Pets at home is a horrible place this time of year

Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato

Adult Guinea Pig
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I had to pop in to get hay, snake bedding and a few other bits and bob's I left feeling helpless and depressed.

Fist off I heard a child ask an employee about whether their cat would get along with a new rabbit (just buying one rabbit intending to keep it alone) :no:the employee told them that it's best to let them interact through cage bars first but they should be fine. :no: they also recommended one of those small pet shop cage we hate on this forum :no:.

The man in front of me in the queue was buying two Guinea pigs, a small bag of hay, pine wood shavings:no:, a small pet shop cage:no:, and one bendy bridge. (For his children's Christmas present) :no:

Sorry for the rant but I just felt like I couldn't say anything at the time because I wouldn't know where to start. This time of year that shop is full of people buying Christmas present pets and it's heartbreaking hearing some of the advice being given out
 
Yes, it’s so sad, they’ll be in rescues by the end of January if they are lucky! What parents buy pets as Christmas presents, appalling 😡
 
Can I just say I have used pets at home woodshavings for years with no problems? I know there are problems with this shop but personally don't think their woodshavings are the bedding of the devil.
 
I think it’s more the advice they give that’s the issue, as given by two examples above.
 
Siikibam said:
I think it’s more the advice they give that’s the issue, as given by two examples above.
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The original post mentioned "pine wood shavings :no:" which is where I think @Zanzan was coming from. I can get it, the bedding is a non-issue compared to almost everything else in the OP.
 
I'm dreading the new year, ive already taken in 5 piggies since the start of lockdown, not including ones I've adopted, most needing a home due to their first owners not fully understanding what they required..all the ex Christmas present piggies will be so depressing. Wish shops stopped selling during December.
 
My sister got her turtles as a Christmas present 2 years back (my dads idea) and even she will admit as happy as they have made her she wishes she knew ahead of time, did her research and got it right first time. We are still correcting their care two years later sadly the kit that came with "everything you need for a turtle" came with nothing that's appropriate for a turtle. And sadly my piggies were also a victim of poor advice from pet shop employees and online cage retailers which took us one and a half years to fix. So it breaks my heart when I know this is continuing to happen and only the lucky ones will end up in a rescue or having their care corrected in the future.
 
Last time we are in a pet shop we were so discouraged by everything we saw that we decided simply not to shop there again.
This truly is the most powerful thing you can do, and although it is difficult, most things you need can be sourced elsewhere.
 
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Zanzan said:
Can I just say I have used pets at home woodshavings for years with no problems? I know there are problems with this shop but personally don't think their woodshavings are the bedding of the devil.
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Some of the shavings they sell aren't kiln dried and cause issues for the piggies. Just be sure to read the labels
 
Swissgreys said:
Last time we are in a pet shop we were so discouraged by everything we saw that we decided simply not tossup there again.
This truly is the most powerful thing you can do, and although it is difficult, most things you need can be sourced elsewhere.
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I wish I could do this but everything is so much more expensive online. I already don't buy snake food, pellets or treats from there but it's still a necessary evil for me when it comes to hay and snake bedding
 
Zanzan said:
Can I just say I have used pets at home woodshavings for years with no problems? I know there are problems with this shop but personally don't think their woodshavings are the bedding of the devil.
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Sorry I didn't mean to offend anyone. I presumed they were pine but I think they're what I tend to refer to as "mystery wood" (soft wood shavings) probably not the end of the world in an open cage in a well ventilated room but I worry for these little piggies for many reasons and that only adds to my concern. These same shavings did kill my sister in laws hamster so they're far from perfect
 
The only reason I darken the door of my local P@H is because my Vets is in the store. I can't remember when I last bought anything from there other than the Pro-C I needed straight away.
 
I've gone back to buying a lot of my supplies in our branch. I don't like it but the online places have all started charging such a lot for postage where it used to be free if you spent over a certain amount. They don't have any animals back in yet, long may that continue. Two of the ladies that worked there for years were brilliant at piggie advise, I was really sad to hear this week that they have both left recently.
 
I last bought a bottle for the girls. Simply because they cost more to buy online, and P@H is a short drive away. Prior to that I bought some beds.

I used their shavings in the very beginning before switching to B&M. Then I bought some shavings from there again, but wasn’t happy with the quality so swapped to biocatelet. That didn’t last either.

Last I was in there they did have some pets. But I don’t know if they were up for sale.
 
I just want to wade in and play devils advocate here with a few points:

1. This issue is not just a pets at home issue. In fact pets at home do usually stop selling pets for a short while over Easter and Christmas. This to me indicates that they are trying, albeit that with any retail store profit has to come first to survive.

2. Each pets at home store is different and some are more clued up on piggy/small pet care and give better advice than others.

3. Let's not judge other owners. We've all made mistakes and there is no evidence that the person buying their children pets for Christmas aren't willing to do the work needed to provide proper care. When I got my first two piggies I had purchased a 100cm ferplast cage online and had wood shavings. After getting my piggies I found this forum and learned more about better care and they soon got the appropriate space required.

I'm throwing this out there as I see pets at home often get vilified on the forum and that's probably because they are the largest UK chain that sells animals but I think we need to remember that some of the staff (maybe even all of them) care and want to do the right thing. I've taken in adoptees from P@H and, when hearing me discuss Lily with the member of staff (aby X pink eyed white who screamed in terror at being held so I knew she wouldn't get taken on by anyone unless they had experience), another customer came and started asking me questions to see if piggies were right for her. The staff member listened with a lot of interest too.
 
Lady Kelly said:
I just want to wade in and play devils advocate here with a few points:

1. This issue is not just a pets at home issue. In fact pets at home do usually stop selling pets for a short while over Easter and Christmas. This to me indicates that they are trying, albeit that with any retail store profit has to come first to survive.

