to Kaytee because it was convienient....but found the same problem....except the garbage was costing a whole lot more.

I decided to order a 50# bale from bunnybales.
It's very good quality. but it's mostly stems & seed heads....not exactly the cut I was expecting. But the buns seem to be warming up to it.

The 50# carton with a pink yard stick for size ref.....

And the product...not a lot of leafy stuff, but very nice quality for it's cut.

 

[Maureen Las]

That hay looks good...kind of like I could eat it myself with sugar and milk like shredded wheat

Jim,

Can you contact the company because that is totally WRONG!!

Kaytee Timothy Complete...
Does the "complete" mean complete with everything that will send your rabbit to the vet?

 

[JimD]

angieluv wrote:

Jim,

Can you contact the company because that is totally WRONG!!

Kaytee Timothy Complete...
Does the "complete" mean complete with everything that will send your rabbit to the vet?

I'm going to call them again tomorrow and ask to speak to a supervisor or manager.

I got the general feeling that it was more the personhaving their own issue..... rather than the company not wanting to address the issue.

I still have all the bags, too.

I'd just like them to make sure that the problem gets resolved.
Whether I buy it again or not isn't the problem.


I'm just hoping that my bunnies will like the Zupreem..... as soon as I can find it.
The one Pet Smart by me didn't have it.
I'm going to call the other distributor's to see if they stock it.
If not, I'll ask the Pet Goods to order it for me. I like their store and employees the best.

 

[Haley]

Thats really too bad, Jim. Ive always got the feeling that Kaytee doesnt really give a crap about rabbits with all the crud they sell. I bet that batch of TC got mixed in with the other types they sell.

Have you ever checked into ordering Oxbow from a local pet store? I pay 38.00 fora 50# bag so it works out to be pretty cheap. Ive even thought about mixing in a cheap feed store bag to cut costs as well.

 

[JimD]

Haley wrote:

Thats really too bad, Jim. Ive always got the feeling that Kaytee doesnt really give a crap about rabbits with all the crud they sell. I bet that batch of TC got mixed in with the other types they sell.

I'm guessing they run their packaging with diffent products on the same machines....whatever is left as residue from the previous run gets mixed into the new run.

Haley wrote:

Have you ever checked into ordering Oxbow from a local pet store? I pay 38.00 fora 50# bag so it works out to be pretty cheap. Ive even thought about mixing in a cheap feed store bag to cut costs as well.

Oxbow has become available at a lot of the stores around me....but the buns won't have it.
I tried a few times for about a week each time, and ended up throwing most of the Oxbow out.
Brat-bunnies!!

 

[BethM]

Kaytee Timothy Complete gave my little guy with the sensitive tummy squishy poops and excess cecals, even without the extra bits in it. I could only feed it twice a week, and there were still cecals laying around the day after. About 2 months ago, I switched over to the Oxbow BBT. They now get pellets every day, I've found fewer than 5 excess cecals in that whole time. All my bunnies seem more active, too. I was worried that they would gain weight eating pellets every day, but they haven't. I've heard that the Kaytee is one of the "better" petstore brands, but whatever is in it just doesn't jive with my bunnies.

Reading about the extra stuff mixed in, I'm glad I made the switch.

Later this year, I would like to switch to American Pet Diner pellets, they have excellent hay. (Also, the only place in town that sells the Oxbow also sells baby bunnies :X and I really don't want to support that. Unfortunately, APD has been out of stock on their pellets for more than a month now.)

 

[undergunfire]

I hate Kaytee and I am always majorly discusted by them. I do not buy any products made by them. They put out so many "false foods" for small animals. They call their food "fortified nutrition", but it is just junk. With such a low quality food...who knows what is in the pellets.

I only trust those who are 100% into animal nutrition, like Oxbow.



Benson, my 8.5 year old bun was fed Kaytee his whole life. This is what he was fed, his owner never bothered to do the research to find out that bunny food should never look like dog food....

They trick people into believing their food is nutricious, but if only people would do their research with this company...they would get all the wrong feelings. False advertising...it is sick.

A company like Oxbow would never have such variety of rabbit foods...like a pellet with dried corn, carrot, seeds, nuts, ect. They most certainly wouln't have a rabbit food that looks like dog chow, either.

You should see the junk Kaytee puts out for rats and how many people join the rat forums with a majorly obese rat, not knowing Kaytee is bad...until they see pictues of healthy rats on a homemade organic diet.

 

[Xila]

undergunfire wrote:

Wow! Pop that in a box and you could sell it as cerial.

I once saw a Kaytee "fiesta treat" in a store that had... let's see...

Popcorn, pretzles, peanuts, little colorful beads of yogert, bits of bread, varyous seeds and nuts...

In other words, it had everything you /shouldn't/ give your rabbit all in a convient little baggie for you.

