lizb
Member
Posts: 140 
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Post by lizb on Nov 4, 2014 6:05:26 GMT -8
So, yesterday I called a local pet store (not a chain) to see if they had any gerbils, and what sex they were. Here's the conversation.
Me: Hello, do you have gerbils?
Clerk: I think so *calls to coworker to ask* Yes, we have a pair.
Me: Great! Are they males or females.
Clerk: Males... We think. *laughs* really hard to tell.
Me: *silence* Thank you very much.
GRR!
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Post by eleda on Nov 4, 2014 14:07:02 GMT -8
>_< ugh thats annoying. It really shouldnt be that hard to tell if theyre old enough to be sold. I have gotten an eyeful from my boys enough times. it is very obvious they are not ladies. i hope you find somewhere reputable!
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lizb
Member
Posts: 140
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Post by lizb on Nov 4, 2014 14:21:49 GMT -8
Surprisingly, PetSmart is so much better! Knowledgeable staff who actually take time with the small animals. (The perils of not having a breeder nearby)
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Post by eleda on Nov 4, 2014 18:45:29 GMT -8
you're lucky - my Petsmarts aren't like that at all. I know way more about gerbils than they do and they don't handle them at all. =( i want to move to your town
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lizb
Member
Posts: 140
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Post by lizb on Nov 4, 2014 19:14:55 GMT -8
But there are no breeders here!
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Post by daisy on Nov 4, 2014 20:14:09 GMT -8
A Petland near me didn't know if they had boys or girls, but the PetSmart not far away was much better. They told me that each PetSmart is either male or female, in that the store has all male small pets or all female small pets so there can be no confusion. The two PetSmarts in my area were male, which was fine since I had heard that boy gerbils are friendlier. I don't know if PetSmarts every where are like that, but it was certainly reassuring since I didn't want any babies by accident. I got to beautiful brothers, jet black with white under their chins and on their paws. They were housed in the same aquarium and were very bonded. The small pet employee was very knowledgeable and helpful.
Daisy |
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Post by eleda on Nov 5, 2014 14:19:31 GMT -8
Yeah, thats a corporate standard, Daisy. I have a male-store nearby and a female-store down the road. =) it does make things easier for everyone
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lizb
Member
Posts: 140
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Post by lizb on Nov 5, 2014 16:23:07 GMT -8
Agreed, Eleda! However, I still check before I buy...
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Post by eleda on Nov 5, 2014 19:40:14 GMT -8
always smart to check for yourself liz lol
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Post by katiecat on Nov 9, 2014 8:09:27 GMT -8
my petsmart is amazing (at least for a pet store) they take very good care of their small animals and birds they only have girls and don't go over 3 per tank at my petsmart the main small pet supervisor person had taken a rat out and was walking around with it on her shoulder trying to get someone to adopt him because he had been their so long so at mine they have very good small pet care
petco on the other hand is a different story they are not nearly as good
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lizb
Member
Posts: 140
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Post by lizb on Nov 9, 2014 8:38:17 GMT -8
My PetSmart is the same. Petco is scary with how little they know about small animals. I don't know if you all have a Pet Supplies Plus, but the workers at ours told me they had gerbils... but they thought gerbils and hamsters were the same. And then tried to sell me a hamster. However, at least as a corporation, they don't hide their ignorance. They have signs all over the store that read "We can not guarantee the sex of the animals."
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Post by katiecat on Nov 10, 2014 21:10:46 GMT -8
petco is also more expensive (psp is even more expensive witch is why i have only been in there once or twice)
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Post by Awaiting Abyss on Nov 17, 2014 20:59:35 GMT -8
PSP is expensive on what? I think their prices are about the same as Petsmart, but they do price match anything.
The staff at the Pet Supplies Plus that I work at is pretty knowledgeable about animals, but when in doubt about sexing they come to me.
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Post by crittercrazy on Nov 17, 2014 21:12:03 GMT -8
There isn't a Pet Supplies Plus around here, so I wouldn't know, but Awaiting Abyss that's great that you're able to sex the animals properly and all that.  There is a Petsmart and Petco here. My gerbils come from Petco, as much as I wish they didn't. The staff rarely know much. The most knowledgeable person I ever dealt with there knew that gerbils shouldn't live alone and that they were territorial, and that was all it took for me to be surprised. I am glad though that Petco at least only carries female rodents, so I don't need to worry as much about that. The Petsmart doesn't have gerbils, and all I get there is pet food, so I haven't had much experience with the staff there. |
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lizb
Member
Posts: 140
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Post by lizb on Nov 18, 2014 5:12:19 GMT -8
All of our pet stores, aside from PSP, keep only one sex. It seems to be the luck of the draw with what's better in any given area.
As an aside, is anyone going black Friday shopping for their pets? I am (finally) getting my boys a longer tank.
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