Question about Petco ferrets

[rarnold18]

Ok so I went into Petco to pick up a few things collars for the fuzzies for when they are free, some toys for the fuzzies and the cats and a new collar for Jezzebelle (the monster pup).. Well I have to stop and visit the fuzzies they had, I just can't resist of course...and there was one boy, call it a boy because he was HUGE! He was so dirty, poo was caked in his fur, and his nails were waaay too long with poo caked in his feet and nails. I told the girl at the check out that he needed some attention paid to his coat and nails and the girl said that she would tell the groomers.... Well I can't seem to get him out of my mind...he had a cute little pink nose that had some black speckles on it and he was so big that he could poke his nose out the top of the enclosure they were in...he was easily double the size my girls are.... their cage was clean and their litter box didn't look like it was being dug/played in, so other than lack of care I really didn't see why he was so dirty...the cage looked like it had been freshly cleaned... I've just about convinced my husband to let me go back and get him, we're starting to build our new cage today... So here's my question... How willing is Petco in negotiating their prices on "livestock"? Has anyone had any experience with Petco ferrets and how healthy they are? Or had any bad experiences with Petco regarding their ferrets and ferrets health?

[wepamperpets]

Petco ferrets are very unhealthy! Most come from Marshall Farms (or sometimes another place like tripple f, path valley.) Thier ferrets are bred in a so called "farm" which actually is like a puppy mill, only with ferrets They dont care about the ferrets at all, its just a money making business, and places in my area they'd come down a bit, but they are all about making the sell.

I have had nothing but BIG health issues with my 2 marshall farms ferret and personally will never ever buy from them, I get mine now from only reptuable private breeders, but if I get another pet store type ferret it would be from a shelter.

Both my marshalls one by age of 2 other by age of 3 got cancer. Dakota got cancer 3 times! Dancer got it twice. Dancer has all kinds of health issues always ailing him - IBD, insulinoma, you name it. My friends ferret got adrenal at 7 months old and had to have surgery for that.

Its ashame. They get fixed & descented (that which is very painful procedure and serves no purpose) and shipped out way too early. Our local pet store got a shipment of them and they came in at only just 5 weeks, WAY to early

My Pet co experience:
And the petco I got Dancer out of was horrifying, I called i na bunch places and they recieved tons of complaints...... couple weeks later got shut down by the human society and peta for animal cruelety and abuse Had someone in there, anyhow besides the outrageous living conditions with no food water nor bedding (only in pine shavings), know what they found in the back of the store in the dumpsters outside? Dead and 1/2 alive ferrets, rabbits and gunea pigs

Took me ALOT of money to get him back to health again, he has food issues and can be very agrressive with his food to other ferrets. He used to hide all the food and patrol it, and paniced if Dakota came near it, like he'd never see food again. Took him a while he was closterphobic (sp?) he would freak out nuts if anything went over his head. Just until this yr he would never ever even sleep with a blankie on him, and he'd get in a sack fly out and sleep with his head sticking out, used to scream carry on in carriers he did'nt like feeling trapped.

Thankfully with alot of TLC he's gotten over his issues, he's good in carriers as long as they are plastic, and finally sleeps with a blankie and in sleep sacks, dont hide and guard all the food and is got over his food aggression (except for treats).

So I HATE pet co. They do so much bad, and hate them for what they did to my Dancer, and other ferrets!

Its ashame to see the ferrets in these stores it really breaks my heart! I want them all to have homes they deserve it, but keep buying them they keep restocking the ferrets and the vicous cycle continues.

[wepamperpets]

I see your in Orlando, if your ever interested in adopting from a shelter (Stinky Pete's Ferret Retreat), there is one in orlando my friend runs, lots of young adoptables and not far from Orlando have another friend that runs a shelter (Asti's Ferret Heaven) as well.

I really hope they get that ferret cleaned up and taken care of. At least the cage seemed clean, thats a plus.

[maddiesmom]

I've never known Petco to negotiate... but... you could try. Maybe talk to a manager or something

[sherrylynne]

Don't know about Petco, but no pet store here will negotiate on anything whatsoever.

[Heather]

Try to negotiate. All little furbabies have a right to be loved, cared for. Please just realize that you're negotiating a possible health issue but that being said, every last one of us that takes in a rescue adopts a health issue. It's wonderful to sit there and say Don't...only adopt breeder ferrets. I don't like marshals either but I wouldn't trade any one of my furbabies. I've negotiated with pet stores. I've managed to get them to reduce their price. My Nicodemus is a negotiated kit. He had been given a death sentence. This little fellow has a death sentence too....if he's not adopted out or sold, he will be returned to marshals and either sold into a lab or put down. This is a no win situation. You've got nothing to loose if you go into this with your eyes open. Only you can make that decision.
Good luck.
ciao

[rarnold18]

I've heard of Stinky Pete's, checked out their website and even emailed Kimberly (I think her name is) and on their web site it states that they do not adopt to families with children under the age of 8...and we have 2 children under 8, Mason is 4 and Abigail is 19months...our oldest is 10. We're in Sanford about a 10-15min drive from Casselberry where they are located. It's a bummer... I'm not really looking to adopt another, but that boy was so sweet and wanted attention so badly...then add the long nails and the poo in his fur and I just want to save him and make him clean, feed him and make him happy! I'm quite the bleeding heart and I try to save everything and everyone, even people who don't want saving! That's how we ended up with 4 dogs, 3 cats, 2 hamsters and our 2 girls...

