Pet Shop Gloucester tips – how to select an animal

Posted on August 8, 2012 by rangell

Pet shop Gloucester tips series – how to select an animal and more importantly, where to buy from.

Since the most important thing is to select where to buy we will deal with this first. Get this right and selecting and individual animal becomes easier.

There is a lot of rubbish out there about where is the best place to buy an animal. The one we hear the most at our pet shop Gloucester is “from a breeder”. On the face of it this seems like a good idea, we are breeders ourselves, however there are a lot of people out there that could call themselves breeders. I think, following all the press coverage and national campaigns, most people would no longer consider buying a puppy from a Welsh puppy farm. These establishments are renowned for the attrocious conditions the animals are kept in, terrible in breeding and sick puppies. They are breeders though. So clearly bold, over simplified statements are a waste of time.

To select where to buy you need to consider a few basic points and this will guide you

Can you view the animal. If not, do not buy it. There are a host of “private” breeders and sellers on the internet and social media. I strongly suggest you do not buy from them. Not all, but most, are chancers that “rescue” animals (i.e. get their stock for free from anyone giving stuff away – and you have to ask why is it being given away?) who then resell it onto unsuspecting customers. I get these people trying to sell their animals to me all the time but we do not buy from these sources. There is generally something wrong with it, or it is very old or the animal is not being kept in the correct conditions. Only buy an animal you have seen before you have parted with your cash and make sure you see it in the enclosure it is being kept in. We also get these people coming to us for advice on how to look after the animals they are breeding or trying to get us to cure them of a host of illnesses. They should be able to do this themselves or be speaking to a vet.
Is the person selling the animal qualified to give you advice (and ask to see the qualification). It is our view that no one should be selling animals unless they are formerly qualified in the care of that animal and so are able to give the correct advice. Again, this rules out most online sellers but interestingly most breeders as well. Anyone can set up as a breeder of animals without any training, qualifications, experience or specialist equipment. You have to have a licence to own a pet shop and to get a licence you have to have a minimum qualification.
Is the animal being kept in the right conditions. Some animals have specific requirements. For example a bearded dragon needs high heat, thermostatic heat control to prevent overheating and fairly high intensity ultraviolet light. If they do not have this they will be getting ill and could get disorders that will materialise later (such as metabolic bone disease). Do they have space and are the enclosures clean. Again a dirty cage can harbour all sorts of nasties that can cause problems later.
Does the seller provide a health check before handing over the animal. If not, why not? Do they know how to or have they something to hide? Can they explain what they are checking for? If they can’t then you know they didn’t properly check the animal when they got it themselves.
Are you given advice on how to look after the animal? If not you have to assume it is because the seller doesn’t know how to look after the animal in the first place so shouldn’t be selling it. A seller must give you all the advice you need to correctly care for the animal you have selected. That is their responsibility. Following their advice is your responsibility. If the advice is not there you cannot follow it and may be leaving yourself open to charges of neglect or abuse through ignorance.

So places to avoid are online sellers, pet shop chains (supermarkets), newspaper classifieds, unregistered breeders etc. Places to consider are independent pet shops such as our pet shop Gloucester with specialist knowledge (this is not all independents by the way) and registered breeders. There are some private sellers with a lot of knowledge and genuine reasons for needing to sell but identifying these from the charlatans is nigh on impossible for the novice and remember, commercial trading without a licence is illegal.

So you’ve decided where to buy from, now how do you select an animal? Most of the following points you will not come across if you have done your job of selecting a seller properly. A good seller would never have a sick or distressed animal on display (if they are licenced it breaches the terms of their licence and action can be taken)..

It seems an obvious thing to say but does the animal look healthy? If a rat is sitting hunched up on its own, maybe shivering, then there could be something wrong. Does the rabbit have a runny nose, is the fish swimming upside down. Very importantly for all animals, is their bottom clean or is there evidence of loose stools.

Who are you?

