Pets at Home DEGUS

[Sammy H]

Hi all,

This is mainly aimed at UK owners, and I remember reading something on a post a while ago.

This weekend, I was in a PAH in Warrington, and they had two very small young degus in there (a male and a pregnant female, provided to them by a local breeder). I didn't get a good look at the female, but i managed a good look at the male and his teeth were looking pretty white.

They were feeding them just with chinchilla pellets, and i spoke to the staff and mentioned about the diet specifics of degus, in particular, that there are at least two degu food on the market now, neither of which they stocked.

The man was a bit defensive, going on about the training and guidelines that they have for all pets, and that he thought they were feeding them fine.

It was obvious to me that the boy degu wasn't fully healthy, but i just felt like a know-it-all moaner. It was quite upsetting leaving them there.

Does anyone here know about such guidelines and standards for pet shops?

[Amethystbelle]

Every pet shop in the UK has to run to certain guide lines set by the local council, they have to be licensed to sell animals and certain animals needs different licences such as exotics etc... If you feel an animal is being ill treated or not being looked after properly then you can report it. I would go back if you can and ask to speak to the manager. If you don't want to do it in person you could try over the phone but in person usually is best. If you have no luck your next choice would be to contact head office and tell them the problem and see if they are willing to do anything if not then take it a stage higher. You would need to contact the RSPCA and/or your local council. I have reported a petshop before for poor animal management (animals kept in small plastic boxes, chinchillas and degus in poor health and monkeys kept in a chinchilla cage ), i went through the council as they have to license them, it took a while but the problem was sorted in my case

I'm lucky only 1 out of my 4 local P@H stock degus and luckily the one that does looks after them well, they have a vets practice in store and i think that makes a slight difference. On a side note P@H Chinchilla pellets are degu safe as they contain no mollasses (i give them my boys for a change from Guinea Excel occasionally) so i wouldn't worry too much about the food they are on its perfectly safe

[Rhapsody]

Maybe PRINT OUT a PAGE from the INTERNET...... that states that a Degu teeth should be Orange and not White for them to be healthy and take that back with YOU to the Pet Store and give it to the Store Manager to read...... offer some suggestion to her.

[mulder]

dude just report them