This is gross, I adopted a hamster from Petco yesterday
By sharonkenney
@sharonkenney (102)
United States
February 17, 2007 9:28pm CST
Today I take a good look at him.He is a girl.She smells. I mean She smells dead. How in the world i didn't smell her yesterday? The people at PETCO didn't really let me hold her, maybe thats why.She looks kind of old and the smell seems to be coming from her private parts. I don't think PETCO should have adopted this animal out do you? Or even accepted it from whoever brought it in!
4 people like this
5 responses
@Monkmonk (48)
• United States
21 Feb 07
I have had many hamsters. There isn't anything wrong with your hamster. Most hamsters sold in pet stores are girl hamsters. This is to keep them from breeding. Your hamster is in heat. That is the oder she will have when she is in heat. It stinks... but it's just something you have to deal with. Thankfully it doesn't happen too often.
2 people like this
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
21 Feb 07
I have to agree with this - when my hamster is in heat it's the most awful smell. But it does go away. Just try to keep the cage clean - and then the hamster in heat smell won't mix with dirty cage smell.
3 people like this
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
18 Feb 07
thats why i never buy animals from Petco. i have bought a couple of fish there, and i will buy food or toys, but never any other animals.
i would find a smaller pet shop. you know like a little family run shop in town type of place. where they know about the animals and how to take care of them, and they actually CARE about them too.
and ALWAYS get some hands on time with a potential pet before you buy. not only can you get a better idea of the general health, but of their temperment too.
if the shop wants to sell the animal they will let you touch it/hold it. if they dont, then you might as well assume the animal is not healthy or has some temperment flaw.
the animal should be just as curious about you as you are about it. and if it shows immediate signs of aggression then you probably shouldnt take it home. it could be the sign of a bad temperment on the pets part and/or bad treatment on the shops part.
find a local pet shop, not one of the big franchises. the animals in the small stores are almost always happier and healthier and more friendly to boot.
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
18 Feb 07
thats a good point. the big stores always have a return policy.
ugh i would hate to get a new pet and then have to consider whether or not the store will accept a return for whatever reason.
1 person likes this
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14 Jul 08
the smell is because of the breeding season that happens to both of my females i give them little baths so the smell goes away, and yes it was okay to give the animal a home.
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14 Jul 08
That happened to my hamster... i believe its because of the mating season..
