TOPS pellets changed formula?

[FlyBirdiesFly]

I bought a new bag of TOPs pellets for my birds about a week ago, as I had run out. The packaging looked different but the pellets looked mostly the same. The problem is, none of my birds will eat them anymore! They’ve always loved TOPs and have never had any problem eating them. I noticed that these new pellets seem harder and crunchier than the old ones, and they break apart less easily. What my birds liked before was how the pellets crumbled when they ate them, so they could break the relatively large/elongated pellets into smaller pieces. I bought the small size as usual. Is it possible that TOPs changed their formula? They were such great nutritious pellets and my birds loved them...

 

[eddieparrot5]

I bought a new bag of TOPs pellets for my birds about a week ago, as I had run out. The packaging looked different but the pellets looked mostly the same. The problem is, none of my birds will eat them anymore! They’ve always loved TOPs and have never had any problem eating them. I noticed that these new pellets seem harder and crunchier than the old ones, and they break apart less easily. What my birds liked before was how the pellets crumbled when they ate them, so they could break the relatively large/elongated pellets into smaller pieces. I bought the small size as usual. Is it possible that TOPs changed their formula? They were such great nutritious pellets and my birds loved them...

They did, they now are certified organic by usda,
I encountered the same problem you had, I talk to them about it, that how I found out they were becoming certified, they sent me a new trial bag, but still, they just won’t touch them, now I have about 9lb left. Guess I will used it on birdie bread

 

[Jen5200]

Yup - experienced the same thing here. Mine absolutely loved TOPs and now they won’t touch it.... I plan to keep trying since I have a pile of it. I’m quite grouchy about this since they seemed to love it prior to the change. Thankfully mine also like Zupreem natural so they’re not going without pellets - but grrrrr!

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

This is too bad... all my birds loved TOPs prior to this change. At least they still eat their Harrison’s well. Maybe I should crush them into small pieces? I have a 3 lb bag sitting around. grrrrr is right..

 

[chris-md]

Hmmmmm, I’ve had a small handful of TOPs sitting in Parker’s bowl for days now, and he hasn’t touched them. It’s a new big, couple weeks old. Wonder if that’s the problem.

Maybe I’ll try topdressibg with some coconut oil, see if that goads him some.

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

Hmmmmm, I’ve had a small handful of TOPs sitting in Parker’s bowl for days now, and he hasn’t touched them. It’s a new big, couple weeks old. Wonder if that’s the problem.

Maybe I’ll try topdressibg with some coconut oil, see if that goads him some.

Did he like TOPs before you got the new bag?

 

[chris-md]

Oh yes. And goldenfeast. But both have changed their recipes and he won’t touch either.

 

[Laurasea]

Oh noes!!!! Mine love Tops!!!! Now I worry when I re order they are going to be like yours and say m
Nope!!

 

[eddieparrot5]

Oh noes!!!! Mine love Tops!!!! Now I worry when I re order they are going to be like yours and say m
Nope!!

I think you can ask for a sample bag, before placing any order

 

[EllenD]

Oh that sucks, this is going to be a problem for a lot of people...

Ironically, the only complaint I've ever heard people have about TOPS pellets is that they "crumble too easily", making a lot of dust/powder, but this was also a very positive characteristic to a lot of birds, especially smaller parrots without huge beaks that like the softer pellets...

I wonder if this is going to be one of those "changes" a manufacturer makes to a very popular, well-loved product that just tanks their business? It's a shame because nutrition-wise they are an excellent pellet...but if the birds won't eat them then it doesn't matter how nutritious they are...

 

[Jen5200]

I’ve emailed TOPs and asked them about this - and this was the response “The formula is exactly the same as always and we are now using organic alfalfa and organic rice as TOP's is now USDA Organic certified. ”. They didn’t answer the part where I mentioned that that the pellets are harder than before. They are sending me a sample to see if I have the same issue with the sample. We’ll see....I hope mine was a dud bag and they really didn’t change much (although I’m a bit worried since others are also experiencing it).