I usually get Kaytee hay, but only becasue it's the only local thing. I usually pretty satisfied with it, but maybe it's jsutthe Kaytee hay in my area. It's usually smells nice, nice and green- no roots or brown or whatever. But, again, maybe it's just like that because of where I live (rural area).

I usally stear clear of other Katyee products, though.

~Xila

 

[Flick]

Sounds like Kaytee has quality control issues. I am so NOT surprised, disheartened, but not surprised. I've spent alot of time standing in pet store aisles reading the ingredients list on pellet bags, mumbling, "How can they sell this CRAP?"

My vet sells Zupreem hay and pellets, so you might find a vet in your area that sells it. Most probably it would be an Avian/Exotic vet.

RabbitStop.com sells a 10 lb. bag for $9.99, but with shipping (the last time I checked) it totaled about $25. That's about what my vet sells it for ($25). So, there's no price break for me, but he's got it when I need it.

I wish we could work up a "class action" suit for false advertising against these companies that sell "nutritious" crap!

 

[slavetoabunny]

I have a bag of Timothy Complete that I bought as an emergency measure when my APD order didn't get here on time. I examined it and it looked just fine. This sounds as though it may be limited to a particular batch. I would examine the pellets as best as you can through the tiny window they give you. You should be able to see if it has any unwanted additions.

Re: hay. I think we are going to see some less than desireable hay for a while due to the climatic conditions. I justgot a 25 lb. order from APD that was the first order that I have been unhappy with in four years. I have heard comments that other usually high quality hay providers are experiencing that same thing. I did get an order for 45 lbs. of bluegrass/alfalfa from Kleenmama's for the shelter that was beautiful. They say that their timothy is supposed to be available by 8/24.

 

[Happi Bun]

I don't mean to bring this thread off-topic... but I'm surprised to know that so many people here use Kaytee food. Using it with other small animals is very frowned upon not only because of it'sgenerally poor ingredient quality but because it has the preservative Ethoxyquin in it which is potentially cancer-causing. :?

 

[JimD]

slavetoabunny wrote:

I have a bag of Timothy Complete that I bought as an emergency measure when my APD order didn't get here on time. I examined it and it looked just fine. This sounds as though it may be limited to a particular batch. I would examine the pellets as best as you can through the tiny window they give you. You should be able to see if it has any unwanted additions.

It started a couple of months ago.
I had three 10# bags in a row that were mixed.
Then I got 4 or 5 bags that were fine.

The pellets in the mixed bags were smallish and kind of "rough" looking.
The good bags had larger nicer looking pellets.

The last 2 bags I got had the nice looking pellets, so I figured I was okay....until I notice the garbage mixed in the first bag.
I have one bag unopened and if you shake it around enough you can start to see the seeds and stuff.

I've called all of the stores around me, and no one stocks the Zupreem.
One of the local pet shops said they could order it, but they only place an order once a month.....and they just got an order this week.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Happi Bun wrote:

I don't mean to bring this thread off-topic... but I'm surprised to know that so many people here use Kaytee food. Using it with other small animals is very frowned upon not only because of it'sgenerally poor ingredient quality but because it has the preservative Ethoxyquin in it which is potentially cancer-causing. :?

All brands of pellets have something wrong with them. Even Oxbow has a questionable ingredient that is linked to kidney problems (I believe it was kidney problems anyways).

I wont use Kaytee Timothy Complete because it gave my bunnies excess cecals and that was without any seeds or anything mixed into it. Plus, my bunnies would hardly touch it and that tells me something is wrong with the pellets.

 

[Happi Bun]

I hope it didn't sound like I was claiming Kaytee is the only pet food out their with problems... that wasn't my intention. I just find it to be more widely disliked.

 

[ilovetoeatchocolate]

MyBabyBunnies wrote:

Happi Bun wrote:

I don't mean to bring this thread off-topic... but I'm surprised to know that so many people here use Kaytee food. Using it with other small animals is very frowned upon not only because of it'sgenerally poor ingredient quality but because it has the preservative Ethoxyquin in it which is potentially cancer-causing. :?

All brands of pellets have something wrong with them. Even Oxbow has a questionable ingredient that is linked to kidney problems (I believe it was kidney problems anyways).

I wont use Kaytee Timothy Complete because it gave my bunnies excess cecals and that was without any seeds or anything mixed into it. Plus, my bunnies would hardly touch it and that tells me something is wrong with the pellets.

Please tell me the ingredient. I am phoning Oxbow right now and am going to haggle them about that ingredient. How dare they include an ingredient that causes kidney problems! I have never heard of this!

Shannon

 

[Jenk]

Jim,

I've just read your post and am feeling indignant right along with you. What a load of hooey! And that Kaytee rep. needs a reality check :craziness, especially when 7,000 other bun members likely have even more bunny owner contacts.

I'm glad that you're giving Kaytee the boot. I've mistrustedthat companysince I began buying bird pellets (when I was 12 years old). It just seems that nearly everythingthat they sell is comprised of crap items that should never be fed tothe particular species for which it's marketed.

Jenk