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Spyro · 08-20-2011 05:04 PM

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I dont know any other pet shops than Pets @ Home, and i was wondering whether they breed healthy hamsters???
In march i got a hamster from there-5 weeks old-and he died within two months.

At first i thought they bred hamsters badly, but then again he may have been ill....
Does anyone know some good pet shops? xx

08-20-2011 08:35 PM

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To be honest i dont think there is as most i have spoke to get them from the same place. the only way i would trust one as if they get hams from a breeder, but then if you are in the same area then your better off going to the breeder directly smile

jenifry65 · 08-20-2011 08:40 PM

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I found that I got my kara from pets at home and she lived too a good age but had to be put to sleep at 2 and a half with a tumour. Rico and rue both came from pets at home and they have both suffered with a tumour.

I got my charlie from a small family owned pet shop and he never suffered from any illness. so when I get another pet I was thinking of maybe going to a smaller pet shop or a breeder.

MarcusF · 08-20-2011 11:46 PM

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In answer to your first question, no they don't!

I'd never buy an animal from Pets at Home again, and I'd urge that nobody else does either.

My current Hamster, Sully, was bought from Pets at Home fairly recently. Alarm bells should have rang when the assistant mentioned wet tail but Sully seemed healthy so I bought her. Within days I noticed the symptoms of wet tail and got her to the vets. I don't want to count my chickens but at the moment she seems ok, is happy and eating etc. I worked pretty hard to keep her alive but had PAH have been selling healthy animals I wouldn't have had to. The fact they mentioned wet tail and openly offered to cover the costs of any treatment shows they've had experiences with it, yet they keep on selling them.

It also happened with two rabbits some years ago that my wife bought me for my birthday. The first rabbit died within the first few days. The second within a week and a £70 vets bill.

The one thing I learned from this is to always go to a proper breeder when it comes to getting any other animal in the future. Be it a dog or a mouse.
I don't want to tar all pet shops with the same brush, but I'd imagine most of the stores get their livestock from the huge suppliers, and I don't intend to support these suppliers in future.

Sorry for the rant .

Spacemonkey · 08-21-2011 03:40 AM

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I've seen so many bad cases of animals lost from pet stores to one thing or the other, and so much heartbreak over it it tends to make me wary. Of course there are exceptions as a few good stores are supplied by breeders, but it always pays to research very thoroughly wink

Cyanide · 08-21-2011 02:00 PM

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A lot of people have issues with P@H, so I can understand why everyone is urging you to go elsewhere. But if it's the only pet shop nearby, you may want to get a list of questions to ask them when you purchase a hamster.

The P@H near me seems to be not too bad. When my dad went in to have a look some months ago, because I needed a wheel for Muffin, they said to him he would not be able to purchase any hamsters for at least a week due to an outbreak of wet tail in the most recent litter they had brought in for sale.

When I got Cheeky from the adoption centre there, the manager of the store herself came down to sort out the paperwork. I guess they thought I was a bit dodgy or something, the way they all looked at me when I asked why he was up for adoption. She was very thorough in asking my experience with hamsters before even bringing him out for me to look at. She did say that she wasn't a vet but that he didn't look unwell, just a bit skinny but was I suitably prepared to fatten him up XD

When I got Tikka it was a different story. The guy had no clue at all! According to him, I was getting an 8 week old male. According to people on here, I got an 8 week old female. However, she is happy and healthy and through my research (I've never had a Chinese hamster before), she is pretty much as she should be.

Small pet shops I think take better care of their animals, because they're not being sold en masse, but that doesn't make them healthier. All of my Syrians have came from the same small pet shop (well...I don't know about Cheeky...). Muffin is nearly 2 and a half! A ripe old age for a hamster, while my pride and joy, Skye, from the same shop died suddenly, barely 8 months of age. She never once showed any signs of illness and I didn't do anything differently to her that I did for Muffin.

It's up to you to do some research about pet shops - direct from breeder might be the best option but it's not always a viable option for some people. Personally, I'll always get my animals from the small shop, but toys and treats I'll get from the bigger one. Unless I'm adopting a hamster, because the smaller shop I use doesn't have an adoption centre.

hammyhugs · 08-21-2011 02:03 PM

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I never have bought from pets at home and I never would. Sometimes we learn the hard way though.

Hugs

Jo xx

Spyro · 08-21-2011 02:21 PM

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well i've looked at about four hamster books and they all suggest to either buy from a good breeder (as a lot of you said) or take a closer look at the hamsters ....there could have been something wrong internally with my other hamster

anyway, thanks for the help! xx Ziggy

MarcusF · 08-21-2011 09:52 PM

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Not trying to worry you but something like wet tail (that you get free with any Hamster purchase from PAH) isn't visible at the start. Its only when the symptoms show themselves a few days later that you know the score.
How do PAH keep getting outbreaks of wet tail? And yet a pet shop that I worked at for nearly 4 years never had one case?

Personally I'd steer well clear. Even if there is nowhere local other than PAH at the moment, something always presents itself soon enough.

wink

08-21-2011 10:26 PM

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If you tell us where in the country you are we could point you in a breeders direction smile

Spyro · 08-22-2011 11:41 AM

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(08-21-2011 10:26 PM)Lisa Wrote: If you tell us where in the country you are we could point you in a breeders direction

Well my closest pets at home is in a retail park in telford.

bubblegum · 08-22-2011 01:05 PM

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I bought my previous hamster from a small pet shop and he sadly got wet tail at 8 months old and died. I do not know if this has anything to do with where I bought him, but the disease was likely laying dormant in him from the start as I took very good care of him. My current hamster Rocky is from a breeder and a year on is in superb health. I suppose it is difficult to tell where it is best to buy a hamster but I think I will probably stick to breeders in future. I wonder also if they get a bit stressed being on display in a pet store in the bright lights and this contributes to health problems. Hmmmm

08-22-2011 02:30 PM

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(08-22-2011 11:41 AM)Spyro Wrote:
(08-21-2011 10:26 PM)Lisa Wrote: If you tell us where in the country you are we could point you in a breeders direction

I'm in shropshire (that's the county)

Satine hamstery or duncton hams would be the closest to you (they both have websites) . or you could attend a show and pick one from the sales table smile

ILUVhammys · 08-22-2011 02:43 PM

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My ex bought my hamster from a pet shop, but having done extensive research since, much as I love my hammy, I would definitely be looking to buy from a breeder, sales table at a show or a pet shop that stocks from an NHC affiliated (or equivalent) breeder in the future.
Temperament is SOOO important for a hammy to be a good pet and you know all about the parents and sometimes grandparents when you buy from a reputable breeder.
Also, the hamsters are handled as soon as they open their eyes at, is it, 18 days (?) so they are already hand tamed by the time you get one.
Good luck!

smile

Kukki3 · 08-22-2011 06:03 PM

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My local P@H doens't seem too bad either. I've had 2 hamsters from there and they're both happy and healthy, well apart from Saul being blind! My next nearest one, upon discovering that one had wet tail took the whole lot of syrians off sale and said they'd have no other syrians for a good week to make sure the current ones were all being looked at properly. Having said that, I know many people have had bad experiences, including some of my school friends, with hamsters, rabbits and even myself with a couple rats from the adoption centre there. It happens. I'd recommend a breeder anyday (although I don't have any hams from one) as you know it will be tame, in good health and will have a good line of parentage. Saying that, my hams from smaller pet shops have truned out fine too. I guess sometimes its down to the hamster and at others the way its brought up. In my opinion anyway. Hope you manage to find a good breeder near you or a little un from a show Thumbs up

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