Pet Store horror

Friend_from_TN · Jun 20, 2005

I have recently purchased my first guinea pig and I am so happy with him. His name is Kimper and he's still quite young. I bought him from a pet store...I know I know...didn't do my research BEFORE I bought him, but now I know the dangers pet store guinea pigs face...first hand. I went today to a SuperPetz, not the store I bought Kimper from, to buy a little igloo thing for him...had been temporarily using a shoe box for him to hide in, but as you can imagine that was chewed up within a matter of seconds it seemed. Well, I got to the store and decided to look at the guinea pigs for a while. Unfortunately, when I arrived at the "cage" my girlfriend and I were shocked to find a cavy near death. He was lying in the corner with all the others cavies just looking at him. The poor thing was lying there twitching his feet and breathing really really heavy. My girlfriend immediatly called a person over to check on it and apparently there had been no one checking on them all day. There were so many cavies crammed into that little plexy glass cage that I would have been surprised that they would have noticed anyways. There was no hay or anything in there for them. I decided not to do business with them and went back to the place where I bought Kimper...they at least know how to house and feed the cavies as well as supervise them in case of emergency. I just wanted to share my experience for anyone thinking about buying a cavy from a store. So far Kimper is doing great. He's growing every other minute it seems. He's happy and healthy, but it seems that I might have just been lucky to get a healthy one.

Ly&Pigs · Jun 21, 2005

I am glad you decided to leave that horrid store. Those are the reasons we advocate so strongly not to buy pigs in a pet store. Since you didn't know not to buy a pig at a petstore, you won't get jumped on. We all have made mistakes and we learn from them. I do hope however, that you will consider adopting your kimper a same sex buddy or spayed female from a rescue/shelter. They do better in pairs as they are social animals. Congrats on your new buddy. Are you or have you built him a C&C cage? If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

rabbitsncavyluv · Jun 21, 2005

Are there any stores that don't sell animals near you? Like feed stores?

Friend_from_TN · Jun 21, 2005

Oh yes, I plan on getting Kimper a little friend real soon. I already located a shelter that isn't too far away so that I can possibly adopt from them. Most of the pet stores around my area sell animals. I've been searching for just a feed store or at least a store without animals with no luck so far. Thanks for the replies!!

Furkidsmommy · Jun 21, 2005

Did they get the sick piggy medical attention?

Friend_from_TN · Jun 21, 2005

Well, the lady ran to get the manager and when the manager got there she said that there was little that could be done. It was obvious to me that the poor thing was about to die...like real soon. She said she was going to take it in the back and put it under a heating lamp? Don't know if that's like proper procedure for sick piggies or not, but that's what she said she was doing. She also said that they have had that one for a while now...but the cavy was awfully small to be that old. They had two full grown males (I think) in a cage barely big enough to hold them much less give them room to move around. They were also housing like 6-7 smaller piggies in one cage, although it was just under twice the size of the housing for the two males. Like I said earlier there wasn't any hay either.

TurboPiggy · Jun 21, 2005

I had somewhat of a similar experience at Petco last week. I always have to look at thier pigs when I'm over there. This time there was one that had very labored/fast breathing. I went to get the "manager" and she scooped him out into a TINY box and when I asked if he was going to get treatment, she said in a nasty tone "NOT today! It's Sunday, there aren't any vet's available." I just invisioned her taking him into the back and sticking him in a freezer

I know he wouldn't have made it through the night without medical attention. I have to stop going in there, I can't stand to see those poor babies suffer like that.

Sabriel · Jun 21, 2005

Have these people heard of an Emergency vet? You know those people you go to *after hours* when the normal vet isn't open. These PETCO people are hopeless.

John4216 · Jun 21, 2005

If its PETCO please e-mail their corporate center with the name and address of the store along with what happened. I did and 2 weeks later the piggies were in bigger cages and had hay. I know I know pet stores are bad but ANY little improvement is better than no improvement at all until the time comes when they stop selling pets at all. Plus if enough complaints get made then eventually it will become more of a hassle to sell the piggies and they may stop. I would personally like to do an informational picket at a local petstore chain where I live but dont have enough have animal lovers that I know in my area that would do it with me. But once I get enough people I am going to do so to force them to make some changes.

Squeeky Piggies · Jun 22, 2005

My 9 year old Son CRIED when we went to a local pet store and he saw all the Piggies crammed in the plexy glass cage with NO food and NO water. UGGGGHHHHH. I know these pet stores are run by teenagers working part time but come on... someone feed these poor animals.

By the way... Brandon (my Son) FED and Watered the piggies himself at the pet store before we left. He refused to leave with them being hungry! What a great kiddo.

RubyPiggie2 · Jun 23, 2005

Squeeky Piggies said:
My 9 year old Son CRIED when we went to a local pet store and he saw all the Piggies crammed in the plexy glass cage with NO food and NO water. UGGGGHHHHH. I know these pet stores are run by teenagers working part time but come on... someone feed these poor animals.
By the way... Brandon (my Son) FED and Watered the piggies himself at the pet store before we left. He refused to leave with them being hungry! What a great kiddo.

Aw! Poor Brandon..

Did anyone say anything to him when he fed them? Did he go and open a new package of food and stuff like that? I know one guy if he sees an animal without food or water or hay in a pet shop he goes and opens new packages and puts the food/hay in there..

I couldn't help but giggled at "watered the piggies". I say it too, but it sounds like we're actually watering them!

Lyndsay · Jun 23, 2005

Aww thats sooo nice of your son, if only more children would do that, cause I think as adults we could get in more trouble for it. Here kids ask for dog and cat food for thier birthday's and then they donate it to the shelter. That's the only way they get things other than live animals from people. There isn't very much funding for them. They only also deal with dogs, and cats.

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Pet Store horror

Friend_from_TN

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Ly&Pigs

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rabbitsncavyluv

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Friend_from_TN

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Furkidsmommy

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Friend_from_TN

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TurboPiggy

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Sabriel

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John4216

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Squeeky Piggies

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RubyPiggie2

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Lyndsay

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