Is the animal clean and well groomed. Most animals keep themselves very clean. If the animal has stopped cleaning itself there is generally a reason for this and it won’t be because it’s a lazy teenager. It indicates an unhappy animal. It is either ill or stressed.

Nice and clean

How active is the animal. Please bear in mind that different animals are active at different times but most will become active when disturbed to allow you to view them (with the possible exception of ferrets – some ferrets, Vinny our breeding male for instance, will not wake up if they are in a dead sleep without very vigorous attempts).

It's been a busy day

Is it displaying normal behaviour. Hiding from you in a sleeping area or hide is normal for most animals, so don’t be surprised by that. Pacing the cage for instance is a sign of boredom (does the animal have anything to occupy it?) and is not normal.
Is the animal docile? All animals can bite you, some are more likely to than others. Hamsters, when young and suddenly woken up can get a little freaked out for instance and will bite if you just reach in and grab them. You need to allow them to come round and pick them up from underneath (allowing them to walk onto your hand). Others will always carry a high risk of biting you (such as a cobalt blue tarantula or baboon spider) and should not be handled. The seller should be able to advice and demonstrate handling. If the seller says it is safe to handle get them to demonstrate first!

Yes, I bite!

We’ve dealt with this elsewhere so I assume by this stage you have already considered it and know which animal you want but it’s worth saying again. Make sure you have the time, space, budget, equipment and information necessary to care for the animal you are selecting properly. It is your responsibility. I had someone come in the shop the other day who had purchased a bearded dragon elsewhere and didn’t have any equipment whatsoever (not even an enclosure) or any idea on how to care for it. I know that animal is going to die but she bought it from one of the sellers previously mentioned who only cares that he got her money.

This is for transport, not housing

Finally what guarantee do you get. This is a tricky one for reputable sellers. You should be offered a guarantee of some sort but do not expect it to be for too long. It should be able to reflect that the animal did not have any immediate health issues when you bought it but cannot guarantee that the animal will not get ill if you do not look after it properly. Our standard guarantee of health (and behaviour – that’s important) is 7 days. In this time it should become clear if the animal has an illness or behavioural problem. After this time the things you are doing to care for the animal begin to outweigh its original condition. Keep a reptile at the wrong temperature or humidity and it will start to suffer regardless of how healthy it was when you got it. However statements such as “animals must be returned within 24 hours or no refund” are ludicrous. You cannot tell within 24 hours if an animal is ill. They take at least that to settle in to their new environment.

A copy of our pet shop Gloucester animal health checklist and guarantee

The Angell Pets team

Pet Shop Gloucester success video

Posted on August 6, 2012 by rangell

Pet shop Gloucester marketing strategy success video.

How our pet shop Gloucester succeeded in a double dip recession.

Old meets new

We used a superb web marketing company to set up our on line and social media marketing. Following the launch of our strategies our pet shop Gloucester business has grown and continues to grow, month by month. Obviously this success is down to the loyalty of our pet shop Gloucester customers, who seem to like our service and come back again and again. Without them we would not have even survived the recession, let alone grown.

Our pet shop Gloucester marketing is aimed at servicing these customers, keeping them informed where they can get discounts or make savings, when we have new lines or new stock in, where we will be for fun days out etc. etc. and also attracting new customers who are frustrated with the big chain shops, online traders and specialist shops with poor service.

You can click here to see a video interview I gave on how we at our pet shop Gloucester have achieved our success and what we are doing for the future. If we haven’t met – I’m the good looking one.

Pet shop Gloucester tips – what’s the best pet for a child

Posted on July 23, 2012 by rangell

Pet shop Gloucester tips series, top five considerations when selecting a pet for a child.

