Shopping at Pets at Home (supplies only)

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Bailey

Bailey

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I would like to start this thread by stating that I don't want this to turn into an argumentative thread, however I understand that it may get a little heated because of peoples thoughts, and feelings on what is a passionate subject for them.

I will openly admit that up until recently I would buy stuff from Pets at Home, my Bailey and my first bunny Tia were from P@H albeit 6 years ago and I've never bought a pet from them personally (they were gifts).

Since joining the forum in June last year I started to think more about whether this was an organisation I wanted to spend my hard earned in and starting shopping there less and less until at the start of the year I decided that I would not shop there again. As well as any other pet shop that sells animals, so not just singling out P@H really.

I am fortunate just around the corner from me is a lovely independent pet shop that only sell supplies, and I find them to be reasonably priced for the more regular sellers - Burgess Guinea & Rabbit. In fact a lot more favourable to my purse than P@H.

There are also quite a few other shops locally that stock pet food, I suppose the benefit of living in an area where horse ownership is a common thing...
All of them closer to me than P@H really, I just have to put a little more research into things as obviously they don't have the spending power to advertise as much as P@H do.

I like shopping online as well lol, I quite like the excitement of a parcel turning up for my piggies and buns and discovering something in the order I'd forgotten I bought ")

I understand from reading posts on here that the P@H stores seem to vary hugely depending on the store. There are good ones and there are bad ones, but for me personally whether the store is good or bad the money still goes to the same place.

So I was wondering those that do shop at P@H what are your reasons for it.
Is it simply convenience? Perhaps you like the staff in there etc...

Or on the flip side if you don't shop there, why not?

Again I don't really want this to turn into an argumentative thread. I'm just intrigued :)

(eeek this is quite a long post)
 
Tend to buy online really, piggies have Science Select Guinea Pig food, seem to have to buy that online and cages, carriers etc are easier to buy online.
 
I get guinea pig nuggits from P@h as all my piggy love it and i can buy it in bulk and it works out cheaper none of them seem to like the hay from there.

I get hay and the rest of my bits from a pet shop just down the road from me
 
i get megazorb from farmway.co.uk, i get my gerty online and my hay from a local pet/garden shop
 
I must admit I have shopped at p@H but dont like to doing it and find myself more and more shopping on line.
The shop itself I like, it's the animls in there care, that worry me.
 
I used to buy quite a lot of stuff from pets at home as it was on my way home from work and I have personally never had a problem with my local store. The staff have always been good and yes, I have had animals from there. My Eliza piggy came from there as a companion for Connie, 5 gerbils and 2 hamsters. Each time I purchased animals from them, I have been given good advise. In my opinion.

However, I now work nights so calling in on the way home from work isn't an option. I do still go in there occasionally but it is now out of the way. We have an independent pet shop a 5 minute walk away that I use when I can but my piggies like the hay from the range. They also love woodlands hay and pets at home nuggets which I can only get from pets at home so have to stock up on it.
 
I used to buy from P@H for convenience, as my house mate went there and I don't drive so she'd take me if I needed it, and because they stocked all the things I need. Since being on the forum though I hardly go there at all. Not just because they sell animals, but because I have changed bedding from shavings to fleece, so don't need that, I've recently changed feed to Wagg pellets so I can get them from the supermarket (which is a lot closer and more convenient for me) and I get my hay from a local farm. The only local pet shop to me (where I used to buy my hay) sells animals too, and they aren't in the best conditions...I don't like going in there and seeing them so that's partly the reason I changed where I get my hay from.
P@H is such a large chain store that everyone knows about it, so for a lot of people it is convenient. I just don't like seeing the animals in pet shops any more as I just feel so sorry for them and want to take them all home. I will only ever go into P@H if I'm with my house mate and she's going there, but I don't think she does very often any more.
 
I know there are lots of pellets on the market, but for the people who feed their pigs the own branded, is there a viable option? You know like some cereals or beans? may be all the same made by the same manufacturer, but differently packaged? I know only too well how fussy pigs can be, and how difficult to change, but just wondered if there are some the same on the market, or if anyone has had successful and easy changeovers to different pellets as this seems to me to be the only product that is not available elsewhere. x
 
I always thought the own brand pellets were made by Burgess just a different shape, I'm not 100% sure on that though.

I've only just started using Burgess pellets (switched from SS as this is easier to get hold of) and at first Amber & Coco didn't like it and would eat around it. When they realised they weren't getting extra SS they started to eat it, and now they wheek for it just as much as they would for the SS.
 
