Oh dear...

[Vierville]

Yesterday I was at the pet store nearby to get a new water bottle clip and some bedding and I made the fatal error of looking at the hamsters that they had. It always breaks my heart to see hamsters in a pet shop as each one is such a little character and to be honest I really worry about where they will end up, hopefully they will go to a loving, competent owner but I really fear for their wellbeing.

There was a terrarium with six tiny baby russian dwarf hybrids...and no water. There was a shallow bowl but it had gone dry. One baby was standing in the bowl licking the dry bottom of the empty dish. I immediately called a staff member and to his credit he filled the water bowl up straight away and I later called the store manager to ask her to please ensure that her staff check the water bowls more often but to be honest I've been thinking about this a lot last night and much of today.

The sight of that little baby licking the dry water bowl broke my heart. I'm not a particularly sensitive person and definitely not one to be over-emotional but I just can't stop thinking of that little baby hamster.

I don't really have the space for a fourth hamster otherwise I would have taken him home immediately.

Just wanted to share this as it has honestly gotten me really down today to think of how some little hams are treated.

[Ria P]

Just as well you were there when the bowl run dry and did something about it. Try and see the positive of the situation rather than the negative. The babies weren't thirsty anymore.

[JI54]

Yea...the ignorance of the masses when it comes to hamster care never fails to irk me. The biggest offender I came across was a locally owned pet store that was an absolute sh*tshow. The store did have a TON of hamster toy/supply variety, more than any other store I've been to but the welfare of the animals left me annoyed.

At the store because I love the little guys I went straight to the hamsters to check up on them. When I got there there was about 4 boxes stacked up. I could see hamsters trying to climb and gnaw our and each box was resonating with the squeaks and cries of distressed hamsters. Now that didn't really bother me because its normal for hamsters to be stressed in something like that but the next part, oh man. The lady, who in her defense probably new nothing about hamsters, began "dumping" them in the tiny cage instead of doing it by hand probably because of the bite risk. Now THIS is the worst part, the contents of the boxes included four females, EACH WITH THEIR OWN LITTER OF BABIES, and two males. They immedietly all began fighting which bewildered the lady (shows a lack of training/research by the employer). A passerby told her to tap on the glass to get them to stop fighting as if thats going to help. Being polite I left her to her work and decided to come back later. Coming back a few minutes later I saw that each mother had claimed a corner with their babies buried in the shallow bedding with the two males sleeping in the center.

The other animals in the store didn't look much better. I looked on YELP and out of the 10 reviews none of them mentioned the sorry state of the animals in there.

Its like that out of all the hamster owners. only about 20% of em know the actual proper care procedures.

[Vierville]

JI54 I've noticed a similar thing here...not necessarily intentional or wilful neglect in most instances but rather complete lack of knowledge. Though leaving seven three-week old babies with no water is inexcusable.

[chloeeruth98]

So sad when pet stores just have no idea. I often can't bring myself to look at the pet store hamsters partly because thinking of where they might end up just breaks my heart. Like when I couldn't but overhear a pet shop employee telling these people buying a syrian hamster that the Rosewood Eco Pico (barely 330sq in floorspace) would be plenty enough room. What really upset me was when the pet shop employee said that "sometimes they can be a bit bitchy or get too big for their boots and want extra space, but when they start gnawing the cage bars just give them a firm tap on the nose and they'll soon stop". Just how is that acceptable. I wish I'd stepped in and said something, because that's just so dangerous and cruel - the cage is appallingly small and so is the wheel so of course the poor hamster will NEED more space, and as for tapping their nose firmly if they start bar-chewing well that's cruel torture on top and could easily injure the poor hamsters teeth, nose, etc. Often think back and wish I'd said something. ��