Pet shop Gloucester consideration number one – budget. It seems a bit mercenary to suggest your first consideration should be your budget. What I mean is the lifetime budget for the animal. Some animals are cheaper than others. For instance a rabbit is cheaper than a western hog nose snake. The housing and equipment is cheaper as well. However, over the lifetime of the animal the rabbit is by far the more expensive option. You have to take into account the feed, the cleaning, the need for vaccination, boarding if you are lucky enough to have a holiday, everything. It makes me smile sometimes when customers pass comment about the leopard tortoise being expensive when tied up outside the dshop is their pedigree dog. A dog is probably the most expensive pet you can own (unless you count horses as pets that is). So think about the cost upfront and if you don’t think you can afford it get something cheaper overall. It is not fair to buy an animal you can’t afford to keep for its entire life.
Pet shop Gloucester consideration no.2 – space. Is you space limited? Look at spiders, insects, snails, frogs, small lizards or snakes, small mammals (up to rat size). Space not an issue? Don’t disregard the ones already mentioned but also consider chinchillas, ferrets, hedgehogs, rabbits and guinea pigs, larger lizards (beardies) larger snakes (royal pythons etc), birds, cats and dogs (small dog, its for a child). All these animals are suitable for a child but have there own space requirements. Generally the larger and more active the animal, the bigger the enclosure you will need. It seems obvious but it is surprising how often this is overlooked. Customers have been in and said something along the lines of “I bought this bearded dragon at so and so in a “starter” set up and it’s getting a bit big for it now. How big will I need to get next?” When I tell them they look at me as if I’m trying to pull a fast one and counter with “but they said it would be alright in a 2 foot viv.” Sorry but I am not responsible for the bad advice you received elsewhere, I can only tell you what you need. So be sure you know with certainty how much space you need for the lifetime of the animal.
Pet shop Gloucester consideration no.3 – nocturnal or diurnal. Is it going to be awake at night or during the day. The obvious thing to think is not to get nocturnal as it will be up all night. However is your child at school? Then it may be better to not to get a diurnal animal as it will be active when the child isn’t there and asleep when he/she gets home. A lot of supposedly nocturnal species are in fact more crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) which seems ideal.
Pet shop Gloucester consideration no.4 – lifespan. A mouse is going to live for around 18 months, a chinchilla up to around 20 years (15 is more usual). If you think your child’s interest in animals is a passing phase then a shorter lived species is better. Then you are not left looking after an animal no one is interested in anymore (not fair on the animal). If you want to avoid the stress of a death in the family whilst your child is still young go for something a bit longer lived. This is a very important aspect of choosing the right pet. Children grow up and leave home. Are they going to be able to take their pets with them into digs at university or rented accommodation? If not, be prepared to look after it when they are grown up and gone. In some cases (tortoises and parrots for example) your child is going to have to consider who they are going to leave the animal to when they are gone, as it will outlive them.
Pet shop Gloucester consideration no.5 – ease of care. All animals have needs that you and your child are going to have to meet. They all need feeding (are you OK feeding live insects to a lizard or dead mice to a snake?). The all need cleaning out (I would suggest a daily litter tray clean for ferrets). They all need water (even tarantulas that get most of their water from their food). The all need suitable housing (see space considerations). They all have their own individual special requirements (dust bath for a chinchilla or gerbil, gnaw sticks for hamsters and rabbits, hides for a corn snake, misting for a chameleon, somewhere to hang from to moult for a mantis, etc. etc. etc….). Make sure you can meet all these requirements. Obviously to do this you need to know what they are so ONLY buy your animal from someone who knows.
Pet shop Gloucester consideration no.6 – we like to give a bonus point. Too many people come into our shop having bought an animal from a dubious source (pet supermarket, online store, facebook, pre owned site, local paper, forum etc.) and were given poor advice, if any advice at all. This leads to the animal suffering and the owner feeling bad about it. We get offered animals all the time and when we make basic enquiries into the history and previous care the “seller” (they wish!) cannot give even the most elementary of answers. Needless to say we don’t buy from these sources and neither should you. Only buy from a properly licenced establishment (a licence has to be displayed) whose staff can demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of the animal they are selling. Remember any one buying and selling animals commercially without a licence is breaking the law. Do you want to get your child’s pet from a criminal?

