That night, I went back to petstore for my incorrectly labeled "teddy-bear" hamster. There were several little guys, all following my hand around inside the container. One stood out to me. He was so friendly- he had to be the one. The *experienced* petstore employee chased down the hamster, and aggressively forced him into a "take-home" box----in which my frightened new baby freaked out in, and pooped a whole day's worth- in the 10 minutes it took to get home. This did not give me a good start in bonding with little "Jiggy." (How to properly transfer a hamster is addressed here.)
Many more innocent mistakes were made after that. Although I had asked the petstore for advice about my new pet, he still suffered alot over the next year of his life- at my own uninformed hands, because the petstore employees were not trained properly in the area of hamster-care.
Of the list of 6 things I bought to prepare for Jiggy's arrival, which of those items were NOT in his best interest?
The two items above that the petstore should have been trained to warn against were: cedar bedding, and the blue roll around ball. Why? Cedar bedding is DANGEROUS for hamsters. It can cause fur loss and respiratory problems. (Pine and fluff bedding are also dangerous!) The blue roll-around ball, while not entirely dangerous, is very impractical. I have learned, from observing my hamster's progress in different colored balls, that they CAN see shades/contrast, and will run with much more ease in a clear ball. Yet, petstores continue to carry these useless and dangerous items- and do not bother to educate themselves, although many concerned patrons have attempted to bring them to a manager's attention.
I am currently searching for the best method of "campaigning" to change the way petstore employees are trained to handle and sell their hamsters. My goal is to make it mandatory that they understand what is safe and unsafe for hamsters to live in, play on (or in), and eat. They also need to pull dangerous items off their shelves, such as: cedar bedding, pine bedding, fluff bedding, wire/slotted axle wheels, and sugary hamster treats (which contribute to the growing problem of diabetes among hamsters). They also need to pull down dark-colored roll-around balls, and replace them with clear ones, so that hamsters are able to better see where they are running. (many hamsters are AFRAID of being in their balls, because it's like being confined in a dark box- they can't see where they are going, and it's frightening when they keep running into things!)
Petstore employees also need training informing new hamster owners about the stimulatory/bonding needs of hamsters. That is what this website is all about- and I hope you will stick around and do some more research. If you are confused about some of the issues on this page, you will find answers within the pages of this website.
Lastly, petstores are making fools of patrons by changing the names of certain breeds and colors of hamsters- then jacking up the prices for"exotic" or rare colors. As you study this site, you will find that most petstore hamsters are either Syrians (improperly labled "Teddy Bear") or Campbells Russian Dwarves, (Improperly labeled "Siberian hamsters," which is really the true name for "Winter Whites" a completely different breed-- and the truth is that NO color/breed is worth more than another. You will also find that petstore employees are as duped as the public- they really don't know what the proper names for the species are, and they truly have not been informed of this unethical method of false advertisement.
If you want more information, please contact me. Meanwhile, I ask you to read this SOBERING story (written by Brian Kershaw) from the veiwpoint of a hamster going to his first uninformed home. (Petstores could greatly reduce the incidences of this sort of tragedy... if they would first EDUCATE THEMSELVES, and then ACCURATELY educate the public!
Does Life Get Any Better Than This?
