Pet Smart

[Rob Walker]

So I was going in today to buy a bag of my Mazurri for Neve, and they had two Chinchillas. These poor things where in a plastic log shaking.

Has anyone else felt so bad for Pet Smart chinnies?

 

[cindyv3737]

I feel bad for all pet store animals. Granted, I did buy my chin from PetSmart. That was before I knew about CnH. Poor little chins.

 

[tams]

I can't say this enough...I honestly feel like getting a pet store chin is just as much rescuing a chin as actually getting one from an actual rescue, or breeder. 95% of the time, if you go thru an actual rescue, or breeder, the person you are getting them from usually wants to know that the chin is going to a safe home with knowlegable people. Most even have you sign a contract making sure that if something were to go wrong (needing new home cause you can no longer take care of it, for example) that you will return the chin to them, to make sure they go to another good home. Pet stores on the other hand will sell to anyone with the money to buy them. Yes, you don't know where they came from, or background or anything like that, but you are still giving that lil guy a home that is more than likely better for the chins well being. Does that make sense???

 

[tams]

oh, and also, at least most pet stores (petsmart) gives you a free vet check for after purchase, whereas a lot of other rescues don't.....so you don't have to pay out of pocket to get the check up to find out if it is healthy

 

[Essentia]

I can't say this enough...I honestly feel like getting a pet store chin is just as much rescuing a chin as actually getting one from an actual rescue, or breeder. 95% of the time, if you go thru an actual rescue, or breeder, the person you are getting them from usually wants to know that the chin is going to a safe home with knowlegable people. Most even have you sign a contract making sure that if something were to go wrong (needing new home cause you can no longer take care of it, for example) that you will return the chin to them, to make sure they go to another good home. Pet stores on the other hand will sell to anyone with the money to buy them. Yes, you don't know where they came from, or background or anything like that, but you are still giving that lil guy a home that is more than likely better for the chins well being. Does that make sense???

While it does make sense, I just want to put out there, that the more you buy from a pet store, the more they will just replace the chinchillas. If people stop buying them, they won't stock them as much because they aren't making any money off them. I'm not saying not to buy them from there as all chins deserve a home, just saying it is definitely something you should think about.

oh, and also, at least most pet stores (petsmart) gives you a free vet check for after purchase, whereas a lot of other rescues don't.....so you don't have to pay out of pocket to get the check up to find out if it is healthy

Pet stores charge upwards of $150 for a chinchilla. Rescues charge anywhere from around $40 to $80 for an adoption fee. A regular ol' "wellness check" will run you around $30-$50 depending on where you live and how outrageous your vet charges just to walk in the door. Just as an FYI, you are still making out better with a rescue chin when it comes to cost.

With going to a rescue you also usually get a good deal on a cage, and the adoption fee usually covers several months of food, toys, hay, dust, etc. I just sold a $175 cage to someone who adopted a chinchilla from me for $75 (it was given to the rescue) and included a fleece tube, pine hidey hut, water bottle, fleece hammock, food dish, dust bath house, etc. You definitely don't get that going to a pet store.

Also, if I'm not mistaken you have to use the Banfield vet to get the "free" visit. I have yet to see a single Banfield with an exotics vet who knows anything about chins. I would much rather take the chin to a vet who actually knows what they are doing when it comes to any exotic, not just chinchillas.

 

[Essentia]

So I was going in today to buy a bag of my Mazurri for Neve, and they had two Chinchillas. These poor things where in a plastic log shaking.

Has anyone else felt so bad for Pet Smart chinnies?

Just as an FYI, you can get mazuri sooooooooooooooooooooooo much cheaper ordering from someone on this site. It's also a heck of a lot fresher than what you get at the pet store. The more expensive foods can sit on the shelf for up to a year because people tend to flock to the cheaper feeds.

 

[tams]

While it does make sense, I just want to put out there, that the more you buy from a pet store, the more they will just replace the chinchillas. If people stop buying them, they won't stock them as much because they aren't making any money off them. I'm not saying not to buy them from there as all chins deserve a home, just saying it is definitely something you should think about.



Pet stores charge upwards of $150 for a chinchilla. Rescues charge anywhere from around $40 to $80 for an adoption fee. A regular ol' "wellness check" will run you around $30-$50 depending on where you live and how outrageous your vet charges just to walk in the door. Just as an FYI, you are still making out better with a rescue chin when it comes to cost.

