Nicola_
Adult Guinea Pig
I don't know much about birds but my friend who does said they seemed sad, and she's normally an advocate for p@h and constantly challenges me on why I'd never buy pets from them.
Pet Shops
- Thread starter MapleLeaf25
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I don't know much about birds but my friend who does said they seemed sad, and she's normally an advocate for p@h and constantly challenges me on why I'd never buy pets from them.
Daisy Lennon
Junior Guinea Pig
All three of ours came from p@h and they are very healthy. When we adopted Hurricane we had three separate members of staff come up to us and tell us about his personality and how well liked he was, it was reassuring that they knew so much about him like his preference for his fresh food to be buried under his nuggets and the fact that he was super chatty. They also went through details about care, bonding and vet services, they seemed knowledgeable about the most common illnesses and we're able to give us tips on prevention. Two of those we spoke to were pig owners themselves. They also recognise us now and ask how he's getting on and I find their selection of products good. The vet who gave the health check was great, he happily contradicted some of the stock advice from the staff (ie leave it 3 or 4 days before handling not 24 hours) and seemed genuinely interested in the pigs welfare. They are also all very clean active and well fed from what I've seen.
However there was one member of staff whose advice I knew to be wrong. Re: bonding a trio of boars he suggested keeping them in a box and then putting the new ones in the old ones cage for a while (while he was elsewhere) and then taking them out and putting him back in so they got used to the scent of each other and then just putting them all in together. He also spoke of neutering without explaining the risks and considerations which his other colleagues had been very clear on.
It really seems to be a mixed bag!
A note on Jolleyes: we purchased a large cage from them and received free products, one of which was straw bedding. Since being on the forum I am learning that straw isn't good for them which I would expect Jollyes to know, especially as they asked what pet it was for.
However there was one member of staff whose advice I knew to be wrong. Re: bonding a trio of boars he suggested keeping them in a box and then putting the new ones in the old ones cage for a while (while he was elsewhere) and then taking them out and putting him back in so they got used to the scent of each other and then just putting them all in together. He also spoke of neutering without explaining the risks and considerations which his other colleagues had been very clear on.
It really seems to be a mixed bag!
A note on Jolleyes: we purchased a large cage from them and received free products, one of which was straw bedding. Since being on the forum I am learning that straw isn't good for them which I would expect Jollyes to know, especially as they asked what pet it was for.
Chukkin
Junior Guinea Pig
I got my two girls yesterday from P@H after much deliberation. The only rescue I could have gone to is nearly a 2-hour drive away and only had one piggie, and I wanted a pair. I spent a lot of time in the shop (on multiple occasions) and was very happy with my experience. All the animals there looked content (I have witnessed poorly kept animals before), had plenty of fresh bedding/water/food and veggies. The assistant helping me asked about the cage I had for them, if it was as big as the biggest one they sold. I informed her that the one I have (a 2x4 c&c cage) is bigger than the one she had pointed out and she surprised me by saying "good, because our biggest cage is actually too small)! I pointed out the two piggies I wanted and she took them (and me) to a side area where she showed me how to pick them up, hold them securely, and how to check their ears/eyes/noses for signs of illness. Also, she showed me how to tell what sex they were, what fruits and veggies they were safe to have, and how to check for ringworm.
I have kept a number of different animals before (hamsters, gerbils, rats, and mice) and know what to look for in terms of a poorly kept animal, those suffering with stress/depression etc and was very happy with the store and the staff.
I am not saying that every pet shop is the same, I am merely stating that the staff in this store were very knowledgeable and genuinely cared about the animals in their care.
I have kept a number of different animals before (hamsters, gerbils, rats, and mice) and know what to look for in terms of a poorly kept animal, those suffering with stress/depression etc and was very happy with the store and the staff.
I am not saying that every pet shop is the same, I am merely stating that the staff in this store were very knowledgeable and genuinely cared about the animals in their care.
Lady Kelly
Senior Guinea Pig
That is great that the store you work for is strict and maintains a great code of conduct even if it aggravates some customers.
I think the main point above all else is that pet shops and breeders main focus is one thing... profit. It is hard to imagine that perfect practices are going to be in place from suppliers and shops when they need to make as much profit as possible. Saying that I also agree on not getting freead pigs like gumtree etc as they are more likely to be breeders unwanted stock... bred from and no longer of use to anyone.