 

[Laurasea]

Oh that sucks, this is going to be a problem for a lot of people...

Ironically, the only complaint I've ever heard people have about TOPS pellets is that they "crumble too easily", making a lot of dust/powder, but this was also a very positive characteristic to a lot of birds, especially smaller parrots without huge beaks that like the softer pellets...

I wonder if this is going to be one of those "changes" a manufacturer makes to a very popular, well-loved product that just tanks their business? It's a shame because nutrition-wise they are an excellent pellet...but if the birds won't eat them then it doesn't matter how nutritious they are...

I know! People have said oh they don't add vitamins, but that is because they use nutritious ingredients, and if you read the nutrition analysis everything is there, it's just real food with real vitamin from the ingredients! Dang this is my favorite food, I only have a couple pounds left.. bummer. Thankfully I feed several brands if pellets for just this reason, also so they won't be picky, or if I can't get it run out of one. I'm

 

[EllenD]

Well, if it's like anything else, you'll be able to order older bags through Amazon forever...Lol, I always order "Limited Edition" food-items and "Discontinued" products through Amazon for years after they are no longer available to buy...For example, "Pumpkin Pie" Poptarts, "Red Velvet" Poptarts, etc...My favorite cereal ever used to be Honey Bunches of Oats "Green Yogurt", it was amazing, and of course they stopped making it...And for whatever reason they stopped selling the Honey Bunches of Oats "Chocolate" in my area, even though they still make it...But I still buy both from Amazon...I actually buy different hair products, make-up, etc. this way too...I don't think that anything bothers me more than when they stop making something that I've been using for years...So thank god for Amazon.com...and eBay too...

I guess that with the TOPS pellets, it's the "organic" alfalfa and brown rice or whatever they switched to organic that caused them to become much harder and not be "crumbly" anymore...Is it just me or does that sound odd? Typically with most organic food items I never notice any difference in taste or consistency at all...

 

[Jen5200]

My sample came today from TOPs and they are very hard like the pellets in the new bag. I’m unimpressed that they are not acknowledging that the product changed when they added these organic ingredients. I think I’ll respond to their email and let them know that....birds still won’t touch it

 

[Laurasea]

Dang! Dang!

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

I emailed TOPs yesterday and I got a very similar response. Basically, they said that they’re sorry that my birds won’t eat it, that they haven’t changed anything except adding organic ingredients, and that they’ll send me a sample bag. I didn’t reply and I’m not having them send me a sample bag that my birds still won’t touch.

 

[Jen5200]

I let them know that my birds wouldn’t touch the sample and specifically asked about the texture change that coincided with the new ingredients. I did get a response that he wasn’t aware that the texture had changed and that he was going to check with their manufacturing partner to find out if something had changed on their end. He did say that they are committed to fixing it if at all possible. So we’ll see if they can or actually will look into it . I know that I’d be happier feeding TOPs to my birds but that only works if the birds actually EAT it lol.

 

[Laurasea]

I will contact them too, how did you contact them? Can you share a link?

 

[eddieparrot5]

I let them know that my birds wouldn’t touch the sample and specifically asked about the texture change that coincided with the new ingredients. I did get a response that he wasn’t aware that the texture had changed and that he was going to check with their manufacturing partner to find out if something had changed on their end. He did say that they are committed to fixing it if at all possible. So we’ll see if they can or actually will look into it . I know that I’d be happier feeding TOPs to my birds but that only works if the birds actually EAT it lol.

I got quite the same response, even though I had specified the texture and the smell changed,
I’m curious, I have always get response by Gary, is he the one who responded to your emails too?

 

[Jen5200]

I will contact them too, how did you contact them? Can you share a link?

Here is the email address that I contacted, and must admit that they’ve been very quick to respond.
[email protected]