Are Petsmart chins okay?

[devonmariexoxo]

Currently, my best option is to get a chin from Petsmart. I've heard mixed reviews. Is there really a problem with chins from there, or is it just personal preference?

 

[jess32247]

Imo, you have no idea what your getting with a store bought chin. It's a living and breathing animal and sadly that's all they see. Lots of pet store animals comes from backyard "breeders" looking for a quick buck. No pedigrees ect so you have no idea what kind of genetics are passed on to the chin you by. Some people will disagree with me, but that's how I see it.

Why not go to a rescue and adopt instead? Those chins need a good home with someone. I would take your time and look for a rescue or breeder, even if it's a few hours away. It's a lot better then supporting pet store chains. As soon as a animal leaves (or dies) it's replaced.

 

[Lillybabe]

Chinchillas at Petsmart as mentioned typically come from unreputable breeders. This means that they may have been neglected since the day they were born. They may have been inbred with brothers or sisters and could have any number of health ailments. There is just no way to know. In addition to that, Petsmart often does not even know the age of the chinchillas they have and grossly overprices their chinchillas. I was able to get two standard females for less than what one standard male costs at Petsmart. Both my girls came from a very reputable breeder and from good family lines. They are far less likely to have genetic illnesses down the road.

Petsmart also gives out a ton of bad information with their chinchillas and will try to sell you things that are deadly or hazardous. Additionally, those hazardous or deadly items are often overpriced. Their chinchillas are abused and neglected. I have watched them be squeezed around the middle and be in cages with nothing but a plastic igloo, some pellets, and cloudy water.

If you can't put the time into rescueing a chinchilla or getting one from a reputable breeder are you sure you can handle the responsibility of owning one? Just finding a good chinchilla vet can require a lot of time and effort, not to mention often driving an hour or more should you ever need to visit them. Chinchillas can cost thousands in vet bills and are rather high maintenance pets. They are some of the best pets in the world but they require time, patience and dedication. If you want instant gratification they are not the pet for you. I drove about three hours to pick up my girls and it was definitely worth it.

 

[devonmariexoxo]

I'm willing to go a decent distance to get one, I just don't know how to find a breeder. There aren't really in the central Kentucky area. Do you know of a way I can find them?

 

[tunes]

Lots of pet store animals comes from backyard "breeders" looking for a quick buck.

Chinchillas at Petsmart as mentioned typically come from unreputable breeders.

Both of these statements are incorrect. Large chain pet stores buy their chins from brokers. Those brokers buy their chins from some of the largest and most well known breeders in the country, as well as from hobbyists who are known as reputable breeders, not backyard breeders. Backyard breeders don't have the volume of animals that make it worth the brokers while to come to their barns and buy them. Also, a breeder cannot walk into Petsmart, Petco or any other large chain and say "Here, sell my chins."

No, pedigrees are not provided. Health histories are not provided either. That aside, you could buy a chin that was the offspring of a grand show champion.

I see nothing wrong with buying a chin from a pet store if that is all you have available. My problem with a pet store is the care (or lack thereof) that they provide their animals and the incredibly bad misinformation that they pass to new owners. Then again, I've seen people who claim to be reputable breeders give crap information as well.

ALL chins deserve a loving home, whether it's from a pet store, a rescue, or a breeder. Many people used to say stop buying from pet stores or they won't stop getting more. Unless the entire United States stopped buying ALL animals from pet stores, that isn't going to happen.

 

[EMSChins]

Agree with what Tunes stated. Many of the breeders here in the Midwest that routinely have show animals at the top of the show table wholesale their chins for petstore sale. Not a good idea to breed these animals without a pedigree and knowing the history but nothing wrong with having one as a pet.

To the OP, there are many good breeders in your area. You may have to drive a couple of hours but I can think of at least 8 decent/awesome breeders within several hours drive of your location. That is not unheard of to get a chinchilla from a breeder.

 

[devonmariexoxo]

Thank you for your input! I am just worried that something would be wrong with it without me knowing, from how the people on here are talking. And I don't want my new chin to get sick/die super soon after I get it, you know?

 

[EMSChins]

That could happen with a chin from a breeder as well. Much of how a chin will do has to do with the care it receives in it's new home. That requires a lot of research, preparation and reading on your part before you even consider bringing a chin home.

