Animals now available for sale

Throughout the lock down we have had an embargo on the sale of animals from our store as non-essential items. No one should have been leaving home for any reason that was not essential. Food for your pet is essential, as are a number of other items, bedding, hygiene products, medicines, toys (essential for the well being of your pet) etc. A new pet was not essential, so unless it was to replace a deceased partner of a social species, or you were in the store buying your normal supplies anyway we had stopped selling animals. We knew this embargo was coming in advance so we stopped restocking with animals before the lock down happened so for the most part we didn’t have any in stock anyway.

pet shop gloucester

The government has now moved to a new phase. The emphasis is moving away from “stay at home” although you should still do this if at all possible, and focusing more on responsible social distancing whilst trying to gradually return society back to normal, over time and with very strict monitoring of the results of any changes. We feel that in line with this change we are now in a position to start offering our livestock for sale again.

gloucester pet shop

This is not a case of everything returning to normal. We already have a social distancing policy in place at our Gloucester pet shop. Only one customer group in the shop at any time, queuing kept to a minimum outside the shop with customers keeping at least 2m apart. Staff maintaining 2m from customers at all times. Click and collect ordering available by telephone and on line in our web store and FREE local delivery for telephone orders. We will be keeping all these procedures in place and this will have an impact on the returning sale of animals.

reptile shop

In normal times we actively encourage prospective owners to interact with their new pet (hold where appropriate), prior to purchase. Under the corona virus restrictions we cannot return to this at present as it would break the social distancing rules. You may ask to look at an animal in its enclosure and where possible staff will try to place the animal in a carrier for you to look at, both of these can be done whilst maintaining 2m between staff and customers but I’m afraid that is the limit of interaction before purchase. You will not be able to hold or inspect the animal further. Our staff will do all the normal pre-sale inspections and of course our livestock policy (the most generous we have found) remains in place to offer you protection.

gerbil

This is the only way we feel we can return to selling animals whilst maintaining protection for our staff and customers. Please note that this service is available to customers only. We still have a policy of no browsing the animals. We have wide variety of livestock and it attracts a lot of casual visitors. During normal times this is not an issue (unless the “free zoo” visitors get in the way of genuine customers or, as happens from time to time, are disruptive – in which case they are asked to leave). However during the pandemic they represent an unnecessary risk to staff and customers and would also be preventing genuine customers from entering the premises. So for now the “Free Zoo” remains closed. We have had a couple of instances where members of the public have become abusive and/or aggressive with staff when asked to leave if they are not making a purchase and just want to “look at the animals”. Fortunately the number of these instances have been very few but they should not have happened at all. We have a zero tolerance policy toward abuse of staff and will remove from the shop anyone who decides that the middle of the worst crisis to hit the country since the war is a good time to start trying to throw their weight around. As I say it’s rare and we appreciate the rest of our community who understand the need for these restrictive practices at this time.

reptiles

We update our livestock list on this website daily (or when it changes) and our web store also has all our livestock displayed with prices. All animal sales remain in store only. We do not sell animals to anyone we have not met and chatted to, about the care and welfare of the animal, first.

african grey parrot

Finally, customers often have to have a think before making the decision whether to buy that particular animal. Quite right too, you should never rush into purchasing a particular pet. We would ask however that whilst making the decision you leave the store if it is going to take a few minutes as we cannot allow anyone else in at the same time as you so there could be a queue outside.

Difficult times call for difficult measures and we know none of this is exactly an ideal “customer experience” so we thank you all in advance for your understanding as we try to remain in business whilst protecting ourselves and our families as well as you and yours.

The Angell Pets Team

Pet Shop Gloucester 10% Off All Small Animal Cages And Hutches

We are giving a discount of 10% on all our small animal cages, hutches and runs whilst current stocks last in our pet shop Gloucester. This includes wire cages, glass enclosures, wooden hutches and rabbit and guinea pig runs.

