In tears this lunch time

[Catja]

I went into the local family run pet shop in the town where I work today to see if I could get a cage for the new dwarf.

It is a scruffy little shop and in the back were two gabber size tanks full of hamsters some nearly two months old, about 5 to a cage and on top was a tiny 20x30cm rusting wire cage biting the bars of which was a huge ginger hamster.

I asked what was going on and they said they got their hamsters from a reputable breeding centre in Essex and prided themselves that unlike Pets@home they didn't bop their hamsters on the head when they didn't sell. hence this 6 month old.

I think they are genuine people but I am so upset, they got this big boy out to show me as a prospective buyer and he was just screaming.

That's why I first noticed him because he was crying in his cage constantly and chewing the bars.

Sorry I am going to cry.

[Faye]

if you feel that this hamster was in unsatisfactory conditions then the best thing to do it to let your local council know - they issue the licenses to sell animals and they are really good at checking reports out quickly - It's good that they don't 'bop them on the head', but it doesn't mean that they can be kept in poor conditions...
another thing that you could do is approach them and ask them if they'd re-home him for free... that was you're not encourging them to get more in to replace him (supply and demand).
I had a similar siuation at my local pet shop regarding cramped rats (30+ (including a dead one) from different litters being kept in a 2ft tank)
They sent environmental health around a few hours after I'd reported them!

[chase]

Sorry to hear of horrible experience in pet shop. There is a nasty pet shop in a village near me. Animals all cramped in small cages. I asked the owner 1 day which sex a hamster was and her way of sexing them was awful. she pulled the hamsters fur through the cage and pulled it up so she could see. I remember telling her that was cruel and she replied well syrians are evil , I dont know why poeple buy them. I told her she should not work with animals ever.This was going back many years and I purchased the hamster as I couldnt bear that woman hurting it again.They have had alot of visits from rspca etc but nothing i have been told has changed.

[Spuds Mum]

That's really so sad, I understand how upsetting it must have been. The thing is, if the hamster has got to 6 months old and not been sold, and from the way it reacted to being handled, I guess they do not see it as a necessity to socialise and tame the animals, so along with this ginger guy the chances are that some of the younger hamsters will end up in the shop in a similar state.
Faye's idea of asking them whether they would put him up as a free 'adoption' is a good one, although they would still need to be sure that he was to go to a good home (preferably one with experience of taming older animals). The other thing you may wish to tactfully point out is how much easier it would be if they took time to tame and socialise the animals whilst in their care. Even 5 minutes of handling each animal per day would make them so much easier to re-home. If you feel that the older hamsters needs were not being met in his current cage, you could make suggestions as to how to this could be rectified - putting wood chews in, some toys etc. to ease the hamsters stress, again with the view that a happy and healthy hamster will be easier to sell than a stressed out snappy wreck?
Of course all of this would depend on how confident you were that you could do this sensitively and without alienating the pet shop.
Failing that of course, if conditions were very poor, then you could ring your local council and let them know your concerns.

[souffle]

I'm afraid the reputable breeder in Essex is likely to be Essex Breeders which breeds small animals on a massive scale for the pet market. The hamsters have never seen a human never mind been handled till they reach the pet store.
Is there any way you could foster this hammy then contact one of the clubs with a view to having him homed? I am sure given time and patience he could be tamed poor little lamb. If he really was in poor condition you could contact the RSPCA anonymously if you wish too. Now I feel like crying too. It is all so frustrating and what genuine breeders try to avoid by breeding for good temperament and handling babies young as well as trying to ensure we can home all our babies in good homes.

[Catja]

Have reported the petshop to my local council tonight, who are supposed to licence them. The 6 month old hamster is currently in what looks like a mouse cage less than 30cm long, I mentioned this to the shop but they did not see anything wrong really. They said they keep the hamsters until they sell them which they usually did and they genuinely thought they were looking after their needs but one of the tanks the babies were in was so soiled in the corner that it took up half the cage and was black with mold.

The hamsters themselves are large and healthy looking much bigger than the pets@home hasmters but are being housed on a trolly in a kind of store room the public can rummage round in.

I think the 6 month old is unlikely to be sold as he is an all over dark ginger colour and not one that most people would go for. I approached about donating him but they said they usually sell them at some point so no.

The response of the local council by the way was to say they were far too busy and they would drop by on Monday to take a look, I mentioned the size of the small cage and they snapped "I know the rules!"

Can't stop thinking about the 6 month old, he actually seemed quite good natured but he was wimpering to himself in the cage. I can only describe it as this.

He was massive though, almost guinea pig sized

[Basia]

The reputable breeder in Essex is, most probably, a well known rodent farm in Essex.
Small petshops used to have their own breeding stock and buy from local breeders but unfortunately this is very rarely the case now.
If the hamster had been bred by a reputable breeder he would have been handled and tame. Once tame a Syrian would not scream like that.
Edit - Posting the same time as you souffle...

[Holly]

Just to say that I read this earlier and I haven't been able to stop thinking about the little guy since. I've been thnking for a while that we'd like/should take a "rescue" and he sounds like he needs rescuing big time (even if he won't be a conventional rescue as I'll actually be buyng him). I know it doesn't solve the problem and that there will be many others taking his place, but I have a spare Rex cage and plenty of time and patience for this little one - not to mention a hamster tamer extraordinaire in my son.

My big problem is that I can't get to Hereford until the weekend after this at the earliest - is there any way that someone nearer could get him for me and I'll drive over next Saturday/Sunday to pick him up? I have PM'd basia to ask her but I don't know how far she is. Obviously if someone can get him for me they'd need a spare cage just until then - it sounds like any spare cage would be better than what he's in.

I definitely want him, can't stop thinking about him and I'll give him the best home I can if anyone can help until next weekend. He'll have a wodent wheel, ball, toys and good food and he'll get a run out of the cage every evening - I hope he'll get over his sad start in life.

[Spuds Mum]

ahhh Julie, what an angel you are. I know what you are saying about it not solving the problem per se - but for the little guy it will certainly solve his problems - and I'm sure he couldnt wish for a more loving home.
Bless you, bless you, bless you - I hope someone can help

[Holly]

So do I Teresa!
I have to go back to work in a few minutes but I'll keep checking in case there's a reply.

I'm trying to get out of work this Sunday so I can come then but it looks unlikely (if this shop is even open Sunday?). Definitely can't get out of Saturday unfortunately as it's a 13 hr shift