I changed mine from Burgess excel to Wagg last week (I know Wagg is still branded, but it's cheaper than Burgess) and they took to it really well. I haven't had any problems with it. So now I don't have to go to P@H to get my feed (or any pet shop to be honest because I can get it from ASDA).
 
Oooh this will definitely get heated.

We buy our supplies from a mixture of shops but it does include P@H.

From P@H we get the own brand pellets (we have Burgess, Wagg and Science Selective at home but they refuse point blank to eat them), timothy hay (both own brand and Alfalfa king) and sometimes their normal hay.

From Jollyes: Hamster food when they have their own brand stuff, we used to use Natures Feast from Sainsburys but they no longer stock it and this is the only other food they really like. We also get Hamster sand and sometimes vetbed and their own meadow hay.

From Pets Corner: Occasionally buy their hay but it's not great quality

From GJW Titmuss: Megazorb for the hamsters but it's an hours drive away and we do this every few months and stock up on Oxbow at the same time

The Range: Meadow Hay and monkey nuts (for the hamsters)

We have no idependent pet shops near us that sell animals or otherwise.

I'd to like to buy online more but it is not so easy as we live in a block of flats with secure entry into the building and our corridor and so couriers are often unable to leave a card as they can't get to the front door. I do get stuff delivered to my work or my parents but tend to get an earbashing for spending too much money each time I get something delivered to my parents and work tend to mysteriously lose packages.

I do try to shop ethically in all aspects of my life but can only work with what is accesible to me.

Anyway, that is how we shop.
 
I find there is a shortage of pet shops in my area (anyone from Tamworth please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) and as I live close to my local P@H store I tend to buy pellets, cleaning stuff etc from there - this is convenient for me and I bulk buy so generally find it cost effective. There is limited choice in town - Wilkos have a small pet section but they only sell the mixed food that the boys don't eat and small bags of hay.

I buy big bags of hay from a local garden centre as its much better quality but the same price as P@H. Our local garden centre has a good pet section (award winning apparently), but can be quite pricey compared to P@H on many things (although I did buy a log cabin for half the price that P@H were selling it for).

I'm not against online shopping at all (and do occasionally), but find deliveries awkward as we both work full time so are never there to accept parcels and find it difficult to get to the post office/delivery depots during the times they are open. With a P@H on my doorstep next to a supermarket where we go twice a week anyway, this is the most convenient way for me to get general supplies (for piggies and cat). Otherwise I'd have to drive further which for the sake of a few pence difference in price I don't consider it worthwhile.

As for the animals, I've got one P@H piggie and 2 garden centre piggies (the garden centre look after the animals well, but at the end of the day they still come from breeders). If/when I decide to expand my brood then I'll go further afield to one of the rescues.

Basically, I go to P@H for supplies for convenience and due to lack of choice locally.
 
i buy my hay and nuggets online as its cheaper, i find there is a better selection online and you buy less impulse bits.
 
helen105281 said:
From P@H we get the own brand pellets (we have Burgess, Wagg and Science Selective at home but they refuse point blank to eat them), timothy hay (both own brand and Alfalfa king) and sometimes their normal hay.

I'd to like to buy online more but it is not so easy as we live in a block of flats with secure entry into the building and our corridor and so couriers are often unable to leave a card as they can't get to the front door. I do get stuff delivered to my work or my parents but tend to get an earbashing for spending too much money each time I get something delivered to my parents and work tend to mysteriously lose packages.

I do try to shop ethically in all aspects of my life but can only work with what is accesible to me.

Anyway, that is how we shop.
Click to expand...

I'm the same as you with the p@h nuggets - I try to mix them with excel but the p@h nuggets are definitely their favourite.

I have just moved out of living in a flat so know the problems with getting things delivered. It really isn't worth it because you're very unlikely to see the package!

Now I have moved, there are two local pet shops. One sells great products and hay but sells animals that are kept in small cages in the back of the shop which makes me feel bad. The other doesn't sell animals but sell one standard basic hay which I'd rather not feed my piggies.

I'm hoping I should be able to buy online more now although with my partner and I both working full time it means no-one there to sign for it. I would say I tend to go to P@h for nuggets (and if desperate) hay supplies, simply for convenience.
 
I do sometimes get stuff delivered to work but as they lost my Trixie run it doesn't really inspire me with much confidence.
 
