Petstore neglect

[Rose]

How do I report a small pet store that I think is neglecting hedgehogs?

I was only at the store briefly, but I'm going back today. What can I say to the owner? I'm pretty shy and I don't know a lot about hedgies yet, so I'm not sure if I should even say anything.

All of the cages had open tops with walls about 2 ft tall. It's mostly large birds there who can all wander around the store. There were 3 or 4 hedgies in a cage that only had 1 tunnel that could fit 1 hedgie and a bowl of soggy kibble, no water. That can't be ok, right?
When I asked to hold one the manager said go for it and didn't check on me once. I only picked up one because the others were balled up really tight. I'm assuming that males and females were together since there was only cage.

The one i picked up was a little guy who didn't curl up at all. He just sat in my hands and snuggled up on my hair. He has some serious health problems though!
The first thing i noticed was that his belly was soaked in urine! Also his bottom was extremely swollen. It actually looked exactly like a male mouse's butt. He also had rashes from what I assume is mites. Didn't get a look at the others, but i will today.

I can't get my mind off the poor little guy!

 

[Melissa]

Before saying anything I would check things out more. They can be a one sex pet store. And that is why all the hedgies are together. While its not ideal to keep boys together its been known to happen safely. Try to check all the sexes.

For the kibble.. Im surprised there is even kibble there. When you say no water.. do you mean like no bottle or bowl for water or it just wasnt filled. Remember, hedgehogs are notcturnal and some people dont bother to free fed their animals and have them on a feeding schedule and only change things then.
If there was a water bowl the hedgehogs couldve soaked their kibble with the water. My boys do it al the time. They fill their water bowl up with crunchies and its a big hot mess for me.

Pee bellies Im not ok with. However my boys get it after running. Its quite possible he just peed before you picked him up and he laid in it. But if its something that was there for a while he can get urine burns from it.. The "swollen butt" thats the testicles. All my boys have that "rat looking butt" look. Rashes could possibly urine stains.. what does it look like.

If you go in with an accusatory attitude you will get no where. Print out some basic care info and bring it with you. If you think its so terrible their living conditions try and get a picture. If someone says anythign to you just be like "OMG they are so cute.. so and so back home wants one. Can I take a picture so they can see and Ill bring them back?" Most places will let you in that case.

You can leave the information with a person who works there and give them about a week or so and come back with a friend. If they recognize you you can be like "This is so and so I told you about." Check up on the hedgies and report your findings. The HWS has a person who can help you report your findings.

Kristen Zorbini Bongard
Advocacy-Pet Store/USDA Liaison Co-Chair
[email protected]

Good Luck!

 

[Nancy]

Like Melissa said, I'd do more checking before filing a complaint.

Soggy kibble may be they are babies and need dampened food. They may have spilled their water into it, or pee'd into it. Babies especially will sit in their dish to eat and often pee in it.

No water is not good but there may be a reasonable explanation. Perhaps someone took the water dish or bottle out to clean it and hadn't got it put back yet.

Urine stains happens with babies as does wet bellies. Damp bellies can also happen from laying on bare glass or plastic of the cage. It's sweat.

The rash could be mites but it might also be an allergy to the bedding, or like a diaper rash from laying in dampness. Where was the rash located?

I suggest going back in few times. It's easy to pretend you are thinking about buying one. Also, go in at different times of the day. Perhaps you were there just prior to cleaning. Don't make an assessment by one visit.

Don't confront or give advice unless you are 100% certain of your facts. There is nothing that will make a petstore ignore you more than giving inaccurate information.

Keep us posted on what you find the next time.

 

[Rose]

Thanks, I was planning on visiting several times before doing anything. I'm so used to small petstores being the go to place for quality animals that I was probably overreacting. I'll definitely ask questions this time and spend more time there (I'd be there all day if I could :heart3.

Do you think they only give them water after hours? I glanced at them a few days prior and there wasn't a bowl or bottle then either.

The rashes were behind the ears, on the belly, and on the butt. Maybe on his back, but I couldn't tell.

I was wondering about the butt. I thought it might be something because none of the pictures or videos I've seen looked like that. Ah well, I'm still learning.

Only an hour until I get to play with the hedgies, yay!

 

[Rose]

I'm back from my mission. hehe.

There was a water bowl this time and a different type of bedding. I guess I went there at bad times.
The hedgehog I held before was gone too.
This time there were 3 pintos(cream colored with splotches of brown, that's pinto right?) and an albino.
I didn't pick up the biggest pinto or the albino. The pinto was really defensive and was doing the snapping thing, and the albino ran into the tunnel so I didn't bother it.
The other two were nice. One was male and the other female. They weren't sticky, but their bellies were yellow and they looked dirty. They smelled terrible too. I guess that's ok for a petstore though.

The Albino had a big bald spot on his head where his quills should be. Is that normal? The skin looked ok to me if that helps.

Would it be weird if I came back tomorrow? They're still so cute even though they're icky!

 

[Kalandra]

Bald spot look like a stripe starting from the front head quills and going back a little ways? Yes, its their reverse mohawk.

 

[Rose]

Bald spot look like a stripe starting from the front head quills and going back a little ways? Yes, its their reverse mohawk.

I'm not sure but I don't think that's what it was. I'll check next time I go. That sounds so cute though!

 

[tskoffina]

I don't know if it would be wierd to go back tomorrow. The pet stores I get stuff at I seem to be at every day almost, usually only pick up one or two things, worms or crickets mostly. Always something I need. And the stores that have animals, I usually go twice a week with my son, he likes to visit the animals. Eventually they start to get to know you there, and that makes it easier sometimes to get them to change things.