Stranger Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 I for one have always liked going pets at home (which is a large pet store chain here in the UK). I have found them all to be friendly, and some even useful. on the 31st december 2012 i bought 2 female guinea pigs....Coconut and Oreo. Yesterday while cleaning them out Oreo's belly moved, on closer inspection, i realised my original thought was true. She pregnant!!! I grabbed them both and took them to my local pet shop (not pets at home) and got a friend to check i actually had 2 females, and that i was right Oreo was pregnant. Luckly both are females as i dont have room for 2 houses. Ive always trusted her to give me good advice, and will take her advice over anyones. Later i called P at H about the fact they had sold me a pregnant guinea pig. They offered me a cage to house her in which was nice of them. When i got to the store, and asked advice about what to do while shes pregnant and then after, and when to get them sexed and then removing the lads from the girls their advice was different to the lady at the pet shop. After checking on line this morning, i see that they are wrong about what they told me, and if i actually left the boys with their mum and sisters (if i have any boys) then i could end up with another litter. Further more they have told me to remove the females mate (also female) from her, which again according to the web is not a good idea either, and to the lady at the local pet store. as the other female can help with the labour, and child care. My issue isnt that these people dont know what they are talking about. My issue is that they shouldnt give advice if they are un sure. They should either point you in the right direction, or say they are un sure. I for one dont expect them to know everything about all the pets that they supply for. I dont know maybe i am over reacting...i am just so annoyed much luv xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 send them a strong email telling them how you feel about this, as it's not good and their staff need more training xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Angel n Auroras Mum Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 to sell u a pregnant one is disgusting! i would be demanding a refund and also if she needs vet care that they pay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 i don't think it's disgusting as if in the early stages of pregnancy no one would have known. their shop workers not vet's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranger Posted February 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 my biggest concern is if there are any problems...it is most likely the girls brother who is the father, i just hope they come out healthy....and hope to hell she is ok through it. shes too young in my opinion and most web sites say about 3 months before first litter...shes not even that and shes about to drop. ill be sad if i lost the pups but gutted if i lost her, she beautiful and a lovely girl I dont blame the staff so much as she would of been anywhere between 1-3 weeks pregnant, and we sure as hell didnt notice. Its the fact they gave me duff advice, if you dont know what your talking about you should not say anything at all, duff advice can cause so much problems. I got a free cage and some feeding hay, which is more than what she was bought for so kinda got a refund. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 Hope all goes well and we need pic's of the babies please xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranger Posted February 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 here are my girls, ill leave you to guess which one is coconut and which one is oreo....baby pictures will come when she has had them x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Angel n Auroras Mum Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 very pretty. I lost a guinea pig at theweekend he was 5 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranger Posted February 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 doesnt matter how big or small they are still hurts x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 That happened to my friend a few years back. Pets at home sold her two female guinea pigs and one was preggers. Not sure what they advised her but I know when they were born the mother ate them. Wasn't a happy ending in her case, hopefully yours will be better! X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeonah Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 send them a strong email telling them how you feel about this, as it's not good and their staff need more training xxxx I'm sure that if you go into the store and talk to the manager and impress upon them how you feel they would sort something out. I am on very good terms with the guys at our P at H as the vets is there as well so we are always in and out and if I have a problem I just talk to them. They always put themselves out to please and in my mind this is very good customer service. Gary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MollynDiesel Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 Oooh my ears are burning! I can't imagine how they would've done that as guinea pigs are the easiest to sex! Yet unfortunately it does happen. Yes you are right we aren't supposed to advise anyone if we don't know the answer (common sense really!) But doesn't mean it doesn't happen (like every company) Hopefully your situation will turn out ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 Sadly there are a few set of "three word phrases" that seem to have gotten lost from our culture. "I like you", "I love you!" and "I don't know." I try to be aware when I offer suggestions here of things I'm comfortable I know - about Husky's and also about dogs in general. Thankfully, here, if I don't know I can just keep my mouth shut ( or fingers off the keyboard ). Stranger, if I were in your shoes I would definitely have a word with the P@H