A Visit To The Pet Shop

Swissgreys

Swissgreys

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Today I went to the pet shop, which in itself is not unusual.
I am in the pet shop buying hay on almost a weekly basis (a post about that to follow!).

But today I was also there to look at cages - hamster cages to be precise.
So I was looking at all the lovely hamster cages when a shop assistant (who looked about 13 years old) came over and asked if I needed any help.

I asked a question about a cage I had been looking at, which she answered, and then went on to ask me a few questions.

I told her I was looking for a cage for 1 dwarf hamster, and she told me the 80cm cage I was looking at was much too small! She went on to say it was only good as a temporary or holiday cage, and I would need a cage at least 1 meter long to provide an appropriate environment for a dwarf hamster.

So out of interest I asked her what size cage I would need for 2 guinea pigs.
Clearly our piggies already have cages, but they weren't bought from a local pet store, so I was curious about what they would say.
She showed me the guinea pig cages and told me I would need at least a 140cm cage for 2 guinea pigs, but 160cm would be preferable. The 120cm cage that they had was clearly marked as 'suitable as temporary accommodation only'.

Then we got chatting about guinea pigs and she asked what cage I had.
At this point my German failed me a bit because I didn't quite know how to explain C&C's, and the word for 'grids' isn't one I have used often in German :lol:
But I showed her some pictures on my phone, and she was very impressed.
She commented that guinea pigs in England must have wonderful lives with such huge cages....
 
Well done that pet shop. I wish she was right about England, I was in an English pet shop yesterday and deliberately looked at the cages, the biggest was 100cm.
 
You live in an amazing country for guinea pigs! When I got Bobby and Bailey from the adoption centre at P@H they were in a glass tank about 2ft by 18in - and they are pretty big chaps. I didn't see them stocking any cages larger than 100cm. To be fair, the runs they keep the 'for sale' piggies in is a decent size, and I've never seen more than a couple in it at a time, but there the positivity ends, there's usually only one hidey, a huge bowl of pellets, a handful of hay and some lettuce. I was given no advice, and only a perfunctory question about did I have a cage - nothing about how big it was.
 
Wow! Over here in America I once had an employee tell me that guinea pigs shouldnt be housed together because they are solitary animals and it will cause fighting. I don't remember exactly what I said but I'm sure my face looked something like: :hmm:...wtf
 
When I got Velvet and Betsy from P@H I went back for them with my hamster cage as I didn't have an animal carrier then (I now have 2) and I had my big cage all ready sorted at home. I preferred to take them home in that rather than the tiny boxes that P@H shove the poor piggies in as at least they were still together. I told the girl there I had a larger cage at home ready and she never asked to see any pictures of it or anything just took my word for it. For all she knew my Piggies were going to live in a tiny hamster cage! They don't of course I hasten to add!
 
Swissgreys said:
Today I went to the pet shop, which in itself is not unusual.
I am in the pet shop buying hay on almost a weekly basis (a post about that to follow!).

But today I was also there to look at cages - hamster cages to be precise.
So I was looking at all the lovely hamster cages when a shop assistant (who looked about 13 years old) came over and asked if I needed any help.

I asked a question about a cage I had been looking at, which she answered, and then went on to ask me a few questions.

I told her I was looking for a cage for 1 dwarf hamster, and she told me the 80cm cage I was looking at was much too small! She went on to say it was only good as a temporary or holiday cage, and I would need a cage at least 1 meter long to provide an appropriate environment for a dwarf hamster.

So out of interest I asked her what size cage I would need for 2 guinea pigs.
Clearly our piggies already have cages, but they weren't bought from a local pet store, so I was curious about what they would say.
She showed me the guinea pig cages and told me I would need at least a 140cm cage for 2 guinea pigs, but 160cm would be preferable. The 120cm cage that they had was clearly marked as 'suitable as temporary accommodation only'.

Then we got chatting about guinea pigs and she asked what cage I had.
At this point my German failed me a bit because I didn't quite know how to explain C&C's, and the word for 'grids' isn't one I have used often in German :lol:
But I showed her some pictures on my phone, and she was very impressed.
She commented that guinea pigs in England must have wonderful lives with such huge cages....
Click to expand...

My biggest take from this is “So, you managed to convince the OH to let you get a hamster? Wooooopwooooooop”
 
Squeakz said:
My biggest take from this is “So, you managed to convince the OH to let you get a hamster? Wooooopwooooooop”
Click to expand...
I can't! :coat: I have had 7 lovely friendly hammies and 1 totally antisocial hamster called Archie who bit my OH but then my OH did put his finger right by Archie's mouth after my he had eaten an apple so what did he expect? Now all hamsters are horrible! I would love another but no amount of persuasion will work believe me I've tried! He also said 5 piggies is enough.
 
Squeakz said:
My biggest take from this is “So, you managed to convince the OH to let you get a hamster? Wooooopwooooooop”
Click to expand...
Let's put it this way - I asked and he didn't say no :yahoo:
Lots going on here at the moment, so now isn't the right time, but it never hurts to be prepared.
 
I would have thrown your hubby out of the door by now. My OH knows NO doesn't work with me. Lol
My new hamster Sausage, is a monster, I've picked him up 3 times & he's bitten me twice. That's despite the fact that I wash my hands twice & rub them in his sawdust. The OH he picks him no trouble.
 
Tiamolly123 said:
I would have thrown your hubby out of the door by now. My OH knows NO doesn't work with me. Lol
My new hamster Sausage, is a monster, I've picked him up 3 times & he's bitten me twice. That's despite the fact that I wash my hands twice & rub them in his sawdust. The OH he picks him no trouble.
Click to expand...
Well after 30 years I've got used to him hanging around really! So I might just let him have his way. I'm working on him subtly and with luck he'll come up with the idea like I did with the piggies! He thinks it was his idea to get some more!
 
I’m appalled by the pet shops over here and not just how they house their guinea pigs and the totally inappropriately sized cages they sell but they seem to offer their pets not much in the way of food. That being said the pet food superstore I buy the piggies hay in actually supply their guinea pigs they are selling with vegetables and hideys and have big signs up with information on what they should eat etc. Where I bought Patchy and Coco I wasn’t even told they eat hay.
 
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