Should i buy pet hamsters from pet stores?

[Freda]

I have just this last friday bought a syrian hamster from there.I fell in love with her instantly-shes lovely and fluffy-a little round ball of fluff.Shes brown but is gradually turning a beautiful golden rust colour which is the natural colur they are in the wild.I think the brown fur must just be the baby fur as it does gradually turn to the colour they are in the wild which is a rust like orangey colour with a black cheek flash.

Anyway today i have been left very concerned as i have found some posts on another hamster forums warning against buying any animal including hamsters from pet stores as they come from hamster mills and pet stores dont treat them very well either.These forums didnt say too much more-only asking people to boycott P@H saying if people knew just what went on there they wouldnt wish to get an animal from them.

This has shocked me as i cant bear to think they might be ill treating hamsters and other animals and these hamster mills or farms-you dont know what goes on there.

Does anyone know things about Pet stores that i dont know and what goes on there and at these hamster mills as there are so many warnings about not to buy animals from them but i'd like to know what the reasons are.
Do pet stores ill treat their animals and are they mistreated at hamster mills and farms-would i be best to search for a hamster breeder in future rather than buy from Pet stores?

[Keflan]

Well I had a hamster from a pet store and it only lasted me 3 days. Turned out she had wet tail. They refunded me for the vet bill and for the hamster but when I bought her they didnt seperate the sexes. They kept them together and had to check the sex of them all.

I have had 2 hamsters from my local pet store and the first was an albino which lasted me 5 months. Not sure how she died. Now I have had Izzy for about 3 months or so.

If you can buy from a local breeder.

[Kissa]

I don't think pet stores knowingly mistreat their animals, which is part of the problem, and they're kept in far from perfect conditions. They do all come from hamster mills too, which are not nice places. As far as I know, they're cramped, unsuitable, and there's indiscriminate breeding that tires the poor mothers out.

On the other hand, pet shop hams can't help where they come from. You can say that boycotting pet stores will stop hamster mills, and maybe it will eventually, but what about all the hams in the mean time? I don't think there's really an easy answer.

ETA: Myself, I'd rather buy breeder hams or have a rescue rather than pay for a pet shop ham, but I don't like having to make that decision at all. It sucks.

[kyrilliondaemon]

They are from mills usually I'm afraid. Most of ours are from there but we won't buy from there unless in unusual circumstances now we've learnt better.

Its all personal choice really though.

[debs]

why dont u give one a home from gumtree? there aways loads looking for homes there

[student1304]

you would be best to search for a breeder or get a rescue hammy in the future, but that said don't beat yourself up about it.

3 of my hamsters have been from pet shops (before I knew better), and another one a rescue ham and to be honest unless you start researching around the topic i.e. coming on these forums, you won't know a pet shop is bad unless the hammys are kept in bad conditions.
To be honest I can't tell you what pet stores do behind the scenes. I suspect there bad because they obtain their hamsters from breeders who breed for mass marketing i.e. not for health/temperment or good of the hammys.
But there are mixed reviews about pet stores, personally the staff in my area have always been very good to me and answered questions throughly but one hammy I bought from there had problems from birth and died at 4 weeks. Bad breeding or just bad luck? Who knows.
The reason you'd want a breeder or a rescue is because with a breeder there is no doubt the hammys have been well looked after/kept in good conditions and are bred for health. And with a resue you're rehoming a poor little hammy who needs it!
Personally I'd always go for rescues now because there are so many needing good loving homes
But again, if you've already bought your little guy there isn't much you can do, so don't fret just make sure any future hammys are from breeders or adopted.

[Shell]

Whilst I can't comment on where their animals are from, I do think their care and staff knowledge varies greatly from store to store.

I bought four of my six guinea pigs from my local store at three occassions (the other two are rescues) and whilst I've heard of many people having had mis-sexed, ill or pregnant animals, my four girls have all been brilliant. Only Marmite came to me wth a bad case of the sniffles and they paid for treatment.

My girls are just over three, two and half and 18 months old.

My closest store seems very good and usually has good information. My other two close stores... not so much...

I think you are more likely to get good information from a breeder, and I would always consider a rescue - my two rescue pigs have been brilliant,in fact Boris is the most laid back of them all

Hope your new girl settles well for you x

[Kissa]

Originally Posted by student1304

The reason you'd want a breeder or a rescue is because with a breeder there is no doubt the hammys have been well looked after/kept in good conditions and are bred for health.

Eh, not all people who claim to be breeders have the hams best interests in mind. They're almost as bad as hamster mills on a much smaller scale.

Not trying to put you off breeders, a good breeder is still the best place to get a ham from for health of the ham, temperament, tameness etc, but... just do your research

[Amethyst_ice]

Can I remind members not to mention specific stores as these stores have in the past visited the forum and things mentioned in a negative tone could have come backs on the forum.

TBH, I have had breeder hams and pet stores hams. Last week I lost my breeder ham at 1 year old, my pet store ham Indy got to 3 and Bear is currently 2 and a half.

It still is a complete gamble just you will likely get better support and taming and statistically a better health hammy from breeder lines.

[luvcats22]

a good breeder breeds hamsters to better their lines, so you would normally get a better lifespan, better temperament and they handle their babies when its safe to do so, so its easier to tame your new hammy.
for obvious reasons many pet stores cant handle the babies to play with them, and they arent always interested in the breeding lines. so thats why most people recommend a good breeder. personally all of mine have been impule pet store buys or adoptions and i have been very lucky that i have had easy to tame hamsters that have lived good lives. but its personal choice, sometimes the right hamster just shouts at you