So Mad! - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**MsGizziBingly** · #1 12-29-06, 09:11 pm

I went to the local pet store
I buy some of my supplies from there due to it being the only pet store within a 20 minute drive.. so when I don't have the gas or the time to spare I can go there for more bedding or one I went in there to see if I could find something for gizzi's and patch's hay containers...

Now... I'm not big on pet stores, but this one seems to be more about the animals than most. It only takes from local litters and if their arent any around that have any, then they just dont have pets for sale.. I think they are more focused on fishes and then pet accessories, than actual pets.

However today I saw something that made me NEVER EVER want to go into that store ever again. I saw this guinea pig in there. Now I was just in there not too long ago. [talking to someone I knew that might know where I could find some coroplast] and this cavy was not in there.. but today it was. I think it was a male, and he looked to be maybe a year old.. or something like that... but his nails... where SOOO long that they had curled UNDER his toes... I almost started to CRY I was so pissed. This doesnt happen often. I walked up to the lady and told her that she sucked and walked out. I was so out of it. I couldn't really think straight or else I would have told her why. But I try to refrain from getting to the point of which I start to use really low/stupid/pointless mean words.

I am almost positive I wanted to slap this lady in the face...

I can't stop thinking about this poor cavy. I just hope that the do something about it soon, or else I have a feeling this poor cavy wont be walking around too much longer

**MsGizziBingly** · #2 12-29-06, 09:12 pm

oh, also... I forgot to ask...
if you dont buy supplies from pet stores..
where DO you get them from?

**Ruftybear** · #3 12-29-06, 09:24 pm

I am in Australia, and we have a great Petbarn near us. They only sell pet produce and not live animals. They are the places you need to keep a look out for. If you are in the US, there are some great places you can order online, as I think a lot of people here do. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

I can understand your being upset about the Cavy you saw. Maybe you should have chatted to the person there and explained the problem with the nails. I would have offered to assist them in cutting them for the sake of the animal, but that is just me.

**MsGizziBingly** · #4 12-29-06, 09:31 pm

Yeah... I'll probable go back soon, hopefully when someone else is working, and if the poor dear is still there talk to them about that.. and see if there is something that I can do.. the cavy has almost solid black nails so I would only clip them so far due to not being able to see the nerve.

**this_lil_piggy** · #5 12-30-06, 12:45 am

I would go back in there in a a day or so and see if the pig is still there and if his nails have been clipped (I would wait a few days only to give hem the benefit of the doubt that he was new and it just hadnt been done yet)
If they have not been clipped, I would immediately contact the humane society about it!!

As for supplies... The only pet stores we have here are petco, and a couple small time pet shops that keep their animals in even worse conditions than even petco does. I refuse to walk into any of them. I order my hay and pellets online, and I make their toys, hideys, and things of that nature out of recycled things at home.

**sarahnmadison** · #6 12-30-06, 02:18 am

I was curious where people bought their bedding?

I have read through enough posts to know the best place to get Oxbow pellets and hay but I was wondering where is the best place to get bedding. I use CareFresh.

**Djakarta** · #7 12-30-06, 08:19 am

Is there a local chapter of the House Rabbit Society where you live?

Here in the San Diego area, the House Rabbit Society has a store that is open 2 Saturdays a month. They have hay and Carefresh ( only $14.00 a bag!). They also have carriers, toys, brushes, bowls, waterbottles, nailclippers, styptic powder- just tons of stuff!

**standuprookie** · #8 12-30-06, 08:27 am

I go to an organic pet food store, they have don't have much for supplies but they have oxbow and are really nice, last time I checked out the guy on the counter said that the guinea pig shelter has bumber stickers that say "wheek wheek" then asked if they really made that sound, and their is another store down the road that sells some supplies and no animals. Both stores are around an hour from me.

**MsGizziBingly** · #9 12-30-06, 01:30 pm

I went back today.
I told the guy [ he looked to be college aged]
that he needed to clip the cavys nails
Or else it would be very upsetting for the piggie.
He thanked me for telling him
and he did it right away.

I think I am going to go there to check on the little piggie
every few days or so.
Just to make sure everything is going okay with him

**this_lil_piggy** · #10 12-30-06, 03:04 pm

Before switching to fleece, I was buying huge bags of kiln dried pine, or hardwood from a local small mom and pop feed store. It was like 30 lbs for 4.00 and change. The only time I ever tried carefresh, I bought it at Petco....I haven't found anyone else that sells the stuff around me, which is why I don't use it.
The local Tractor (farm) Supply store has Aspen at a good price (about 20 lbs? for 8.00) but they are always sold out and it is just too far for me to drive to risk them not having it.

**enchantingcavy** · #11 12-30-06, 08:46 pm

It's really hard to walk into petstores and see an unwell or untreated guinea pig for a condition and to not overreact but what I find helps alot is to walk back out the door, compose yourself and let our all the anger ( if you have to bash up your car seat do so hehe ) and then plan a professional speech to say to the owner then walk back in approach the owner about the condition and usually they'll either be more than willing to take on the advice if approached professionally or they'll be rude and not take on the advice. Then if they don't take it on you need to get a detailed explanation of the piggy, it's condition, the stores address and phone number and contact your local animal welfare organisation that can deal with the situation....it's really tough approaching petstores that sell animals and I used to react and not be able to deal with it well but I find the walking out and back in idea helps alot...mind you it's never easy having to approach a store manager about the animals they're selling...it's always confronting...

Jess