# Pleasantly surprised by PJ's Pets



## Midelaye (Jul 9, 2014)

I was at PJ's Pets the other day to buy an igloo for my future hedgie and was equal parts excited and nervous to see that they had a male hedgehog there. I've heard many awful stories about pet shops and their lack of knowledge about exotics, and I was really worried that that he wasn't getting the proper care. Turns out that I had nothing to fear. I asked to see him (because I was with my grandma and she had never seen one up close before) and the women who worked there was very pleasant and unlocked the cage even though she knew I wasn't going to buy him. She moved his igloo and gave him a moment to wake up while she explained that he was actually a very nice boy once he got used to your scent. She also joked that he liked her co-worker better because she was too loud and hedgies are very sensitive to loud noises. As he wandered around the cage, she talked about how they are nocturnal animals, how to pick them up properly (by slidding hands underneath) and that it's absolutely necessary for them to have a wheel for exercise. I was also pleased to see the hedgie's cage was lined with Yesterday's News (instead of wood chips like all the other cages), and when I mentioned that I was planing to use fleece liners the sale's associate agreed that that was one of the best options. 

All in all, she was very pleasant and knowledgeable about hedgehog care. I'm definitely buying from a breeder and much prefer buying from breeders to buying from pet stores, but after all the horror stories that I've heard, it was nice to find a pet store that has employees that are aware of hedgies' unique needs.

P.S. They also had a few cats from the animal shelter that they were trying to adopt out which is a great alternative to them selling their own kittens from suppliers.


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## Shainahmac (Jun 23, 2014)

This is the exact same as the one I was at in Truro Nova Scotia where I got Benny! Even though the girl picked him up with a glove (she had sensitive skin that reacted to him) she knew multiple people with hedgies and clearly interacted with him enough to call him a pooper (like pooped every time she picked him up haha). She knew hedgie food wasn't very good and he had cat food, yesterday's news, an igloo and a flying saucer. I was really happy he came from a pet store that took decent care of him at the very least and had the proper things for him and at least tried to give him the attention he deserves! Glad to hear the store I was at isn't just one of a kind!


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