Annoyed with the pet shop!

pinkneon · 11-10-2012, 08:15 AM

Took a stroll along the road and popped into my local pet shop (needed to get just 1 thing and came out with lots lol). Anyway I was looking at the wheels. I found the 6.5" silent spinners and wondered where they kept the bigger ones. So I asked this lady who showed me. She then asked was it for a rat, and I said no a hamster which her reply was "oh, that's far too big, she won't be able to move it!" I told her that we currently had an 11" Trixie wheel but she keeps chewing the front of it, so needed to get a new wheel. She looked on her computer to see which other wheels they usually stock and she says to me "see the computer says that the 6" wheel is fine for a hamster" ... I told her that Belle outgrew and 8" wheel pretty soon after I got it for her. She said "oh hamsters don't get THAT big. Are you sure you're not over feeding her? Are you sure she's a hamster and not a rat" ...

Anyway I got the 12" silent spinner (in red) - it was quite expensive actually! - and at the till got a lecture off a different person. She was like "Oh, you know that's a rat wheel don't you?" I was like "yeah ..." She also saw some of the other things in my basket and was like "cat food? Trill bird seed? You can't give those to a hamster!" I didn't bother to correct her, but how does she know that I don't have a cat and a budgie? I don't, but that's not the point! I could of being buying them for another pet, or a friend's pet ... Don't think I'll be going back there in a hurry!

GhostsInSnow · 11-10-2012, 08:19 AM

I hate it when people make assumptions like that.
I also hate that people seem to be able to have pet shops and know barely anything about animals. They seriously need to do some research!

HammieandMerlin · 11-10-2012, 08:20 AM

I've gotten the same speech about most of my pets. Someone tried to tell me my Degu (who is significantly larger than a hamster) only needed the 6.5 inch silent spinner... it's so sad. And arguing with a customer over something that isn't a hint of like....animal abuse or something is just terrible customer service. We get funny looks all the time because we buy bird toys, reptile and fish decor, and different small pet food all at once. Oh, how the mindless conversation flies. People can be quite ignorant

pinkneon · 11-10-2012, 08:23 AM

I thought the shop was making progress too, as they had been giving the hamsters wheels etc ... Today I notice that none of the hamsters have wheels, they ALL have fluffy bedding again, and one of the tank things they are in seriously needed cleaning. Was so sad to see they'd ignored all my advice ... I think it's being run by new people now though ...

GhostsInSnow · 11-10-2012, 08:25 AM

That's horrible though. There should be better standards and regulations to petshops.
Saying that, I can't believe fluffy bedding is still being made

HammieandMerlin · 11-10-2012, 08:26 AM

That's what can happen unfortunately. When I started working at my old job at the pet shop, they used to treat the hamsters just terribly, then I got them using a respected breeder, carefresh bedding and the best wheels I was allowed to give them, now that I'm gone, that went out the window. the sister store to that keeps newborn babies in a tank with fully grown males. It's awful

pinkneon · 11-10-2012, 08:28 AM

Neither can I! They asked me how the wheel was gonna fit in the cage - my answer was I have a HUGE cage - the reply was "you don't need one THAT big" blah blah blah. They also asked if I needed to get wood shavings, and I said no. They said "oh well you can't have too much of it you know". I've recently found out I'm allergic to the shavings, and now only use Finacard plus bedding and told them this, and got the reply that "cardboard" is not suitable for hamsters! Grrrrrrrrrrrr

GhostsInSnow · 11-10-2012, 08:32 AM

Cardboard isn't suitable for hamster???? OMG what planet are these people from seriously??!!
I don't get how it's any of their business whether the wheel fits in the cage or how big it is (the cage). Stupid people.
How dare they say stuff like that!
Sorry, I'm actually angry for you now lol

pinkneon · 11-10-2012, 08:36 AM

Lol don't worry about it. I don't go there much cos it's more expensive than some of the other pet shops - probably cos it's not a chain - but didn't want to wait a few extra days for the bits I needed. Plus I usually spend more online so sometimes it's better for me to go there lol
Oh and I finally got some gloves today

(obviously not from the pet shop ...)

GhostsInSnow · 11-10-2012, 08:42 AM

Fair enough, yeah I agree. I'm the opposite though, I spend too much if I actually go to the shop but I tend to stick to what I need online...unless it's ratrations, I always over spend on ratrations and then try and convince myself that it balances out the postage even though it doesn't lol
Haha cool, at least your hands will be warm now