# Irresponsible Local Petstore Selling Hedgehogs



## Amelia (Nov 27, 2008)

I live in Mobile, AL and there is a local petstore here called B&B Petstore. One of my mom's friends recently bought her grandson a hedgehog from there on a whim. Because they didn't know much about hedgehogs I went over there to talk to them about all the care and needs that a hedgehog has, to sex it for them and to take him to get fleece to make cageliners, a wheel, a different type of food and other stuff that he needed to take care of his new wee one. 

When I told him that his sweet baby girl should never ever be allowed in a cage or allowed to have play time with a male hedgehog he told me that when they got her from B&B Petstore they had all their hedgies in one cage together. I dont know about the ages of the other hedgies but she is about the same size as damien which would put her at around 4 months old. I was hoping that they had enough sense that they would be all females. Apparently not. He went back to the petstore today. they have males and females together. In addition they told him to use things or give her things that should not be given to a hedgie. 

They have a no return policy on their animals. I was wondering what you guys thought we should do if she does turn out to be pregnant. Is there something that a vet could do? Also, they have already sold all the hedgehogs so I was thinking maybe i could go by there and find out who their breeder is. If I can find out who the breeder is I want to contact them. If its a reputable breeder, surely they would object to the way this petstore is handling their hedgehogs. Would someone like the Humane Society do something? or maybe some hedgehog association? I don't know but I would hope someone would. 

This whole thing just makes me sick. They are selling animals that they themselves do not know how to take care of. They can't even tell their customers how to take care of them properly. The whole thing just makes me really mad.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

First off, no reputable breeder will sell to a petstore. Reputable breeders want to know and approve who their babies go to. Reputable breeders would not allow their babies to be kept together or in the conditions of most petstores.

You cannot judge age by size. I've had 7 week old babies that were larger than some of my adults.

There is every possibility that she could be pregnant and she should be treated as if she is. Hopefully, she is young enough that she isn't.

You can try the humane society. Hedgehog welfare has information sheets for handing out to petstores. It's on their yahoo group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/hedgehogwelfare/files/Share With A Shelter/


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## Genevieve (Dec 13, 2008)

Amelia said:


> This whole thing just makes me sick. They are selling animals that they themselves do not know how to take care of. They can't even tell their customers how to take care of them properly. The whole thing just makes me really mad.


so sad!!! :shock: hope u can do sumthin aout it!!!!


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## Alicat42 (Dec 9, 2008)

When I got peter from the pet store he was the last one, but it had four different stickers on the glass (other than peters) Three were for other hedgehogs and one was for a teddy bear hamster. 
I really feel bad for those animals at the pet store. Most people now buy from breeders. The only reason I could see people buying from stores is if they're their first time hedgies. You would think that being a PET STORE they would know how to handle and care for the animals they're supplying. 
Good news is they're not all like that. I was in the city yesterday trying to find a flying saucer wheel for luna. And 4/6 pet stores had either each hedgie in their seperate cage, or all females in one tank - which isn't as good as seperate but better than males and females. So maybe there is hope for pet stores yet.


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## schlarmanm1 (Nov 15, 2008)

My local Pet store normaly only gets in one hedgehog in at a time but every once and a while they will get somewhere around 3-4 and keep them all in seperate cages. The cages are small which is the only down fall and i dont really like what they feed them (well they feed them the crap hedgehog food wich is like a mix of nuts and all kinds of food with dry and wet cat food) My hedgie is from a pet store the only reason why is because i felt bad he was stuck in such a small cage. I knew all about hedgehogs before i purchesed him because i have always found them interesting and use to be upsesed when i was little But never owned one as a pet. Thats why i purchased him because i felt bad he was stuck in a small cage with nothing to play with or hide in.


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## Coco (Oct 2, 2008)

that's the reason why they sell that ,all the peoples are sad about their way to leave in a pet shop ,,but ,,,more peoples who buy them ,more hedgies will be sell by petstore 
and i dont tell that to make you sad , It's only the truth in my mind


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## spikesmcgee (Dec 17, 2008)

We got our little girl from a petstore in fairmont WV.
I have read the posts now, and i called the store owner just to verify the breeder.
Mike (the store owner) houses his hoggies together until a certain age, and then seperates them. He said that he does not like to seperate them immedialey because it stresses them out, escpecially when they are all of a sudden alone. The people at Animal Kingdom DO know their hedgie facts though! :]


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Boys need to be separated from girls at 6 weeks of age. It's fine to leave baby boys together and baby girls together but not opposite sexes. That is why there are so many pregnant babies coming from petstores.


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