wish pet stores knew more bout chins

[3CsMommy]

I think you did the right thing in this case, Mustang, considering that Pooh was a bounce/return. Just walking into the store and paying full-price from a dealer does less to change the problems than presenting a well-researched and worded argument for proper animal care in pet stores to the management (or corporate rep, if you need to). But when people get into something they can't handle, they sometimes need or welcome a little guidance toward the right direction. That pet store sounds like it might be one of those places.

I'll be tracking down a care sheet for a pet store near here (rural NC, visiting my boyfriend's family) to encourage them to improve the conditions their chinchilla is in. The blue and gold macaw at the back of the store is kept very well, and even the mill-bred puppies have it better than most I've seen; I'd love to see the little black velvet in that plexi cage get some space and shelves to jump around on. Can't fix anything, though, without sticking your neck out, so when I go into pet stores, I go in prepared to work hard at staying calm, and be friendly and excited/outgoing about the critters I know how to keep (and that's a frightening number). Yes, I've had pet store employees get mad at me for interrupting conversations or directly disagreeing with what they've said (and I'm sorry, charlie chinchilla food is like the Happy Meal of the rodent world when Mazuri is on the next shelf), but the trick is to point out that you *know* proper care of this animal, love them to death, and would personally take care of every single one EVER if you could. People respond to passion; it's a matter of keeping that passion for care/love of pets in proper control for the situation.

 

[shubbles]

maybe they have changed a bit. i came in today and had a new wood house, food WITHOUT junk in it and even two shelves and a chew toy, hay was also scattered around. But i think one of the chinchillas was scared or something because inside the wood house two chins snuggled while another one sat outside by itself. Also suddenly one of the ones in the house ran out and the loner ran up to it and just stood there looking different directions. then they went back to their positions. Im wasn't sure what was going on.

 

[Luci]

i just decided to update. i think like 1 or 2 pages back, i mentioned my trip into the pet store and the information i gave another girl.

went back to the pet store a few days ago and the 2 chins they had have been sold. im hoping that if one of them went to the girl, then she's here on the site.
anyways, the same sale attendant who let me hold the chin saw me there again and came up to talk to me. i told him about this forum and that im more than willing to give them information on chinchillas. he seemed very appreciative and told me about someone who was needing to rehome their chin. i swear, if i could take one on the plane, id have taken it.

there needs to be some way for all of us to educate store owners/employees. a lot of them are pretty receptive when you act enthusiastic (as 3c'smommy said).

i feel a revolution coming on... lol

 

[SarcasmsBFF]

i wish you could ban pet stores from selling chinchillas.

I wish we could ban pet stores from selling any animals. I hate going in pet stores, 'cause it always seems like I find at least one animal living in bad conditions, but I have to say, it is usually chins.

ETA: I did actually go into a mom-n-pop pet store down the street the other day who were correctly housing all the animals in the store. I went up to the owner and hugged him. :hug2:
I think he thought I was insane, lol.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

Give me a 8 year old chin over a 8 month old any day, the older ones make better pets IMO.

I feel that way about ALL pets!

 

[Marie5656]

A couple of weeks back I was in PetCo buying hay, bedding and a few other supplies for Trixie. Nothing I was buying indicated I had a chin, so the clerk asked if I had a bunny. When I said I had a chin he started grilling me with many questions. Since the place was not busy, and I had time, I ended up staying about 10-15 minutes giving him a mini education about the care of chins.
He seemed interested and very willing to listen to what I had to say. Just hope he holds onto the info I gave him, in case he ever has to answer customer questions.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

I did this just today, with a boy scout from my son's pack. I had posted on my FB status last night, that my chin jumped out of her cage last night and was running loose in my room, which had not been chin proofed completely. When the little boy heard me talking about her, he got all excited and started asking his dad if he could get one. First off, this kid puts my child with ADHD to shame in the hyper department, so right off this would not be a good choice and I told his dad as much. Then the father started asking me all kinds of questions about the care of chinchillas and how they are pets, etc. He is the kind of parent that coddles his kid and basically will buy him anything he wants just to get him to be quiet about it. ( This kid is 9 and got a shot gun for Christmas because he wanted it ) I finally got him to reconsider once I told him how much I have spent on Herby both cage wise and and vet wise. ( I think the 600+ vet bill for teeth really got him ) If more people would take the time to learn about chins ( and any other animal ) maybe there would be less re-homing, abuse and dying chins due to people's stupidity. I try take the time to try and tell people about how much care goes into the care of chins when I see people at the pet store looking at the chins and hope that they think before they buy, because I wish someone had done the same for me before I took Herby from my sister. Though, I would certainly own another one, but only because I am much more knowledgeable now because of the people on here. I even have told them of this site and some of the rescues I have read about, if they are really serious about buying.