[Heather]

I understand your feelings and you will do what is right by your and yours Good luck ;D
ciao

[ferretdroogies]

I would try to negociate. That's how we got Sari. She had been stuck at Petco for 4 months, bossed and pushed around by 6 other males with her. She was so small, but overweight at 1lb She had no muscle mass (lack of exercise in those horrible cages and from eating crappy marshalls kibble). They had no beds either. It was just full of carefresh that always looked dirty. They basically pooped, ate, and slept in the same vicinity. I really hate petco, but I had to save her. I would go see her after work everyday for a month. Derek and I finally decided we had the funds and space for a third. I feel like we saved her life. They sold her for $50 to us because she had been their so long. She is one of the happiest ferrets ever, and I will never regret the day we got her. I would go for it. That's just my opinion Like Heather said, all ferrets deserve good homes. They will probably end up at a shelter anyways if they are from a store unfortunately

[weaselwardances]

All four of my weasels are Petco (Marshall) ferts. We've been very lucky regarding their health, as in no problems except our recent addition Capt'n Jack...we actually acquired him because he had an eye that has been damaged (presumably by some external encounter, as in not due to hereditary causes or health as he came with a bill of health certificate) and was already 8mo. We felt that he probably didn't stand a chance to be adopted so we decided he needed to join our fold. I hate the idea of the Marshalls ferret mill but I hate the idea of what happens to the unsold ferrets even more.
That being said, all of my furrballs are well tempered and fun loving. They are ranging in age from 4yrs to 8mos and in very good health with nary a vet a visit required.

It's likely that different Petcos are managed differently and that's not always a good thing. I suggest searching around the store for any other signs of ill kept animals or poorly maintained animals and judge if they seem like an upstanding establishment and go from there. I've purchased from two separate Petcos in the Dallas area and both are well maintained and clean.

We didn't try to negotiate the price down for Jack, it didn't even occur to us to try but please let me know if you are successful.

Best of Luck in your ferret negotiations!

[josiesmom]

I don't know enough about PETCO as a corporation to say they are all horrible - maybe they are run as franchises and each franchise is run by individual management? But four of my current crew originated from Petco and are Marshall's ferrets. Had been originally bought by a former employee of Petco. They'd been cage bound and kept and teased and were biters as well as a bit neurotic. Now they are confirmed natural eaters and the picture of health and all sweet to handle!

Two former adoptees were Marshalls ferrets one from a store in Ohio and another from a "private pet shop. The ferret from Ohio succombed to Insulinoma, the other passed almost a year later at barely over 7 yrs old. My first ferret came from a private pet shop and a private breeder and she passed from Juvenile Lymphosarcoma at 14 months old!

One of my current adoptees is a rehome from "Stinky Pete's Ferret Retreat" and while his beginnings in his first home must have been extremely tough to deal with - Kimba made a good choice in placing him with me. Not many folks would have had the patience to deal with his tremendous vicious biting and bloodletting - but today he is a sweety and recently was a superb ferret ambassador at the local fair!

I'm not convinced yet how much health is a part of breeding verses nurture and diet. Yeah marshalls breeds a TON of ferrets - but who does head counts on Path Valley? or TripleF?

Some genetic health problems cannot be overcome by nurture or diet (like lymphosarcoma) and in this case this private shop and private breeder were irresponsible in not being receptive to learning about the health problems they were breeding and selling! Beleive me -I went back to try and inform them after Josie died! They refused to listen!

Well bred ferrets can suffer at the hands of uninformed owners - they can be stuffed into cages until they go crazy, fed cheap cat or dog food until they develop tooth problems and insulinoma. What proof is there that they don't suffer adrenal disease at the same rate as a pet shop ferret? and of these what is their diet? What is their housing?

Seeing the change in my new foundlling Kosmo in just a few weeks indicates to me that diet and housing play a tremendous role in the health of these small companions!

Kosmo has the familiar double dot tattoo in his ear - so he liklely is a Marshalls ferret, the vet thinks he's about 5 - and he is obviously adrenal. But he obviously is improving too with just a simple diet and housing change! That has nothing to do with genetics.

Personally I say - if its in your budget to add him to your family then DO IT! Talk directly with the PETCO store manager, take photos of YOUR ferrets and their home and pix showing YOU with the ferrets ato bolster your claim to be able to provide him a great home and good company. Stress the fact you will be incurring vet costs right off the bat and a sale at a reduced price for an elder ferret would go a long way to good community rapor - verses a complaint about the poor condition this ferret is in.

[b2dg3r]

so I know its trivial but I felt like adding that in my area petco carries Real Canadian Ferret--another mill, like marshalls, but I don't think anyone mentioned it.

also, what happens to the ferts who've been there too long probably depends on the store. one petco I talked to said when they hit 5 mo they transfer them to a store who has a higher sell rate.
and while carefresh paper bedding isn't ideal, and neither is marshalls food, the cages have always been clean when I've gone in. so've the ferts. Nails are another issue. Which is stupid since I've never seen a fert with black nails so really how hard is it???!!!

my best wishes to the fert in need of tlc!

[rdobbie23]

I know what you mean about the bleeding heart getting you in deep! That's how I wound up with the two ferret rescues. I went to a house to rescue two gliders and got 2 gliders and 2 ferrets. I have placed on, but the one I still have is far too sick to place! It's sad.
It makes me sick to think that these people work in an animal friendly environment (Petco) and they can't even take care of the animals under their work roof! I try and stay out of any petstore that sells animals. It so sad to see them in there not being cared for and no one wants to BUY something that looks unhealthy or has poop caked to his fur and feet!

If I were you I would go back....if he is still cover in that mess, I would demand to #1 speak to a manager. #2 ask for a lower price #3 report them. The animals can not speak for themselves! Who knows how long the poo has been on his feet and if he has blister due to the poo being there for too long!
Go get'em girl