Pets at home & small furries

As a hamster owner for 7 years and a rabbit owner for nearly 2, I personally would never buy a hamster from PAH due to how they are kept.

I once saw two Russain dwarfs fighting - one was bleeding badly and the other was starting on another - all inside this little tank they are kept in with lights on all day - bearing in mind Hamsters are nocturnal. I told a PAH assistant about the hamster and she said she'd be right on it so I trusting her capabilites went into another shop then realised I'd forgotten rabbit treats - this was 20 minutes later - the hamster had then made two hamster bleed and nothing was been done so I told another person and got the I'll be on it right away - except I stood and watched him do it. Poor things.

I also have had as I have said in another thread, a couple of hamsters from the rescue/adoption bit in PAH - both of which seemed in perfect health then died several weeks later, there was little history of their past and ok so it's not like it's a dog but you'd like to know if your hamster was good with being handled and what his previous home was like be it good or bad.

My Brother has also had a hamster from PAH the same time I got Ringo from an ordinary local pet store (I'd gotten all my hammies from there and knew the owners of the store well) Ringo lived til he was 4, Wedges (my brother worked at mcdonalds) lived for a week before contracting wet tail and dying My brother now has a new hamster from PAH and unbeknown to him - he is blind.

My friend also has had a chinchilla from PAH - who came pregnant and then since she had a bad pregnancy my friend managed to get PAH to pay for the vet bills for treatment and also an operation she had to have. PAH ended up giving her upto a grand in vet bills and compensation (chinchilla rearing kit and cage etc)

Now obviously not all small furries end up dead or ill just because they passed through PAH but as a hamster and rabbit owner - I really dont like how the animals are kept there. The products are good - unless you get a hutch of which my nextdoor neighbour had - 2 weeks later they got a refund and had to buy a new one.

So what are your thoughts on PAH and the small furries department.

Well we have had 3 hamsters from them and had no trouble at all. All lived to a good age.

Had lots of problems with Fish from PAH though. Was given very bad advice and lots a lot of fish and money.

Yeaah hamsters and small furry stories vary but fish - god they dont last long enough for the money you pay for them do they...We started with tropical fish a few years back and as my dad used to breed them and the ones in PAH look a lot healthier than the other pet stores - we got a couple of Mollies and neons - neither last the week whereas the black and red tailed sharks we got from the little pet store - well the red fin killed Bruce who lived for 2 years and the red fin is still alive but is in my friends fish tank with loads of other fish and is huge now - he's about a foot long

The reason PA hamsters often suffer from health problems, die suddenly, are not the best of tempered, etc., is because they come from 'rodent farms' (the small mammal equivalent of a puppy farm) such as Essex Breeding. They are not handled at all and any old hamsters are bred (irrelevant of any health problems) purely to supply the demand these big chain pet shops have for them. PAH do not deal with local, reputable breeders, because they are running a big scale operation and it is easier to order 12 hamsters, 10 guinea pigs, 6 rabbits, etc., all in one big order rather than sourcing them through individual breeders.

So, if you purchase an animal from them you are essentially supporting their breeding practices.

Local independent pet shops are generally much better and should be able to tell you where they get their animals from (with contact details of said breeder). If a pet shop cannot tell you where its animals came from, run a mile.

I would never get rats from P@H on a rat forum I'm on there is a thread showing pictures of rodent farms they are horrific!!

I waited nearly a year to get 2 rescue rats and 2 from a good breeder although I could have got loads from a P@H a few miles away. I'm a bit wary about the adoption bit too.

I have also had to complain about hamsters and gerbils fighting in PAH . I have always waited until they do something about it before I leave the shop . I have also stood and listened to completely rubbish advice being given to people buying hamsters and guinea pigs .
I also don't like that they keep hamsters and guinea pigs together which is encouraging people to do the same

Exactly what I told my brother and his gf but they continue to buy from PAH - not to mention the prices of rabbits and the Chins. Now ours have started selling reptiles!
The owner of our little pet store that I got mine from is scared of the hamsters but since I've been going htere for years if I ever wanted to get my own - I'd just pick it out myself LOL - But I know how to pick a good one out that looks in perfect health and

I'm now wary of the adoption bit - I like to know a bit of history not "brought to us because their owner could no longer care for him" well why and what handling had they had?

Would never buy any rats (or other small animal) from P@H either!!

I've seen those rodent farm pics too Cava14una and they're not all nice. I did start a group on FB once about not buying pets from pet shops, as the majority of them - especially large stores like P@H, source from these horrible rodent farms.

I would never ever consider buying any animals from pet stores, period. Even small local ones from experiance are just as bad, if not worse around here (Colchester). 'Colchester Pet Store' for example is appauling. Pets at Home do use puppy mill type breeders though, and I for one would rather not have an animal than support that disgrace.

I didn't even know they even sold small furries anymore(shows how much I get out n about ) because the small p@h last went to didn't have any there. It's awful really and am sure they make more than enough money from pet supplies, food etc