I did forget to mention this in my original post. I even told someone about it today. Yes, pet stores will sell a standard for $120-$160 that I have seen, and thats for a standard gray, where you can get a standard baby from a breeder for $60. So I do understand the whole "price" issue. I also fully understand the "restocking" aspect of it. But there are not enough people in this world that know enough about chins and the way they are treated (or I should say mistreated) in petstores, and the way these petstores run. These unaware people also don't know any other way to purchase a chin. I'm sure most of the time they are bought "on a whim" or they see one, think about it, read-up on them via books you buy at the store or the internet, which has a LOT of misleading information, and decide to go back and buy it, or one. I am in no way condoning the purchase of a chin at a pet store, as I do understand ALL of this, but at the same time, I would never NOT get one due to the fact that it is "a pet store chin" I just kinda feel that those chins need more "rescuing" than a rescue chin.

 

[RDZCRanch]

While a pet store chin does need a home. My stance has always been to support breeders(not BYB) and rescuers over a pet store trying to make a profit off those poor chins. Yes, I feel bad for the chins in stores...but unfortunately, the longer they stay at that store...the longer it is before the next chinchilla comes in and suffers the same fate. And once that chin is out the door...it's out the door with money in the pet stores pocket to restock that cage within the week with one or more chins since that one sold so well.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

yes, a good rescuer is going to ask questions. Would you rather get a chin from someone who doesn't care about the chin (only the money) or someone who does care about chins. Most rescuers do not make any money on 'the deal'. Most rescuers will 'be there for you' for the life of the chin and answer any question you might have. Will a pet store do that? Any information you get from a pet store is probably wrong.
As for Banfield hospitals, I know of one that has a wonderful chin vet - the one in Marlton, NJ. Her name is Dr. Janice Goode. She is my chin vet

 

[fanofdmb84]

All the pet stores around here used to have chins...and no one bought them. Now none of those stores carry chins AT ALL anymore. That is the ideal outcome. If I saw one in a store, I would tell the manager that I'm experienced with them and if they can't sell it, I would take it off their hands (because at that point it is just costing them money). Let them call me in a few weeks when no one wants to fork out $400 for chin, cage, and accessories in the store.

 

[Isabella Whateva]

I remember hearing somewhere that petsmarts were going to stop selling chinchillas. Ours even did for about a month. Unfortunately, they're back now and it doesn't look like they're planning on stopping anytime soon. I feel so horrible for petstore chins. Once at a a local store, a family was asking questions about a chinchilla and the associate told them that it was just like a hamster! He said it would live for about three years and was cheap and cuddly and good with children. I immediately told them the truth and they decided against getting one.

We got our chin from Petsmart without doing any research at all. We just got her cause she was cute. The sales associate told us absolutely nothing. Just stuck her in the box and rang us up. Luckily, I am a know-it-all who is determined to be an expert on every pet we have so I went online and learned everything we needed to know (and found CnH where you guys immediately corrected my every wrong haha)

 

[kimbt622]

Unfortunately, it seems pet stores will keep selling chins as long as they make a profit, which they usually do because they're on the expensive side and cute and cuddly looking. So I do agree that continuing to buy them will only continue the restocking of them. However, I can't help but feel terrible for the poor chinnies. It's not their fault they got subjected to a life in a glass case. My first chinnie was from petsmart and he was there for atleast four months before we bought him. We went in everyday to see him and he looked so sad. My boyfriend decided to do his own research on chins and suprised me with him for our anniversary and we were lucky enough to have one of the employees own 4 chins, she was extremely knowledgeable and helpful.. she even ended up becoming a good friend of ours and would give us discounts before i stopped shopping there. Of course stupid Petsmart laid her off, the only person who actually knew something! But anyway, Liv is doing great now and he is such a wonderful chinnie. He's so loving and well-behaved, I really couldn't ask for a better boy. So I'm mixed on buying pet store chins, but they do deserve love like every other!

 

[Leowyldemi]

i got kishi from a pet smart,mostly because i took pity on her, her ears were all tattered and i felt bad, but also because she has the sweetest personality, she'll let me pet her literally anywhere, and she loves to cuddle.