[Chesterspal]

Was at a big box pet store yesterday checking on food for my cat. Took a stroll into the small animals area. As you can see, tiny glass enclosures with bright lighting. All the things you should not do for the well being of these little guys.



I'll be the first to admit, I knew nothing about hamsters when I purchased mine a few weeks ago. I felt sorry for him. All alone in that large store. I drove back the next day some 40 miles round trip to "rescue" him.

But then, I don't run a pet store. I'm not expected to know much of anything.

It's only because I took the time to watch a ton of videos and seek out this fantastic forum that I know what I know. The kind of enclosure needed, bedding products to avoid, the best food to feed them, the important aspect of darkness, and on and on.



None of that is evident, here. But this is how small animals are sold here in the US. Same as they have always been sold. Nothing has changed.

These two hamsters were on the bottom where I had to get on my hands and knees to see them way in the back. How would customers walking by see them?

There was a sign saying 50% off. They looked quite large to my eyes. I can only guess they've been there a while. For creatures that may only live two years, to spend almost half of of their life this way is criminal.

We need to be better than this