# Dunno who I despairs me more....



## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

.... [email protected] or some of the stupid people that insist on buying their animals form there!

I was in there yesterday buying guinea pig food and there was a young girl with her mum looking at the syrian hamsters. The young girl handled her chosen hammie and nearly dropped it so her mum took it from her. Said hamster then proceeded to bite the mum. I could here the assistant saying that the hamster was probably just scared. You could see that the girl had been put off with and I could here the mum going 'well you're gonna have to pick him up as you'll be the one handling him at home....'
I bit my lip and sauntered off to buy what I had come in for only to find myself behind said mother and daughter at the checkout. I could hear the girl serving them asking the manager if they could swap their chosen hammie for another one if it proved to be too aggressive at home as it had also bitten the girl in the shop  In a fleeting moment of sense the manager said that they'd be better off choosing another hamster now as they would only exchange if the hamster proved to be accessively aggressive and it would cause unneccessary stress to the animal being ferried back and fore in any case. As I left I could see the original hamster being returned to its cage.

Why won't people learn?! I don't agree with parents buying animals to be solely cared for by their kids at any rate as the vast majority tire of the responsibility of it after a while and the animal is the one left to suffer. I was quite tempted to tell the woman that she might like to consider a trip to toys r us and buy a soft toy hammie for her darling daughter instead! If people are hell bent on buying a pet then why not put in the effort and atleast find a reputable breeder who has put in the time effort handling and taming their hamsters (as well as ensuring they are sound health wise)? What's the betting that the new hammie sinks his teeth in as well? 

I should point out that my Duprasi came from a pet shop (not [email protected]) and has bitten everyone who has tried to pick her up! I should have known better than to buy from a pet shop myself but Duprasi are still quite rare so finding a breeder within reasonable distant was a no go. This said though never once have I thought about taking her back to the pet shop and asking for an exchange like she's damaged goods. People... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Breathes. Rant over


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

thats crazy!

although i still think its very hit and miss with animals from pet shops, but yeah...


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## chrissielk (Feb 21, 2010)

i've only got one pet from a pet store. As to say he bite me the first time i held him. He still isn't very good at being handled. I have learnt my lesson with him and would never buy from a pet store again. My pets before him and all my ones now are all recues.

The week before this happen a friend got her boy a hamster from the same place which went on to bite her she returned it and sold new cage on, lucky deciding not to get another pet.

She was shocked i kept Bumble. I have had real problems with him due to how pet shops deal with the animals everyone kept telling me to get rid of him. But still got him and we are getting there with him and now he got a cage mate he's doing even better. i would never give up one of my animal because it bite me or harder work. I would only give them up if i really felt the other home could give them something i really couldn't.


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## Blue Cat (Apr 17, 2010)

I think it is a catch 22 situation - you only know that pet shops can be bad after you have bought a pet from one. We got our first Chinchilla from a pet shop and the poor thing was scared stiff for at least a year after we got her ecause of her life at the pet shop.


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Ugh all I'm going to say on the matter is [email protected] should be shut down or at least stopped from selling live animals and the general public need serious educating. It should be made a social taboo, like puppy mills, and smoking since the ban.


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2010)

Argent said:


> Ugh all I'm going to say on the matter is [email protected] should be shut down or at least stopped from selling live animals and the general public need serious educating. It should be made a social taboo, like puppy mills, and smoking since the ban.


totally agree with this statement!

all the rodents they sell more than likely come from rodent farms!


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## Flissy (Jul 27, 2009)

All my 3 hamsters are from pets at home, one of them had a stroke when she was less than a year old 

I don't think Pets at Home should sell animals either, I think there are too many impulse buyers who buy an animal without really thinking it through


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