I have to tell someone about this, I wish someone can stop petsmart from doing this.

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

Im going to petsmart and petco tomorrow and if i see anything wrong ill throw a fit.

Throwing a fit is not going to work. But if you were to go into these stores and calmly and rationally bring it up the care to the small animal specialists, they may be more willing to listen. And before you do go into the stores, make sure you have information to back up what you tell them. Human beings learn by visual stimulation, and are more apt to listen when they can see something written down.

So gather all of your facts, make sure you know what you want to say, and go in there calmly and rationally and make your point. Calmer heads will prevail!

 

[Rickman]

I've had pretty good luck with E-Mailing the offending chain stores customer service.
Include the store # [on your reciept] and mention you're on a forum with over 3000 members, nationwide!
Enough complaints to corporate WILL change things, as the individual stores have too much turnover, and only corporate 'commands' can be posted!
I can't even walk into one, as I get too upset!

 

[Zerker]

I got both of my chins from the same Petsmart, most if not all of their animals were actually living in decent conditions and though the chins were scared they were living rather comfortably. The guy running the small pet section new a lot about chins and made sure we grabbed the right equipment and food and that we were going to be committed pet owners. I am glad that I had found CnH before buying the girls too. I don't think Petco carries chins here in Minnesota.

 

[chicolane16]

Throwing a fit is not going to work. But if you were to go into these stores and calmly and rationally bring it up the care to the small animal specialists, they may be more willing to listen. And before you do go into the stores, make sure you have information to back up what you tell them. Human beings learn by visual stimulation, and are more apt to listen when they can see something written down.

So gather all of your facts, make sure you know what you want to say, and go in there calmly and rationally and make your point. Calmer heads will prevail!

Thats what I meant

 

[QTKirls]

the Petsmart in my area is pretty good, however, the chins are on the endcap of where the birds are, and it's a heated area. The chins have air flow at the top of their area, but I don't think it's good to be in that heated area, they need their own area. With no heat. Also, I was looking online at chinchilla supplies from Petsmart, and they sold a heating rock for them....really? I sent an email to the 'contact' info...never heard back tho. I really hope people who buy read about what to do and not just look on pet store's websites.

I got my first chin from the Petsmart...without knowing anything. The water bottle and FN cage (now minus the shelves and such) are the only origional things I bought that I still use.

 

[scamperlittletika]

thats sad. it seems some pet stores are hit and miss, either they are awesome with their critters or horrible. our local stores have great management who truly love the animals so they take better care of them. actually the chain stores are much better than the little local one down town. you walk into that store and the smell is unbearable. we actually bought both of our chins from her just to get them out. even if more are replaced, there was NO way i could walk out of that store without them.

maybe next time your there you should grab another shelter and put it in there. if they have much to say about it, just buy it and I am sure they would leave it in there.

i didnt read the whole thread. sorry if someone already posted something like this lol.

 

[QTKirls]

The things they have in the cage are fine. They take good care of them, just the chin cage is connected to the bird cage w the heaters,if that makes sense.

The local pet store here sounds like yours. You open the door and want to hold your breath the whole time. They have a HUGE caged area for Ferrets, and a tiny tiny little 1foot wide, 2 feet long, 2 feet tall cage for their chinS! They had an adult brother and sister in there together. The sister finally sold, ii offfered to buy the boy for less (they were selling for 200) and they said no. Id go check on him, he finally sold after 9 months. I really hope he went to a great home. I should have bought him. Its just hard to pay 200 when my breeder sold mine to me for a lot less. (I have 3 males) I know the breeder who supplied the pet store, I told her what they were doing. She said she wouldn't take them there anymore. They even fed them rabbit food, and I doubt if they ever had a dust bath. So sad.