Pet Store Hedgehogs...

[LexieHeg]

To buy, or not to buy?

Pet store's that supply hedgehogs are notoriously terrible at caring for them properly. Still, many people buy from them. Some on here have argued that pet store animals need homes too, while others respond with things like the more you buy them, the more they supply them which just perpetuates the cycle.

Without considering breeding (as I hope we all know breeding pet store animals is a bad idea), would you buy from a pet store? Would you encourage others to? What if they're in an area where there aren't any breeders?

 

[Raindog]

This is a really interesting topic.

The main reason I am reluctant to buy from a pet store is a selfish one. Pet store hedgies don't seem to live as long. Quinn's (a breeder hedgie) fourth gotcha day is next week and he is still going strong. He is really my first pet and from the first time I held him I loved him, and I know it will kill me when he passes.

That being said, if there were no breeders or rescues in the area and no other options, I think I would buy from a pet store. Knowing the risks vs. how much I love hedgies, I think I would risk it. I would buy from the best option and steal from the worst. Kidding. Probably....

I would not encourage or discourage someone in this situation. I would give them all the facts and risks from buying from a pet store and let them make their own choice.

It would be a tough decision for me because I do not want to encourage the bad profit breeding or support another place like in Texas. But with no other option, and again, for the most selfish of reasons, I would. Because I now could not imagine my life without a hedgehog.

 

[SpineyPigFaceLover]

i agree. i wouldn't discourage buying from a pet store if someone really wanted to. i will however share my story about why i personally will never buy a hedgehog from a pet store ever again.

i had researched owning a hedgehog as a pet for several months before deciding to purchase one and was already thinking about buying from a breeder. my friend told me she found a store that sold hedgies for a resonable price and was reluctant but went to look anyway. when i saw sookie and she crawled into my hand i immediately fell in love and had to have her. she was housed with another hedgie but i didnt think anything of it. they sold me their crap hedgehog food along with her and i went on my way.

a month later i went to check on sookie in the morning and when i lifted up my igloo to my surprise there were two newborns with sookie! i freaked out and immediately called the pet store. they told me it happens all the time and they would gladly buy the babies back when they turned three weeks old. i demanded that they refund my money for the now extra food and med bills i would have to incurr by keeping these babies since there was no way i was giving these babies to an irresponsible pet store that purposefully breed hedgehogs for personal gain. of course they wouldn't comply, and i being a brand new hedgehog owner with barely enough knowledge about sookie, had to learn how to properly care for and raise newborns with a risk of losing sookie and the babies if any complications arose.

luckily everything turned out fine, although basically the pet store told me there's the posibility Grumpy and his sister may have ben inbred, which could cause a whole mess of problems later. i cannot express the amount of anger, stress, worry, and money i have spent on this process due to irresponsible pet breeding within this pet store. i very well could have avoided all of it if i had gone to a reputable breeder. i don't regret sookie or her precious babies as i couldn't imagine my life without them. just heed this advice and ask tons of questions, do research, and use your head before purchasing from a pet store. i can almost garuntee you will be much less stressed and happier if you purchase from a breeder.

 

[LexieHeg]

I actually bought Lexie from a pet store. Despite the hours of research I'd done, none included forums, I didn't even know there were breeders who sold to individual people and not pet stores. I have an uncle who breeds to supply pet stores, and that was all I knew.

Now, having spent countless hours on this forum, I realize that despite how much I love Lexie, I will never buy from a pet store again. Not because those animals don't deserve homes, but because I do agree that the problem will only continue as long as people purchase and more importantly, buying from pet stores bars you from knowing your pets history. I bought Lexie not knowing one bit about her background, and the store couldn't even tell me her age (we're still not completely sure).

Anyone I speak to who is looking to purchase from a pet store I encourage them to research both on the web and in forums prior to purchasing...and then they can make their own decisions about what is best for them. I don't condone buying from a pet store because Lexie is from one and I love her to bits - but I would always recommend they research the implications of buying from a pet store so they can be prepared.

For me personally the peace of mind offered by buying from a good breeder is more than worth it. I don't know that I will ever shake the feeling of blindness I have in regards to Lex's past and I have to be honest, it does bother me not knowing. As much as she could be struck down by any random illness, I would draw a lot of comfort knowing her parents/grandparents and that she was bred and raised by someone who cared for her rather than someone who wanted to make a buck.

 

[Hammie]

I'm fairly positive that it's illegal for petstores to sell Hedgies anymore in Illinois, and I agree with that. Aside from the inbreeding, etc that occurs in shady pet store breeding, pet stores struggle to adequately care for hedgehogs until they are sold. We all know that hedgies require lots of space and exercise. They're also fairly fragile creatures in comparison to other pet store animals. Furthermore, I think that most animals should be either purchased from breeders or rescued/adopted. My boyfriend works at Petsmart and wouldn't think to purchase anything but fish or MAYBE a small bird from there.

 

[sayhedgehog]

It would be a tough decision for me because I do not want to encourage the bad profit breeding or support another place like in Texas.

I guess I missed out on what happened in Texas despite living here. What happened?

