I have a terrible problem!

[Katie Sandlin]

Hey everyone!

I completely understand what everyone is saying about perpetuating the breeding problem; however, I looked for a long time and could never find any GPs within a few states of me. Also, I would like to say that I work at a pet store. The animals there are definitely NOT in hell. Their bedding is changed daily, food and water, treats, etc. One girl at my store sows, so she made the rats and ferrets hammocks to lay in. Some of us get the rats and GPs out several times a day and let them hangout on our shoulders while we work. Also, the hamsters and ferrets are equally socialized.

Although it isn't PetSmart, it is a chain store, so I hate to hear that all pet stores are bad. But again, I do understand the breeding issue. There are thousands of GPs that need homes, but sometimes driving across a couple of states isn't feasible, so buying from a store is the only way to get a GP.

From my experience as a Pet Store worker, I would recommend visiting the store numerous times to see how the animals are treated, what the condition of their cages are, etc. before buying from them.

I hate to hear the pain that you are in (broken link removed) , but I hope the store is similar to the one I work at as far as the love and care the animals get.

Sincerely,

Katie

 

[Lyonmom]

Not trying to start a fight but having a clean safe place at the pet store is one thing but how can you be sure they are going to good homes and will be taken care of? You just can't guarantee that.

 

[Pretty Piggies]

Where you work at definately sounds better than most, but where does that store get their pets?? How big are their cages? Do they get hay? Are animals of different genders mixed?

Edit: I'm not trying to be mean, your store really does sound different, but there are things that will stay the same (most of the time).

 

[Petuniapiggy]

The reason people are against getting pigs (or any animal) from pet stores is because they buy them from pig mills. They could be treated great at the store but it does not change where they come from with all the pigs kept in horrible conditions being bred over and over again for profit.

 

[Pretty Piggies]

Exactly what I was getting to.

 

[anydue]

Another thing about buying from pet stores, even though I did It with my gps, the prices on the pets are so overpriced! It should be against the law to sell dogs for such an outrageous amount of money. If everyone would be moe informed about how many animals need adoptive parents, then maybe we could make a dent in the pet overpopulation problem.

I do have a question about the state of the animals while they are in proper pet store care. When I went back tp Petsmat to visit my little guys, they were all three curled up asleep. They looked as content as they could be. When they were with me, they acted like they were scared to death! Do you think the gp's are happy in a well cared for pets shop environment? TIA

 

[skritters]

I'm really sorry for your situation.
I know the feeling-- although I'm against buying pets from pet stores, my one pig, LSP, came from a pet store. I was home visiting my parents and went to the local pet store (not a chain) where I had gotten both my pigs as a child. They keep pigs in a cage right by the entrance so I can't resist peeking in when I walk by. I saw LSP and instantly fell for her, but then didn't buy her because "if I got a pig again, I was going to rescue/adopt one."

then I went back to my own city and could not forget that pig!

3-4 weeks later I went to my hometown again to visit friends, and had to go to the mall for something, and again couldn't resist peeking in the cage. she was still there! At this point she had been there for a while, was bigger than all the rest with little ones around her. My resolve crumbled, and I bought her and brought her home. And I love her to bitsies.

But when I got her a friend, I rescued off craigslist. I learned my lesson-- once you see the pigs, they tug on your heartstrings in an incredible way. So I just avoid going into pet stores to look at the pigs now! I'm still sad thinking about them, but if I don't get attached to any one in particular, I'm not "in danger" of supporting the piggie mills. ptimist:

 

[bpatters]

Do you think the gp's are happy in a well cared for pets shop environment?

Most definitely not. There may be a few pet shops around that make an effort to take care of their guinea pigs, but not many. They don't have the space to give them adequate room, too many are housed in the same cage, they're usually kept in glorifed fish tanks with inadequate air circulation, they usually have water bowls instead of bottles that are contaminated with poop and cage debris, and they're fed the cheapest junk.

Just because they were asleep doesn't make them content -- even unhappy animals have to sleep sometime.

 

[kirsty91]

Honestly the pigs are very clean animals and don't smell. You only give them baths if they really need it which is only every few months at most. I feel like they are like cats, I always see my girl grooming her self and she is very clean. You just have to keep the cage clean.

 

[skritters]

Most definitely not. There may be a few pet shops around that make an effort to take care of their guinea pigs, but not many. They don't have the space to give them adequate room, too many are housed in the same cage, they're usually kept in glorifed fish tanks with inadequate air circulation, they usually have water bowls instead of bottles that are contaminated with poop and cage debris, and they're fed the cheapest junk.

I was at a pet store once where the water bottle in the guinea pig cage was COMPLETELY EMPTY. And it was a very small shop as well. Of course I instantly told the worker and he got all upset and defensive and said that he was just about to refill it anyway. I told him guinea pig bottles should not run out before the water is replaced. Poor pigs

 

[Eustace]

Print off pages with the pros for guinea pigs! Or you could keep a secret cage somewhere in your house! (Easier said then done!). I'm so sorry about your situation, be persistent!