These discounts are only avaiable in store and are for current stock. Once they are gone they are gone, so make sure you get in quick to grab one of the offers. We have listed a few items below but there are lots more. Visit us in store in our Gloucester pet shop to see the full range.

pet shop gloucester

Orchard Hutch – Normal price £139.99 – only £125.99

pet shop gloucester

All Metal, Triple Height Cage – Normal Price £99.99 – only £89.99

pet shop gloucester

Rydon Hamster Cage Two Tier – Normal Price £25.99 – only £23.39

pet shop gloucester

Critters Choice Glass Enclosure Extra Large – Normal Price £92.99 – only £83.69

pet shop gloucester

Harrisons Sandford Run – Normal Price £49.99 – only £44.99

Angell Pets pet shop Gloucester is now in Hucclecote, with easy access from all local areas and a large FREE carpark. We stock food and accessories for small animals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, invertebrates, fish, poultry, wild birds, cats and dogs, as well as a large range of quality livestock.

Angell Pets Current Livestock List

Time to post a new current livestock list for Angell Pets Hucclecote store. All are on our website but it’s good to put everything in one post from time to time. I have added a couple of “coming soon” items this time as the arrival of these animals is fairly imminent (next week or the week after). We are a little light on spiders this week  but we will be getting some more very soon. I haven’t added these to the list as I haven’t decided which we are getting yet.

Invertebrates

  • Fruit Beetles
  • Deaths Head Cockroach
  • Madagascan Hissing Cockroach
  • Headlight Cockroach
  • Indian Stick Insect
  • Giant Spiny Stick Insect
  • Giant Prickly Stick Insect
  • Dwarf White Woodlice
  • Tropical Grey Woodlice
  • Giant Orange Woodlice
  • Argentinian Star Tarantula
  • Cameroon Red Baboon Spider
  • Flame Rump Tree Spider
  • Guyana Goliath Birdeater
  • Hati Hati Purple Tarantula
  • King Baboon Spider
  • Malaysian Earth Tiger
  • Mexican Red Rump Tarantula
  • Togo Starburst
  • African Land Snail
  • Giant Malaysian Shield Mantis *COMING SOON*

Amphibians

  • Alpine Newt
  • Whites Tree Frog
  • Albino Horned Frog *COMING SOON*

Reptiles

  • Rankins Dragon
  • Chinese Water Dragon *COMING SOON*
  • Leopard Gecko “Montanus”
  • Madagascan Giant Day Gecko
  • Kotschys Gecko
  • “Kastanie” Corn Snake
  • Milksnake
  • Kenyan Sand Boa
  • Common Boa
  • Carpet Python
  • “Chocolate” Royal Python *COMING SOON*
  • Marginated Tortoise

Birds

  • Timineh African Greyt Parrot
  • White Faced Cockatiel
  • Grey Cockatiel
  • Budgerigar
  • Java Sparrow
  • Zebra Finch
  • Yellow Canary
  • Orange Canary

Mammals

  • Fancy Mouse
  • Dumbo Rat
  • Syrian Hamster
  • Gerbil
  • Guinea Pig *COMING SOON*
  • Lion Lop Rabbit

Fish

  • Coldwater *COMING SOON*
  • Temperate *COMING SOON*
  • Tropical *COMING SOON*

Please note our list changes daily. For example if I had writeen this before opening this morning it would also have contained guinea pigs in stock and a Yemen chameleon, so please get in touch to see what we have in our Angell Pets Hucclecote store on any given day. Alternatively visit our website.

 

The Angell Pets Team

Trialled at Angell Pets

Here at Angell Pets we are always looking at ways of helping the environment and helping fellow local businesses wtih new ideas. We were pleased to trial out a new product that was presented to us by a local recycling company, although when it was presented we were still closed for the recent relocation and refurbishment. Since then we have trialled the product with our own animals in store and are happy to report excellent results.

The product is going to be branded as “Nest” bedding. Actually it is so new that the brand name is not finalised but I am asssured this is the front runner. For the time being we are selling it under our own Angell Pets ® brand.

angell pets rat bedding

As part of the teabag manufacturing process, a lot of offcut teabag paper is produced, prior to the final teabag pressing and cutting. This paper is very soft and absorbant and has not been treated with any chemicals (or used in teabag testing, so it is not stained with tannins). A local recycling company has the contract for disposing of this waste and was looking for a novel solution. This is when they approached us for our advice on its suitability as an animal bedding. We thought it a good idea and after investigating the contents agreed to give it a try. We have since used all the material we were given for the trial and it has been a resounding success.