I think the main point above all else is that pet shops and breeders main focus is one thing... profit. It is hard to imagine that perfect practices are going to be in place from suppliers and shops when they need to make as much profit as possible. Saying that I also agree on not getting freead pigs like gumtree etc as they are more likely to be breeders unwanted stock... bred from and no longer of use to anyone.
twiams
Adult Guinea Pig
Just wanted to add to this discussion although most people have already covered it.
I’ve owned 3 piggies in the past 2 and a half years and all three of them were from pet shops, 2 from Jollyes, my current male pair, and although some of the information i was given was wrong, i.e i was sold a 100cm cage and told it would be big enough for their whole lives. The shop on the whole was excellent, they only ever had up to 4 males brought in to be sold, and this would only be every couple of months, all though they have since stopped selling animals completely to expand on their food ranges etc. But most of the advice i was given was good, as a first time owner i was worried but they even offered nail clipping after i’d bought them for free for life basically, but obviously i learnt to do that myself so don’t use that anymore.
But as my first piggies i came home right away to research them online and to get the best information, and although it’s a shame we can’t always trust what pet shops tell us, but owners should do there own research, owning animals is always an opinionated thing, from diets to housing, everyone thinks they know whats best so it’s best to get your own opinion, i can’t ever imagine buying a pet and just trusting a pet shop to tell me everything!
My 3rd piggy Marmite, came from Pets at home as an ‘aggressive’ single boar from the rescue section, he had been re-homed several times and then brought back. The conditions he was in weren’t great but not awful, it was just a very minimal cage just one tunnel, a pile of hay and quite a dirty water bowl, no nuggets or veggies, he was very lonely and clearly scared, the sales assistant seemed to care for them but just didn’t really have all the right information, when i finally went back to buy him another day, i’d taken my own carrier and a completely different sales assistant who hadn’t seen me and didn’t even know i’d seen him previously just picked him out let me hold him then put him in my box and took me to the till, she ticked the form saying i’d had all this information and a vet check etc. and just took my money and i left, which i think shows the slightly worse side of P@H, and if i hadn’t known about piggies then anything could have happened to him!
It’s always gonna be hit and miss no pet shops are ever going to be the same, wether they are under the same name or not, same with any shop.
I’ve owned 3 piggies in the past 2 and a half years and all three of them were from pet shops, 2 from Jollyes, my current male pair, and although some of the information i was given was wrong, i.e i was sold a 100cm cage and told it would be big enough for their whole lives. The shop on the whole was excellent, they only ever had up to 4 males brought in to be sold, and this would only be every couple of months, all though they have since stopped selling animals completely to expand on their food ranges etc. But most of the advice i was given was good, as a first time owner i was worried but they even offered nail clipping after i’d bought them for free for life basically, but obviously i learnt to do that myself so don’t use that anymore.
But as my first piggies i came home right away to research them online and to get the best information, and although it’s a shame we can’t always trust what pet shops tell us, but owners should do there own research, owning animals is always an opinionated thing, from diets to housing, everyone thinks they know whats best so it’s best to get your own opinion, i can’t ever imagine buying a pet and just trusting a pet shop to tell me everything!
My 3rd piggy Marmite, came from Pets at home as an ‘aggressive’ single boar from the rescue section, he had been re-homed several times and then brought back. The conditions he was in weren’t great but not awful, it was just a very minimal cage just one tunnel, a pile of hay and quite a dirty water bowl, no nuggets or veggies, he was very lonely and clearly scared, the sales assistant seemed to care for them but just didn’t really have all the right information, when i finally went back to buy him another day, i’d taken my own carrier and a completely different sales assistant who hadn’t seen me and didn’t even know i’d seen him previously just picked him out let me hold him then put him in my box and took me to the till, she ticked the form saying i’d had all this information and a vet check etc. and just took my money and i left, which i think shows the slightly worse side of P@H, and if i hadn’t known about piggies then anything could have happened to him!
It’s always gonna be hit and miss no pet shops are ever going to be the same, wether they are under the same name or not, same with any shop.
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