Where do pet stores get their hamsters/gerbils?

[key west chick]

Hey Livinzoo, were you in Athens when SuperPet was there? There were 2. We were suckered into being partners in those until the original owner tanked the one in Gainesville and the other 2 tanked as well.

 

[georgialee]

Used to work at one... They come from huge breeders. They will not buy from local breeders.

 

[EweSheep]

It is great for those who do raise mices for feed consumption for their snakes, that isn't a problem. And for those who do not breed these pets and simply want a pet. There always will be a market for them. It is not necessarily a BAD thing but hopefully most of you do practice good husbandry to these animals even you may not make a huge profit off of them.

Thanks for the replies, and I don't see SUN doing business with ours but I guess they will do business with PetCo and PetSmart. Hard to find good breeders around here. Sure, I do find cavies breeders which are mostly rabbit breeders who owns them. I would get a guinea pig from one of the private breeders.

Rarely I see one very young hamsters or guinea pigs at the store. I would not be surprised if an employee would be raising them for the store. I bet they have to get vet care once a year to be certified (I am guessing here).

I have no intention to breed. I used to have hamsters back in the 70's and we had raised a couple of litters but it was too much work as a young kid like I was. Would I raise any? No, that experience was enough LOL! Cute as they are but not for me workwise unless it was bought from a well known breeder, I might try but always afraid that the mothers would eat their babies. We had one that did eat her litter at first (we didn't know at that time, not to disturb too much) and it was guesome.

 

[Livinzoo]

Hey Livinzoo, were you in Athens when SuperPet was there? There were 2. We were suckered into being partners in those until the original owner tanked the one in Gainesville and the other 2 tanked as well.

LOL my exDH and I use to sell cat scratching posts to the one in Athens. I think he went on to sell stands to them too. Sorry you were suckered in to that.