Not only is the product a safe animal bedding, suitable for all small mammals, including rats as it is dust free and absorbant but as it is untreated it is readilly compostable. Not only will you be giving your pet an excellent product but you will be helping to prevent this material ending up in landfil and supporting local businesses. Also it is available in larger bags than contemporary products making it much more cost effective. We are selling 1kg bags for £3.59, compared to the nearest product available, Safebed which is £1.09 for approx 90g or £12.11 per kg! It even compares well with other substrate products used for rats, with their sensitive respiratory tracts.

Angell Pets ® and APL™ are registered trade marks  of Angell Pets Ltd

The Angell Pets Team

Current livestock list growing

Following on from our move to Hucclecote we are now growing our list of livestock in store and available to order. Every now and then I post the current list. I don’t do it too often as it changes almost daily but a quick post of what we currently have is often welcomed by our customers.

We do not have birds or fish at present. We can’t stock birds until we have finished painting because of the fumes and the area where the fish are going has only just been re-plastered ready for the tanks to go in. Obviously the tanks have to be matured before we can put fish in them.

Please note this list is only what we have in store and does not include the much larger range available to order.

So here is the current list as it stands today, it will be changing tomorrow.

Mammals

gerbil

Reptiles and Amphibians

Cave gecko

Spiders

tarantula

Other invertebrates

mantis

The Angell Pets Team

 

 

Current Livestock

Our livestock list changes daily but every now and then I like to post a current list just to keep everyone up to speed with the types of animals we stock or can get. It is a bit of a double edged sword. If I post everything we can get, we are flooded with requests for animals that are not currently available. If on the other hand I post just what we have in at present, people get the impression that this is all we can get. So we have all our current stock on our web store (although it cannot be ordered from there, you need to come in for livestock) and I post a current list from time to time on here so people can see that it is changing regularly.

Here is the list as of today. Please note that it could well be very different tomorrow.

FIsh

tropical fish

Amphibians

phantasmal dart frog

Reptiles

common boa

Invertebrates

tarantula

Birds

african grey parrot

Small mammals

gerbil

ferret

If you are after something you cannot see, do give us call. We have an extensive list of breeders we can call on.

 

The Angell Pets Team

Free food for a month with ALL complete set ups

From now until the end of December we have a fantastic offer on. Buy ANY complete set up, for any animal and receive one months food FREE.

pet shop gloucester cornsnake

We have a range of set ups for birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates to suit all budgets.Complete set ups include the housing, relevant equipment for that animal, substrate, decor where relevant, the animal itself and now, in addition, one months food FREE.

rankins-dragon
We have set ups for budgies, cockatiels, finches and canaries, parrots, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rats and mice, gerbils and hamsters, bearded dragons, leopard geckos, day geckos, crested geckos, chameleons, cornsnakes, milksnakes, boas, pythons, frogs, tarantulas, mantids, stick insects and many more.

hog island boa
All our set ups are put together by the most experienced and qualified team in Gloucester so you get all the correct and  best equipment for your new animal. You can contact us here or on Facebook or on 01452 501882 to find out more.

Exo Terra

 

The Angell Pets Team

Reptile Boarding

Our Reptile Boarding facility here at Angell Pets has grown rapidly in popularity since being launched a couple of years ago.

reptile boarding

Most of our customers, lucky enough to go on holiday each year, are returning to book their animals in each time and new people are hearing about our reptile boarding service and using us for the first time. Peak times are now booked up months in advance. For example Easter and August this year were both virtually fully booked two months in advance.

small animal boarding

We have some space this summer left in July and September with a few odd days only in August for reptile boarding. We do have a little space left for birds and small animals but not much.

reptile boarding

Hermann’s tortoise

If you wish to take advantage of our excellent reptile boarding rates and have your animals looked after by top qualified staff please do book now to avoid disappointment.

