Pet Stores Boyfriend Made a Realization Yesterday

[Smashley]

Hello! I just wanted to tell you all about a funny moment that occurred during my last visit to Petco.

I'm going to be taking in a pair of female piggies in just a week or two. My boyfriend seems to be pretty excited about the whole ordeal. He can't wait to help me care for the piggies, and to be in charge of them while I'm away. He doesn't know much at all about guinea pig care, so I've been trying to teach him along the way.

Yesterday, my boyfriend and I went to Petco, on a mission to pick up some fish food for a friend. Being the guinea pig lover that I am, I couldn't help but check out the "small animal" section. I whined about the poor little piggies, grumbled about the awful pellets, and complained about the tiny cages.

My boyfriend ran around the "small animal" section with me, pointing out all the things we should get for my future piggies. He started with a cage, which he believed would be absolutely perfect. I had to jump into an explanation of why that cage was too small, and why I have ordered a 2x4 C&C cage. He moved on to one of the plastic "pigloos", which he thought were super cute. I told him all about the lack of ventilation, and why those weren't the best option. Next, he found a bag of yogurt drops, which brought us into a conversation about good guinea pig nutrition, and why pet store treats were awful.

Finally, he landed upon a huge rodent ball. Excitedly, he asked if we could get two of these for the future piggies. I went into an explanation about guinea pig backs, and how rodent balls could severely injure them.

He let out a sigh of frustration, threw his hands in the air, and asked, "Why do they even sell this stuff if it's no good?"

His response made me laugh. For the rest of the day, I though about what would happen if I spent the day in a big chain pet store. With me, I'd bring a binder filled with all kinds of documents, backing up my research. I'd watch people come in, and fall in love with the little piggies. I'd watch them become a new owner in a matter of minutes, and shop around the store for all the supplies they would need. I'd follow them around the store, helping them figure out what to buy. I'd watch carefully to see what they picked off the shelves, and explain to them why that particular item is simply no good. I'd show them the documents, backing up my facts. I'd refer them to different shops and online stores, where they would get more suitable supplies.

I wondered... What if pet stores allowed that to go on? How many people would leave in frustration, refusing to return?

(And don't worry everyone, my boyfriend will be an expert in no time!)

 

[6piggies]

I know all too well the woes of pet stores. Right now I'm trying to explain pretty much all of these things to Petsmart corporate. Every time I go to a pet store and see someone about to buy something they shouldn't I basically have a guinea pig care class right there in the middle of the aisle haha. I mean I can't hang around a pet store all day but you better believe if I can help just one new piggy parent see the light I'm going to do it. These sweet animals deserve long and happy lives and the things sold at pet stores supposedly for guinea pigs can't give them that.
Your boyfriend will be an expert in no time my husband used to be the same way and now he probably knows more than me!!
You sound just like me though. Whenever I see something being done wrong or not to basic standards being done to the pets they sell I pull a manager aside and make them fix it.

 

[Wolfess221]

Petstores, sadly, will always sell dangerous and inappropriate things for animals because they know people will buy them due to their lack of education. From guinea pigs to dogs there are so many things wrong with products and it is unbelievably frustrating.

That being said, I will throw myself upon the railway tracks here and say that I do shop at our local petstore for my piggies' food and hay. I know I'm giving them money for their establishment but my girls need to eat. Having said that, before I had adopted my girls I was at our petstore getting supplies (no exercise balls or treats, don't worry) when I ran into a mother with her two young children. They were looking at the guinea pigs and when she saw me looking too she asked if I had any. I told her I would be adopting a couple very soon, to which she replied that her children have been wanting some too. Cue education lesson: I told her about my supplies, my dos and don'ts, and my C&C cage. She seemed genuinely surprised by the amount of space they needed for a cage, and I explained to her that the cages they sell in stores are not suitable for guinea pigs at all (I bought a 'guinea pig' cage for my hamster; she loved it, but it just goes to show how wrong it is for a piggy). Hopefully the mother will do what's best for her children's pigs.