2. Each pets at home store is different and some are more clued up on piggy/small pet care and give better advice than others.

3. Let's not judge other owners. We've all made mistakes and there is no evidence that the person buying their children pets for Christmas aren't willing to do the work needed to provide proper care. When I got my first two piggies I had purchased a 100cm ferplast cage online and had wood shavings. After getting my piggies I found this forum and learned more about better care and they soon got the appropriate space required.

I'm throwing this out there as I see pets at home often get vilified on the forum and that's probably because they are the largest UK chain that sells animals but I think we need to remember that some of the staff (maybe even all of them) care and want to do the right thing. I've taken in adoptees from P@H and, when hearing me discuss Lily with the member of staff (aby X pink eyed white who screamed in terror at being held so I knew she wouldn't get taken on by anyone unless they had experience), another customer came and started asking me questions to see if piggies were right for her. The staff member listened with a lot of interest too.
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I agree with them all not being bad. My own experience with point number 3 is I bought the biggest cage they had being a new owner and they said it’d be big enough (it really wasn’t!) but the forum quickly steered me right :)
 
Rivervixen said:
I agree with them all not being bad. My own experience with point number 3 is I bought the biggest cage they had being a new owner and they said it’d be big enough (it really wasn’t!) but the forum quickly steered me right :)
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Yes there is definitely a difference in levels of knowledge and I'm sure part of their training is them being told that the cages are big enough
 
When I left with Comet and Blitzen, the P@H staff not only sexed them both, but were insistent that the cages they had were not big enough for a pair of guinea pigs. I mean, I knew it anyway, but it came from them unprompted.

I've never been in my local one since so I don't know how they are now, but they knew what they were talking about back then.
 
My main bug bear is eBay. Some of the cages that are on sale stating suitability for guinea
Pigs is horrific! I have contacted the sellers on one or two occasions and had one success, the seller revised his description, the others just ignore or act dumb. Look at this beauty :yikes:
F712070A-76B2-4ED4-8C5C-8D498BC58C18.png
 
Bill & Ted said:
My main bug bear is eBay. Some of the cages that are on sale stating suitability for guinea
Pigs is horrific! I have contacted the sellers on one or two occasions and had one success, the seller revised his description, the others just ignore or act dumb. Look at this beauty :yikes:
View attachment 159906
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AND that's £100 down the drain. Argh, it's no wonder people don't want to admit they've bought the wrong sort of cage when that's the money involved.
 
TBF when I bought Velvet and Betsy from P@H where I used to live the girl there was pretty clued up on guinea pigs. She even gave them a check (like a weekly check) before I bought them and told me I should do this every week. She neglected to tell me that I had to weigh them too but she told me all about their welfare and what they would need.
 
Not all P@H Stores are the same as with RSPCA and Rescue places and small independent pet shops.
Across the range it's out personal experience that makes us comment. .
I shop at P@H and have been escorted out twice. . Once ? for objecting to staff selling a small hamster cage for a baby piggie cos it was small. . Broke my heart i can honestly tell you. . Still have that image. .
Yes I still shop there as it's the devil you know it's better than not.
Yes I will object again and again.. .
If every place was the exactly then the que at the vets be a very long one. . .
 
Lady Kelly said:
I just want to wade in and play devils advocate here with a few points:

1. This issue is not just a pets at home issue. In fact pets at home do usually stop selling pets for a short while over Easter and Christmas. This to me indicates that they are trying, albeit that with any retail store profit has to come first to survive.

2. Each pets at home store is different and some are more clued up on piggy/small pet care and give better advice than others.

3. Let's not judge other owners. We've all made mistakes and there is no evidence that the person buying their children pets for Christmas aren't willing to do the work needed to provide proper care. When I got my first two piggies I had purchased a 100cm ferplast cage online and had wood shavings. After getting my piggies I found this forum and learned more about better care and they soon got the appropriate space required.

I'm throwing this out there as I see pets at home often get vilified on the forum and that's probably because they are the largest UK chain that sells animals but I think we need to remember that some of the staff (maybe even all of them) care and want to do the right thing. I've taken in adoptees from P@H and, when hearing me discuss Lily with the member of staff (aby X pink eyed white who screamed in terror at being held so I knew she wouldn't get taken on by anyone unless they had experience), another customer came and started asking me questions to see if piggies were right for her. The staff member listened with a lot of interest too.
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I mostly agree lass. . Especially learning by mistakes. I have and honest enough to admit it. Xx
 
My P@H is ok in regards to knowledge with pet care, I've picked up a few of my adopted rescues from their adoption zone and the only thing I can say is the cage advice is the only bad thing from there.
My GS puppy has a real sensitive stomach and the only kibble that doesn't upset him is the P@H brand AVA puppy kibble so I have to go there for that so its convenient for me to get their hay which seems softer than most as Nicklaus loves to bury himself in it!
My problem is finding a cheap enough bedding that doesn't give my pet rats a respiratory infection like regular wood shavings (I'd made sure they were kiln dried and dust extracted but they still had to have antibiotics!) Hemp and Aspen I'm finding very expensive and I'm only using it for my rats!
 
Our local Pets@Home is ok. I was once queueing to pay at the till. The chap on the till was serving customers and was also holding a rabbit across his shoulder. I asked him with a surprise look what he was doing with the rabbit, he replied he was socialising it because it was jumpy around humans. The poor rabbit (obviously passed back for the adoption section, it was fully grown) looked terrified, I said he needed to socialise the poor animal in the back where it was quiet and calm and that no animal would feel relaxed in that situation.
 
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