Contact us on 01452 501882 to reserve space.

The Angell Pets Team

A Brief History Of the Rat

Angell Pets has bred and sold fancy rats since we opened. They are a popular pet for good reason. They are relatively easy to care for, friendly, inquisitive and intelligent and seem to thrive on interaction with their owners. Many owners however are unaware of the history of their pet.

Pet shop gloucester

Nowadays most people in the UK would think of the rat as a native species. Far from it. Domesticated rats derive from the brown rat (Rattus norvegius). This species only arrived in Britain around 1720 so it has only been here for just under 300 years, that’s only 150 years longer than the grey squirrel (from the USA) and a over a thousand after the rabbit (Romans soldiers kept them for meat, bringing them from Spain). Despite this, current population estimates are a minimum of 6.5 million (more than that if you include sewers, tips and post breeding numbers).

A common misconception voiced when people see rats in the shop is that they were responsible for the plague. Well for the black death (1300s) and bubonic plague (1600s) which each killed a third of the nations population, they have an excellent alibi – they weren’t even here (in fact they hadn’t even completed their march across Europe from their Asian homeland by then).

The animal responsible for the major plagues in the UK was actually the black rat (Rattus rattus) or “ship rat”. Black rats (originally brought over by the Romans in ships) are now quite rare in mainland UK, restricted to only two colonies in coastal areas and a population of around 1300. Part of the reason for the decline of the black rat is habitat – black rats like empty buildings with plenty of food, like warehouses and docks, which have disappeared or been converted into flats. Brown rats prefer agricultural land although they obviously do well in urban settings too. Also the black rat is smaller and a lot of predators will selectively feed on smaller rodents (studies show that owls prefer to eat mice and voles and any brown rats taken tend to be smaller juveniles). Cats (over 10 million owned cats in the UK) too will tend to take easier, smaller prey leaving the black rat at a disadvantage. In the end the larger (and more carnivorous – they will kill smaller rodents) brown rat has been able to out compete its smaller, more vegetarian relative.

Brown rats were originally domesticated by the rat catchers. Keen to show they were good at their job and promote their services they would keep one alive in a cage. Obviously they wanted one that wouldn’t try to rip their face off at the earliest opportunity so would select the tamest and breed from them. Over time others took to keeping rats, always selecting for tameness and the domestic fancy rat was born. Now rats are bred for colour, coat, ear shape etc. and fancy rat societies abound.

pet shop Gloucester

So one invasive alien species that arrived around 2000 years ago with the Romans (from India originally) has been largely pushed out by another arriving 1700 years later. Just goes to show that although most would agree that invasive species can cause major problems, sometimes there are potential benefits. After all we don’t really have the plague in the UK anymore and we wouldn’t have one of the best small animal pets there is.

 

The Angell Pets Team

Cool Mats and Chill Out

Cool Mats and Chill Out bones and Chill Out balls to keep your pet cool this summer. We stock a range of products to help combat heat stress in dogs and other pets during hot weather.

The Cool Mats do not need to go in the fridge or freezer but remain 5 – 10 degrees cooler than ambient temperature through the pressure of the pet laying on them. They remain cool for up to an hour of constant use and to recharge simply need to be left unused. The non toxic gel leaves the mat ready to use in one hour.

Cool Mat

Cool Mats come in a range of sizes and can be used again and again and simply wipe clean. Many animals suffer from heat stress in hot weather, particularly dogs and cats but also smaller animals such as rabbits and ferrets. Cool Mats come in sizes to suit all.

 

Chill Out toys are easy to use and can also help your pet stay cool during warmer weather. Simply soak in water, freeze and your ready to go. They will stay cool for several hours, helping reduce heat stress, particularly during play.

Chill Out Ball

Select your toys shape, soak, freeze and play and keep your favourite pet cool this summer.

Chill Out Bone

Cool Mats and Chill Out products DO NOT make it OK to leave a dog in a hot car. NEVER leave a dog unattended in a vehicle.

Cool Mats and Chill Out toys are available now at Angell Pets in store and on line.

The Angell Pets Team