My letter to Safari Pet Centre

[shmeele]

Hello all!
I'm not sure if this is the place to post my little story, but here goes.
A few days ago, my friend and I were at a shopping center near my house. We walked by a pet store named "Safari Pet Center" (which sells animals). My friend mentioned that one of our other friends worked in Safari, so we dropped in to see if he was working, and say hi. While I was in Safari, I couldn't help but notice how badly the guinea pigs were living. I sent an email to Safari letting them know these things:

• The giant size of the pellet dish (pigs were sitting, eating, AND pooping in it)

• The giant water dish (half the dish was full of droppings and shavings. And probably other things, too)

• The absence of hay in their cage/tank/cubicle.
• Co-ed enclosures (they actually wrote on the tank that it is males and females together)

"Professor Green", the person you contact at Safari pet centre, replied today, and I want to know how to strategically counter his arguments.
These were the main topics I want to address:

• It is true (I guess) that there must be enough pellets to go around, and so their pellet bowls must be large (I think...? Are there other alternatives?). However, there is no reason for the guinea pigs to have their water in a large bowl.
• "We cannot constantly add more hay to the cage, it would not be healthy, and sometimes they will eat solely hay rather than their main pellet diet (this could be compared to how children would rather eat cookies than broccoli, because it tastes better etc)." --- ?? I couldn't believe this!!

Professor Green also wrote: "I am not sure why you think it would be in Safari's best interest to NOT take care of our animals." Which sort of made me laugh, because I thought it was pretty clear as to why I thought it wasn't in their best interest to take care of their animals. But Prof. Green was already pretty defensive about the whole thing.
I'm not sure if my emails will have any affect on the way Safari treats their guinea pigs, but I figured I might as well kick up a stink and give "Professor Green" something to think about.

Anyways, that was Friday's pet store adventure. If anyone thinks I should specifically mention something (I was already thinking of quoting guinealynx) in my reply to this so-called Professor, let me know.

Thanks for your time!

[OSUCavies]

What was his ignorant response to the fact that there were females and males in the same areas? So they can produce more babies to sell for a profit?


This "professor" sounds more like a dumb***. Excuse my stars

[shmeele]

His response to having males and females together was that, when they receive their guinea pigs, they are too young to be sexed... Even though they can be sexed at 2-3 weeks of age (CavySpirit says any age, but 2 is when you can become certain, and guinealynx says 3). He also noted that they do not guarantee the gender of their pigs when they sell them (no pet store should!)

[luvmyzoocrew]

Originally Posted by shmeele

Hello all!
"We cannot constantly add more hay to the cage, it would not be healthy, and sometimes they will eat solely hay rather than their main pellet diet (this could be compared to how children would rather eat cookies than broccoli, because it tastes better etc)." --- ?? I couldn't believe this!!!

Am I missing something here? Guinea pigs are suppose to have a constant supply of hay so how is hay bad? Sheesh. In your response you could add links to sites that clearly state that the information about not being able to sex and hay being unhealthy is wrong.

[Ly&Pigs]

Do you live in Arkansas? If not what state do you live in? I am asking because just north of Little Rock, there is one of these Safari pet stores. I don't know if it's a local store, local chain, regional chain or nationwide chain. Curious to find out though.

A cavies main diet consists of #1-unlimited grass hay, #2-the minimum of 1 cup of veggies per pig per day and occasional fruit, #3-fresh clean unlimited water with nothing added and finally #4-pellets.

In response to this guy wanting the pigs to eat pellets more than hay- I would tell him that hay wears down their molars and helps aid in digestion. Pellets do not. Hay does not make them obese. Hay doesn't even have to cost much. They could buy a bale from a local farm/feed supply and keep it in stock instead of feeding them from their "merchandise".

You can most definately sex a pup by the time it reaches the age of 1 week.

[shmeele]

I live in Quebec, Canada. There are 6 Safari Pet Centres in my area (Bienvenue au centre d'Animaux Safari / Welcome To Safari Pet Center) I've only ever been to one out of the six, and one out of six is quite enough for me.

Thanks for your replies - I'll email him tomorrow and see what he has to say!

Also, does anyone know if ANY pet stores guarantee the sex of their guinea pigs when they sell them?
Thanks again

[CoppsCavies]

Perhaps you can print off some educating literature as to why they need the long strand fiber of the hay and take it to the Professor?

[Guinea Lover 27]

I used to live in Beebe Arkansas - There was a Safari Pets in Cabot & Jacksonville. Owned by a man named John. He only has those two stores and never planned on opening a 3rd. A family friend worked there for a few months... I had also been in there. It was a typical pet store that sold pets. Cages were too small. Mice/Rats overcrowded. Puppies were even kept in tiny little cages. Also sold reptiles without any types of care sheets... The owner was nice enough - but the pets weren't kept in prime condition.

Hope that helps Ly...

[TX_2_Pigs]

One thing you should put in your response is that hay is actually the broccoli and pellets are the cookies. Much like you need broccoli to aid in keeping you regular, a pig needs hay for their digestion (and their teeth of course).

Unfortunately though, I think you are talking to a wall. They are all about the profits and believe what the breeders tell them. I personally sexed the litter I got Chopper and Harry from at 3 weeks. It really isn't hard to get something to pop out.

They don't mind selling a pregnant sow because they actually are hoping the pups will be brought back to the store. They may give a little store credit or just be "nice" and take them off their hands.

[PhoenixFeather]

I think it would be great to put together a little pet store packet we could bring in or send to pet stores discussing the keeping of guinea pigs. (I wouldn't even go so far as telling them how bad it is that they sell them -- I'm more concerned at this point about them keeping the animals in good conditions, with proper food and water, etc.)

Our local "feed store" sells some animals, and had 3 baby guinea pigs in a cage with a wire bottom. I told the person working there that this wasn't good for their feet, and she replied that "usually" they have a solid insert in the cage under their pigloo. I didn't even know what to say about that. I wasn't sure if I was correct that they need the "entire" cage to have a solid bottom, and it's not ok to have the wire anywhere (but I've heard that that is ok for bunnies, if it's just over their litter box). I should have asked why it was missing. I'm guessing the piggies were not all the same sex either. I didn't even ask.

I wonder what is the best way to bring them more information without making them feel like you are just an "extremist" who should just be ignored.

I'd love to hear some success stories and start putting together an information/advocacy packet for stores.