manager. That one was sold in the early stages of pregnancy - that's understandable, I wouldn't know if some one were pregnant in the first third of their pregnancy if they didn't say something, I presume the same holds true with the little girls. That the little guys - er gals - were mis-identified as to sex is difficult to understand - but with all that fur there, I know that *I* wouldn't know what I was looking at. That they are giving advice that runs contrary to your vet - as was said, they're clerks, not vets - but they should learn to say "I'm sorry, but I don't know." "maybe your talk with the manager could stress that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 hope things go ok - i'd deffo talk to the manager - goodness knows what other misguided info this person could give Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranger Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Cheers guys, i think i will write my letter of concern this weekend. Like i said before, she would of been around 1-3 weeks pregnant and i dont blame them so much for the fact she is pregnant, to be honest they probably need to speak to their suppliers because from what i can tell an experienced breeder should know what sex they are from a young age....anyway thats neither here nor there.... I pretty much lived in our local p at h, and have always found them to be friendly and helpful, i just think i need to stress to the manager that although it may seem better to provide advice, if it turns out to be wrong its more damaging than not being able to provide advice... on the plus side, she is very chunky and happy at the moment little excited too now. much luv peeps xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranger Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 That happened to my friend a few years back. Pets at home sold her two female guinea pigs and one was preggers. Not sure what they advised her but I know when they were born the mother ate them. Wasn't a happy ending in her case, hopefully yours will be better! X hmm not nice, i hope she doesnt, only time will tell x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 hmm not nice, i hope she doesnt, only time will tell x I think its extremely unlikely. Possibly in this case she became stressed? Should of been kept somewhere quiet rather than in the living room. Unfortunately, the first I heard of it was after the fact so couldn't help her out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessiezara90 Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 I had this with my two dwarf hamsters, pinky and brain, they sexed them wrong and They ended up fighting because they were the same sex so had to get two cages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 I think its extremely unlikely. Possibly in this case she became stressed? Should of been kept somewhere quiet rather than in the living room. Unfortunately, the first I heard of it was after the fact so couldn't help her out. If they have too many that they can manage they will very often kill the weaker ones in order for the stronger ones to survive, its harsh but its nature, I had the same problem, a pet shop sold me a pregnant hamster, she had 14(!) pups, she killed 8 of them on the first night she'd had them, the ones left grew up nicely although I was very upset on the first day I quickly understood why she'd done it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simhauu Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 We had hamsters when I was a kid, and well male and female... we ended up with baby hamsters. We had to separate them, and even through the cage, the male managed to eat one of the babies as it got out of their coconut home. Had them separated ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranger Posted February 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 loving the horror stories guys...thanks lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedJasper Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 I hope all works out well. I had a similar problem with 2 hamsters I bought my boyfriend. They told me they were girls and uh no.....it was male and female. She got pregnant and killed off part of the babies. I took the survivors to the store I bought them from and they told me the sexes. Wrong again she got preggers again. We ended up have to get rid of them mom and babies we kept dad and son. They got along well until one morning we woke up to a tragedy (I will spare everyone the details). So I understand your frustration on poor advice. Now I ask my vet not a pet store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizadora Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 Guinea pigs only have 2-3 babies usually, also pets at home are crap with thier animals they constantly have mis sexed animals and sold preg / ill pets to people,. and ive been to many different stores. if you want to buy animals contact and vet a decent breeder, dont buy from pet shops. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 If they have too many that they can manage they will very often kill the weaker ones in order for the stronger ones to survive, its harsh but its nature, I had the same problem, a pet shop sold me a pregnant hamster, she had 14(!) pups, she killed 8 of them on the first night she'd had them, the ones left grew up nicely although I was very upset on the first day I quickly understood why she'd done it Thanks. Wow, she had 14 babies? She must of been HUGE carrying them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 Thanks. Wow, she had 14 babies? She must of been HUGE carrying them all! Yeah she was! But I didn't quite expect 14 of them in there lol, when I counted them I couldn't believe it and just thinking how the hell was I going to find homes for them all, but I guess she kind of sorted it out for me syrians do tend to have quite a lot though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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