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Thanks Lafeber!

iamwhoiam

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I recently received an order from mybirdstore.com. It contained a Curly Gurly toy and a few different Lafeber products. The two bags of parrot popcorn had expiration dates of 11/2019. Seems OK but when the expiration dates on the previous bags I received were 5/20 and 1/20 this did not sit well with me. The dates stamped on the bags are 18 months from the production date meaning the bags that were sent to me were sitting in some warehouse for a year. I've ordered from mybirdstore multiple times and never received any Lafeber or other food products with expiration dates less than a year from the date I received the items.

Contacted mybirdstore and since the date was still good they would not replace the bags. I was told that they have a big turnover and they probably recently received those 11/2019 bags from Lafeber. Contacted customer service at Lafeber and rep told me that they would not have sent out those bags at this time and that they had been in the mybirdstore warehouse/store for many months. She told me I could send them back to them and they might replace them. I asked if they would provide me with a shipping label and was told shipping would be at my expense. However, after talking to the rep a bit longer she told me to just email a copy of my invoice and a photo of the bags with expiration date. I did as she requested and received an email that they would send out 2 replacement bags. Bags were delivered yesterday and expiration dates on both were 10/2020. Very pleased with the support I received from Lafeber. I did not plan on using the 11/2019 bags.

Do want to thank mybirdstore for sending a replacement for the Curly Gurly toy. The one I received had some parts missing so it was good they were willing to send another one. They didn't even ask for a photo which I would have emailed to them. The rep at Lafeber said she was going to contact mybirdstore and see if they were having issues with stock and the rep from mybirdstore told me he would be sure that the expiration dates of food products will be checked and reviewed more carefully and that other products will be checked to make sure they are intact.
 

iamwhoiam

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Maybe I was being overly picky but I knew that those 11/19 bags were not what I would consider fresh.
 

Tiel Feathers

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Great customer service!
 

camelotshadow

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Maybe I was being overly picky but I knew that those 11/19 bags were not what I would consider fresh.
They still probably are "fresh" as 6 mo within use by date but I like to see least 9 months to a year...

1 1/2 years before exp is about right after bagging. Its not quite liked coffee but it would seem that if that stock came direct "fresh" from Lafeber then it was on the shelf or in storage for 1 year. If stock is hanging around for a year maybe they should order less. Like to sell it by 6 months.

I am picky too & don;t like to order food in the hot summer because of heat during shipping. Still I don't like buying things from hot states as I am afraid its been kept in hot conditions...You just never know...

If it was properly stored heat/humidty etc it still should be good & see why a vendor would defend themselves but I know what you mean...

Maybe they by more as its cheaper by bulk but its not cheaper if it hangs around & gets close to exp ...then they should discount it to move it...
 

iamwhoiam

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Have no clue how it was stored. Maybe those bags were behind newer bags. Will never know. I had a container of Nutri-berries and stored it in a cool area. Opened it one day months before the expiration date and it was full of bugs. When I get something that has an expiration date earlier than other orders I've received later I don't want to use that item. It's good to be picky sometimes. :)
 

Mockinbirdiva

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That was nice of them!
 

camelotshadow

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Bugs somehow can pass into the bag without it being opened...Its in the grain...Don;t ask me...I like Higgins as I have never had a problem with there stuff. I got the moths once get out & have been battling them for years. Much less now but I did see one or two recently...WAs so bad once they ate huge holes in my $$$ woo pendleton shirt!!!
 

camelotshadow

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Penny came with some food. One bag had bugs...I tossed it all! Phew!
 

iamwhoiam

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Bugs somehow can pass into the bag without it being opened...Its in the grain...Don;t ask me...I like Higgins as I have never had a problem with there stuff. I got the moths once get out & have been battling them for years. Much less now but I did see one or two recently...WAs so bad once they ate huge holes in my $$$ woo pendleton shirt!!!
I freeze/refrigerate the bird food and it helps to some extent.
 

Rain Bow

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Read about weevils & you'll understand how. Rice weevils actually fly. I think they chew through the bags honestly, based on my reading for the past year of reading about them. Theres a few types in this attachment below, but w/ 97,000 different variations/types... I'm not gonna post them all! :hehe:

Weevils on Stored Grain — Department of Entomology — Penn State University

These are sunflower seed weevils below.

Headclipper Weevil

Seed Weevils | Sunflowers | Crop Pests | Insect Information | Extension | Entomology | Kansas State University
 
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