 

[cindyv3737]

If you can't put the time into rescueing a chinchilla or getting one from a reputable breeder are you sure you can handle the responsibility of owning one? Just finding a good chinchilla vet can require a lot of time and effort, not to mention often driving an hour or more should you ever need to visit them. Chinchillas can cost thousands in vet bills and are rather high maintenance pets. They are some of the best pets in the world but they require time, patience and dedication. If you want instant gratification they are not the pet for you. I drove about three hours to pick up my girls and it was definitely worth it.

Just because someone is willing to purchase a chin from petsmart does not make them irresponsible. Your driving three hours for your chins does not guarantee they won't contract malo. Nor does it make you a better owner than someone who has a petstore chin. There are many owners who got their start with pet store chins, myself included. Personally, I find your above statement insulting and rude. My first chin is a petstore chin. I love her with all my heart and would purchase her again in a heartbeat. Pet store chins are deserving of loving homes too.
Granted, purchasing an animal from a pet store will only encourage the store to bring in replacement inventory. There are a ton of chinchillas in rescues who need homes. You can also try to find a breeder in your area. Just be 100% comfortable with the decision you make.

 

[AZChins]

Today I found a home from a rescue boy, who originally came from Petsmart up in Scottsdale. He is a beautiful little chin, nothing wrong with him at all. He's nicely shaped, his color and clarity is actually pretty good. He seems healthy. I wouldn't breed him because of the lack of pedigree, but he seems like a fairly decent chinchilla that I or another breeder would produce in terms of quality and temperament. It isn't any chin's fault that he or she comes from a petstore.

I'd always recommend a breeder over a petstore because you will have someone to help you and that can turn to should you need help. For some it doesn't work out that a breeder is convenient or some people just don't know or think to turn to a breeder. Then some people fall in love with animals they see at petstores.

 

[Pookinaround]

Do you "click" with a chin in Petsmart??? If it were me looking to buy a pet I would personally wait until I found "the one" whether it be from a breeder, rescue or Pet Store. You know the love at first sight thing...

 

[devonmariexoxo]

Thank you all very much! I'm trying to find a breeder or rescue in the Lexington, KY Louisville or Cincinnati areas right now, it's just proving difficult. Fortunately, I still have a few weeks to decide where the best place is and to get oodles of advice!

 

[Kara315]

I got my guys from petsmart six years ago, haven't had any problems with their health or anything, like others have stated, They didn't know their ages, so the first vet I saw estimated. I was lucky that the normal vet we go to hired another and she owned chinchillas before. Petsmart does give horrible advice about chins though, almost everything is wrong. So i'm so happy I found this site and changed their diet etc....
Not all chinchillas at every petsmart are abused/neglected though. They could definatly provide better housing etc...but there's no way to know that everyone is abused.
I'm actually happy i got mine from petsmart and gave them a better life then being stuck inside that small inclosure with basically only a house(plastic) and maybe a toy or two. If you can't find a breeder, I'd say go for the one's at petsmart, you'd definatly be giving them a better life then they have and thats a really good thing. I wouldn't change getting them for anything.

 

[AZChins]

They do give pretty bad info about chinchillas at the petsmarts. It's mostly with suggesting things that they have available in the stores, like the exercise balls and treats and toys and such. Chinchillas are actually so much more inexpensive to care for than what they suggest....good pellets, nice toys and good hay are pretty easy to provide without having to spend $60 a month each chin.

 

[Kara315]

They do give pretty bad info about chinchillas at the petsmarts. It's mostly with suggesting things that they have available in the stores, like the exercise balls and treats and toys and such. Chinchillas are actually so much more inexpensive to care for than what they suggest....good pellets, nice toys and good hay are pretty easy to provide without having to spend $60 a month each chin.

True, even the cages they had. When i first got mine and before I found this site, They recommended a cage that had a plastic bottom and wasn't tall at all, they wouldn't be able to jump at all. I'm glad I got the chinchilla mansion soon after. I've seen others with wire that they advertise. I've definatly been spending less getting things else where then at petsmart lol. I wish more places had right information, even some books and other sites list things that i've found on on here aren't good for them.

