How do Petsmart get thier pigs?

**Binas Cavys** · #1 12-25-05, 01:33 pm

I am wondering how Petsmart, Petland, and other stores get thier pigs. Do they get them in air conditioned trucks? I am just curious

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**rabbitsncavyluv** · #2 12-25-05, 01:42 pm

They arrive from pet mills via a distributor. Usually in cardboard/styrofoam boxes in unheated trucks. Employees then unpack them as if they were merchandise. Hence, diseases and URI are common and easily spread.

I heard they do not separate them by sex, so they can mate during the ride.

SleepyBirdy · #3 12-25-05, 02:46 pm

oh lord, I got Silkie from PetsMart. No wonder she is sooo sick right now(see "Fungus" thread)

**KPIGGY** · #4 12-25-05, 04:02 pm

My 2 guinea pigs came from petsmart too. They were full off mites and the vet said the one was to young too have left her mother. I went back and told petsmart and the person I spoke to looked at me as if I was from another planet and walked away. I am complaining to the head on the treatment of their pets. While I was there the pigs that were left were squeeking in pain and scrating. Have not had a reply from them yet.

**Greenwalker** · #5 12-25-05, 05:41 pm

A few days ago I witnessed the re-stocking of rodents at Petco. The were stacked in tiny tuper-wear (sp?) containers, no food or water, and being wheeled in on a dolly. I saw the truck they came off of - no windows, beaten up, not even a logo on it. The man whealing them in had problems getting the animals up the curb or over the store threshold. He simply gave the the dolly a good kick. I could see hampsters in the top box flying around and being thrown into the sides of the box. I'm surprized they all appeared alive.

**Binas Cavys** · #6 12-25-05, 08:29 pm

That terrible! I also got my pigs from Petsmart. They had URI's and a bad case of it.

**nws2002** · #7 12-25-05, 09:44 pm

OK, I'm not here to defend the pet mills, or pet stores in general, but I did want to clarify a point (see below). In fact I encourage everyone to get their pigs from local rescues and shelters. If you really want to know where their guinea pigs come from I would call their corporate office and ask.

Quote:

I heard they do not separate them by sex, so they can mate during the ride.

Just to clarify, Petsmart only sell pigs of one sex or the other. I don't know about their shipping policies to their distribution center, but once they get into the store level they only get males or females.

**DaCourt** · #8 12-25-05, 09:54 pm

In theory, you are correct. Their policy is to only sell one sex, however, since most of their employees do not know how to sex a pig, they just take the "distributer's" word on it. On more than a few occassions, I have had to tell the store manager that they have more than one sex in the cage.

So please told misinform people that at the store level they only sell one sex. It simply is not the case. My first pig (before I knew anything) can from a pet store. I was told it was a girls. Trust me, Scooby is NO girl.

SleepyBirdy · #9 12-26-05, 10:10 am

The petsmart near me only sell females, thats really good. But my piggie is really sick, they said that all their animals went to a vet, yea right man.

**CavyKind** · #10 12-26-05, 12:30 pm

I genuinely don't know how Petsmart get their guineas in the USA...
But until recently our large pet store chain was willing to buy them from local breeder/rescuers. Not nice? But that is the way it was in our area.

**daftscotslass** · #11 12-26-05, 01:17 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by CavyKind

I genuinely don't know how Petsmart get their guineas in the USA...
But until recently our large pet store chain was willing to buy them from local breeder/rescuers. Not nice? But that is the way it was in our area.

If we're talking about the same chain pet store here then they seem to make up the rules to suit themselves. I know someone that works in our local one. They gave me a hamster as she was "untameable" and her boss said I could take it as long as I promised not to bring her back if I got bitten! She's not the calmest in the world but still a friendly little thing now.

I don't believe for one minute that they have a clue about the sexing of the animals in the chain stores here in the UK, either.

**rabbitsncavyluv** · #12 12-26-05, 02:25 pm

A lot of them are missexed though, or they do not separate them at breeding age 3-4 weeks on the breeding facilities. They usually ship them from the distributors at 8 weeks old, old enough to breed.

Even if they do correctly sex them (and that is a big if) then they still sell pregnant ones. And what is to stop a person from buying a female at a female only Petsmart and going to another to get a male?

Quote:

Originally Posted by nws2002

OK, I'm not here to defend the pet mills, or pet stores in general, but I did want to clarify a point (see below). In fact I encourage everyone to get their pigs from local rescues and shelters. If you really want to know where their guinea pigs come from I would call their corporate office and ask.

Just to clarify, Petsmart only sell pigs of one sex or the other. I don't know about their shipping policies to their distribution center, but once they get into the store level they only get males or females.

**KPIGGY** · #13 12-26-05, 03:29 pm

I know the petsmart and pets at home by where I live sell both sexes and have them next to each other.

**Mr.Pigglesworth** · #14 12-27-05, 06:22 pm

The petsmart in my neighborhood sells both males and females...
Do Petsmart and Petco have the same rules? It could be a Petco that I am thinking of.

**minnie** · #15 12-27-05, 08:52 pm

Hi

I have 2 piggies that I rescued

I am posting because I did buy 2 pet rats at Petsmart, I had them maybe 6 months, one had develped a large tumor, which when I took him to the vet it was cancerous & had spread so he was put to sleep, the other one I bought from Petsmart had a really bad skin condition but he is okay now

I do have two ther pet rats that I rescued, they are so healthy, I was told Frankie was approx 6 months old when I adopted him last easter so by this easter he will be a year and six months old, the other guy I have Sammy he is a hairless dumbo rat & I have him over 6 months, I haven't had any problems with them

I know its hard sometimes to not buy from a petstore, I have done it myself

I do look at the guinea pigs and the pet rats when I am in pet stores but I have to walk away, the last time I saw the guinea pigs at Petco their eyes looked like they were running

From now on I am going to adopt from a rescue, whether it be for pet rats or guinea pigs & they are so much better socialized at the rescue & the rescue helps when I had chosen them

I have the sweetest pet rat Frankie from a rescue

Minnie

**JackSpicerRules** · #16 12-27-05, 09:34 pm

I didn't know any better but to buy from a pet store when I got Sammy 2 and Fuzzie, but I bought them from the Seabreeze Pet Store that's in my neighboorhood. I'm not exactly sure, but I think they might be a little better than Petsmart. I'm NOT saying Pet Stores are good. Just this one might be a little better.

**rabbitsncavyluv** · #17 12-27-05, 10:47 pm

There only good pet stores are ones that do not sell animals. Just because the store looks clean and the animals look well, doesn't mean anything. It is what you do not see that is the problem.

The pet mills, the backyard breeders, the atmosphere of abuse, neglect and abandonment that the pet stores create, promoting guinea pigs as cheap starter pets for children, etc etc.

**DaCourt** · #18 12-28-05, 09:47 am

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