I shop at Pets at home as it is the closest shop I can get all my animal supplies. My guinea girls are from there as well but that is due to a lack of rescues near me. Becklen is the closest (I think) but I didn't know about it until I joined the forum. I have tried to find a closer pet shop that sells what I need but I have yet to find a good option. Once I move out of my parents house I will probably buy in bulk online though.
 
Bailey,

I take it Bartons pet store is much improved to what it used to be! It's a long time since I last went there (about 3 years ago) and they had very little for piggies, will pop in when I go to Barton next week. I also reported them on one occassion to the RSPCA as there was a hamster in a state of decompostion in one of their cages.

I occassionally go to pets at home and find Gatesheads quite good I prefer independant pet shops though. I get my hay from a shop about a mile away and their Mr johnsons dried food from a small indepent store in Birtley, the guy is lovely and he doesn't sell animals.
 
Tbh I only buy the Excel in there, the other stuff like hay I get online.

I never knew they sold animals") I've never seen any in there, maybe they had their license taken off of them. Might have to have a rethink, I know the vets can order Burgess in if I ask them.
 
I haven't yet read all the comments, I just want to say why I don't shop there for me its all about ethics, I opened my eyes about a year ago now and for me saying no is the best thing I ever did.

I don't just not shop at pets at home, I don't shop anywhere that I deem unethical be it against humans or animals.


I refuse to support big chain giants who use people or animals to further there profits.

Granted its hard and sometimes I don't realise what they're doing but the minute I do realise I will go elsewhere.

Society makes it so hard to live ethically it really is sad, its all about convience.
 
Bailey said:
Tbh I only buy the Excel in there, the other stuff like hay I get online.

I never knew they sold animals") I've never seen any in there, maybe they had their license taken off of them. Might have to have a rethink, I know the vets can order Burgess in if I ask them.
Click to expand...

This was three or 4 years ago it may be that they have changed hands since then.
 
I only usually go on P@H for a look around, I generally don't buy anything as I can get it cheaper elsewhere. I would never buy a pet from there after hearing horror stories, mis-sexing animals etc.
I have also seen piggies in there that seem to be far too young to be sold.
So for all these reasons I don't tend to buy from pets at home.
 
i USUALLY get all my supplies off of ebay, but if i'm running low and I know an order wont be here in time, I will admittidly shop in pets at home. But it's mostly because we don't have a car. :( xx
 
I shop at the p@h in Ashton snipe. Park.the staff members I've always to are really nice love talking about their pets etc. I usually get the nuggets from there as they do a huge bag for a decent price. My boys really like them so if they're happy I'm happy to keep buying the nuggets for them regardless it being from p@h. I usually get the nice hay same time. I get the bedding hay from wilko or Asda.
 
I don't shop there but only because there isn't one around here. There is a large store that sells pets and pet products, that we go to sometimes. Usually we just shop at the small local pet shop or even the supermarkets, but I probably would go to Pets at Home if there was one around here.
 
These are my reasons:

~It's convenient - there are three within a 20 minute drive from me and 2 more just under 40 minutes away!

~It's cheap - I can get a 15kg bag of Gerty in there for £15, I have paid up to £27 at other places

~My guineas like their pellets, and after 5 years of trying to get Whiskey and Noodles on pellets, I am loathe to try and change again!

~The staff in my usual branch are nice, friendly, and do know a bit about animals

~My other local pet shop sells not only live small animals but PUPPIES yes PUPPIES in the back, in such lovely small cages covered in crap, they charge over the odds, and for me it is a no brainer - P@H are much the lesser of two evils!
 
I don't really shop there for any specific reason but I have two P@H stores near me. One is within walking distance and the other you have to drive to because it's just outside of town.

I've found that both stores have friendly staff and I've seen them with the animals and they do seem to take excellent care of them.
If they find one sick animal, they always quarantine all the rest that have been in contact with him/her.
I also like how they ask "Have you found everything you were looking for today?" when you go to pay for your stuff. I like that. That wins me over.

I also like the layout to both stores. It's nice and easy to find your way around, everything is singed well and then the prices are way better than any other pet store within walking distance of my house.

I'm really lucky, I know alot of people have had terrible trouble with P@H, I know I'm very lucky to have 2 stores near me that are very good to their customers and their animals.

Oh! It's also the only place I can get Alfalfa King hay from and my piggies do go nuts for their own normal hay, too.
 
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