 

[Nancy]

Warning, these pictures are graphic and heartbreaking.

http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/12/17/texas-raid-largest-exotic-animal-seizure-in-us/

http://www.slide.com/r/jEw_uAIO6j9aZT9kC8XA5TTChi1iCNNg?map=2&cy=un

 

[Hammie]

That was, by far, the most devastating thing I've ever seen. I admit that I only started being more aware of the news, etc, recently, as I am just coming out of college. That makes my feelings against pet store hedgies even stronger...

 

[sayhedgehog]

OMG. That is just so heartbreaking and despicable. After I posted my earlier comment I went back and read through the Arlington, TX Raid threads, but I didn't see those photos until now.

It's really hard to move me to tears, but that certainly did. Disgusting.

 

[Raindog]

Don't feel bad you missed it, it wasn't on the news. The largest and most successful raid and rescue as well as one of the most important trial and verdict for animal rights in the history of the US and it wasn't news worthy. Because was mostly reptiles and not cute fuzzy creatures. Too bad Shaw skipped town.

Did you read anything about the trial? The judge got an award for his verdict.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/01/us-global-exotics.html
http://www.thln.org/?pageID=157E2729-3048-C277-11956A8D4FB711EC
http://news.change.org/stories/fugitive-wanted-for-wildlife-crimes

 

[sayhedgehog]

Wow. That's just awesome. Gotta love society sometimes... =/ Thank goodness for that judge, but it's sad that something so common sense as his ruling would be even CONSIDERED the wrong choice. Sheesh.

Sorry for taking over this thread.

As for the petstore debate, I have a lot of mixed feelings as well, but I think Raindog voiced my thoughts on the matter perfectly. It may be selfish in a sense, but I too cannot imagine my life without a hedgie. They have literally saved my life several times since coming into it (I'm bipolar and have had severe episodes of suicidal depression and the only reason I didn't go through with the awful thoughts in my head was because of my hedgies) and if the only way I could have them is to go through a pet store I would. I don't know if that's wrong, but it's how I feel.

 

[Raindog]

Its amazing how these little animals can touch us so. I can totally relate and maybe that is why I feel how I do. My hedgie saved my life too. I struggled with severe depression and the thing that made me seek help was the thought of Quinn being an orphan. I had promised him we would be together and I would always take care of him. I couldn't break that promise.

For my next hedgie I want to go through a rescue. I would like another baby at some point as well. But like I said if neither option were open to me, after a lot of thought, I would go through a pet store.

 

[LexieHeg]

That's just horrible...I wonder what they did with all the animals once they were healthy?

 

[Nancy]

Many of the animals were given to animal rescue organizations to find new homes for them. The Hedgehog Welfare Society got all the hedgehogs and they went to new homes all across the US and Canada.

 

[LexieHeg]

Thank god for that. Those poor creatures...there should be more severe punishment for animal abuse.

 

[Dragonflye]

My hedgies have all come from a breeder who lives a few hours from me. I have never seen them in a pet store near where I live, so have never had to choose. Having a breeder within reasonable driving distance, I would always get a new hedgie from her instead of a pet store.

I do, however, feel that all animals deserve a loving home no matter where they are brought into this world. I do not want to encourage irresponsible breeding, but if I saw a hedgie in need at a pet store, my heart would probably win out and I would take him or her home. "Right or wrong"... ( I don't think there is really a right or wrong answer in this case.)

 

[Melissa]

I have to agree with Nikki here. I bought Aero from a pet shop and after seeing the conditions Honey and Thorne were living in I HAD to buy them and take them away from that store. Aero passed in a year and a half of a brain tumor. Both Honey and Thorne passed within 3 months. Honey was over bred and was on her 7(I think..)litter and went septic. And Thorne had lung cancer. But I would never take back those purchases. They all deserve to have good homes.

Honestly, I think saying we shouldn't buy pet store hedgehogs and only breeder hedgehogs is like saying I will only marry a man who went to a private school and not public school. Or that you will only marry into a well off family. Good breeding.

Short of an unknown background there is nothing wrong with pet store hedgehogs. BYB and mills are going to happen regardless.. Why punish the animal?

 

[Mikayla]

I agree with everything Melissa said

I got a chin from a pet store and he died about two weeks later, I would never take it back, I gave him a chance for love and a home, he died in my arms, and if I didn't take him then he would have died lonely. I think the same thing goes with hedgies. (there is just more risks with them I would say)

Someone is going to buy them. Plain and simple. If you can afford it, and have room for it, why not let it be you? They at least have a responsible home then.

 

[Joe17]

What do you think the root problem with hedgehogs in pet stores is? Is it bad breeding or bad living conditions? Maybe both? My local pet shop is small and really cares for their animals. They said they raised their hedgehogs from birth. They do that often too. Would it be bad to purchase one from them even if they could have bad genetics?

 

[LexieHeg]

It can be bad breeding and bad living conditions...I'm sure not all pet stores have this problem, but certainly some do. I think many stores care a lot about their hedgehogs, but they just don't have the knowledge to care for them properly and thats where the problems arise. As well, most of the time when a hedgehog is sold to a pet store, no one knows the history of the hedgehog which means you're going in blind purchasing one from a pet store. It doesn't mean all stores are like this, but some definitely are. As long as you aren't going to breed a pet store animal, there is no harm in getting one you just may get a few surprises down the road!