 

[jess32247]

I definitely do have to agree with what everyone is saying, regardless about how the chinchilla is handled, treated, housed, or where it came from, but that pet stores (most of them anyway) give out pretty bad information on there animals, not just chinchillas. It would be nice to have employess knowing what they are talking about rather then guessing. I have met some people who do know what I'm talking about and do want to listen, but unfortuanlly the ratio between the two is big.

 

[Jenn]

I always feel bad for the chins at pet stores because they are in an enclosure too small and that is filled with plastic and crap chin food. Then the employees pass along bad information to the potential buyer. The poor chin is also subjected to kids pounding on their window trying to get a look at them.

I think the only thing "bad" about buying a chin from a pet store is that the store will then replace the empty enclosure with another poor chin who is now subject to the same condtions.

That aside, these are animals that need to be cared for and loved and deserve a great home. I see nothing wrong with getting a chin from Petsmart. But unlike buying from a breeder, the employee will most likely know very little about how to properly care for it. So it would be up to you to make sure you have done your research.

I say go for it!

 

[Kara315]

That aside, these are animals that need to be cared for and loved and deserve a great home. I see nothing wrong with getting a chin from Petsmart. But unlike buying from a breeder, the employee will most likely know very little about how to properly care for it.

I agree. I think the thing with big chain petstores like petsmart, while some employee's may really like/love animals, It seems to most, it's only a job, you go there do your job and go home. I don't think the majority of employees know and honestly probably don't care too much about learning about every animal they have there. I was only a cashier there, so I didn't specifically learn about any of the animals, but the animal associate or whatever name that feeds them and gets them out if someone buys them, I don't think they do either, I could be wrong though, I interviewd for that job as well and was just asked if I was ok handling each type, not what I knew about them. I've been lucky to find a smaller family owned petstore where the employees are fantastic and clearly have a love for animals and the knowledge they give the customers. They may not know everything, but they always try and find out from a good source. most employees at petsmart etc...dont know much about each animal and if they don't know, somethings thats the answer and they don't look. Alot of times it's just a job to them.

 

[Claire D]

I see nothing wrong with buying a chin from a pet store if that is all you have available. My problem with a pet store is the care (or lack thereof) that they provide their animals and the incredibly bad misinformation that they pass to new owners. Then again, I've seen people who claim to be reputable breeders give crap information as well.

ALL chins deserve a loving home, whether it's from a pet store, a rescue, or a breeder.

:clap: Hear, hear! Well said.

While everyone is pontificating about how dreadful pet shops are, those poor chins still deserve a good home - it's no different for the chin in a pet shop, a backyard breeder setup, or unfortunate enough to be placed in a rescue setting - they didn't ask to be there and they deserve loving forever homes.

You may not be able to change the whole world but you can change the world for that one chinchilla - this holds true.

There are many owners who got their start with pet store chins, myself included. Personally, I find your above statement insulting and rude. My first chin is a petstore chin. I love her with all my heart and would purchase her again in a heartbeat.

Also very well said! My first chinchilla came from a large chain pet store (Petsmart) and he was stunning - bred by one of the UK's top breeders at the time, cared for by a staff member who had 3 chins of her own, came with pretty good advice (the books I bought were crap though!) and lived until the ripe old age of 13.

I've been in pet stores and helped staff sex the chins they have - I've also provided information for staff - if approached in a nice manner, most staff are happy to take on board any advice or info offered and that's a good way to 'help' out the store chins while they remain on sale.
Not all stores will change but sometimes you get a result.



One positive about buying from a pet store is the high pricing - that alone can deter someone from buying a chin on a whim. It's also easy to fall for several chins at a breeder's barn, meaning someone could come home with more than one chin as their initial purchase. That has it's own risks!

Good chinchilla information is easy to find - forums and good quality websites - so anyone can do their research on keeping chins properly regardless of the info they were given when they purchased the animal - a quick trawl through CnH reveals some seriously dodgy info given out by 'breeders'.


I think there are a lot of misconceptions spouted as truth about pet store chins and how they are somehow 'inferior' to breeder bought chins - I think it's cobblers to be honest.

 

[devonmariexoxo]

Knowing that it's basically because of the info they give, I'll probably get mine there, because I've been doing a ton of research and learning things from all of you!