Seems a lot to consider? It should do. You need to think carefully before investing in a pet for your child. As a responsible and ethical supplier the last thing we want is for someone to buy an animal from us then come back a week or two later saying they are not able to look after their pet. If you are unsure you shouldn’t buy, simple as that. If, after considering all of the above you are sure, then come and see us in our pet shop Gloucester and we will be delighted to help. We would also be delighted to help you come to a decision beforehand as well , so come and ask us for any advice you need . The advice is free and from people who know what they are talking about .

Pet shop Gloucester top 5 tips for ferrets

Posted on July 3, 2012 by rangell

Pet shop Gloucester top tips for keeping ferrets straight from the breeder.

We have kept ferrets in the family for over fifty years. We have worked and bred our own ferrets all this period. Currently George breeds his own ferrets and helps look after his housemates breeding colony in Malvern. All these ferrets are from good working lines. George’s housemate Simon has also been keeping and breeding ferrets for a number of years. The accumulated knowledge between us is available to the customers of our pet shop Gloucester at any time but we thought we would put down our top five tips for keeping ferrets here for anyone thinking about taking on one of these active, inquisitive, playful and rather naughty animals.

One of our pet shop Gloucester ferrets

Be confident. I don’t think animals have a “sense” that picks up when you are nervous but they do seem to get nervous when you are. They are probably alerted to hesitant, jerky movement and this seems to make them feel insecure. An insecure animal is the one that is going to bite. All our pet shop Gloucester ferrets are hand tame (using traditional and humane techniques), they know not to bite so if you just pick them up and handle them in a confident manner they will feel confident as well and not get spooked. If you are unsure about picking them up they will be unsure about being picked up. To boost your confidence always ask the pet shop Gloucester staff to pick up the animal and show it to you first. If they don’t want to, don’t buy the ferret, you can’t be sure it’s tame.
Keep them occupied. They are very inquisitive animals, always getting into places they shouldn’t, on the look out for food or just mischief. It is always best to have more than one ferret. That way, when you are out they can entertain each other. If for any reason you only have one then you will need to give it plenty of play time with you. They love exploring, so give them plenty of space and toys that encourage this behaviour. Tubes and tunnels are a favourite and they seem to also like anything they can grab and pull, like a rope toy. We have used pipes and flexi tunnels, ramps, cones and tyres etc at our pet shop Gloucester. It’s best to alternate the toys every few weeks to keep up the interest.
Our pet shop Gloucester advice is to have your ferret neutered. A male in breeding condition is smelly, very smelly, very very smelly. They exude a waxy substance onto their skin as well as musking. Neutering stops this smell. Female ferrets will come into season every year. If they come into season and are not taken out they will become very ill and could die. They can be taken out of season by mating (obviously you then have half a dozen plus babies to deal with), with a jill jab (a hormone injection) which you will need to have twice a year or by mating with a vasectomised male. It is easier, cheaper and better for the ferret to have it neutered. Have it done early, our pet shop Gloucester vet prefers to do the operation before there is too much of a fat layer to cut through.
Feed a quality food. There are a lot of complete foods on the market. We prefer to use APL. We have found the condition of the coat is far superior on this food than even on a raw meat diet. Ferrets need meat or a good complete food. Do not feed bread and milk (people used to and I still hear this vaunted as “ferret food”).
Think seriously about vaccination. Ferrets can suffer from canine distemper. If you also have a dog, chances are you will be having that vaccinated. The ferret has the same vaccine. Dogs and foxes can carry the disease as can other mustelids. If your ferret is indoors and there is no chance of it coming into contact with any other animal then maybe it’s not necessary but if it is outdoors than our pet shop Gloucester advice would be to have the vaccination. If you have more than one ferret our pet shop Gloucester vet still charges the same price for up to three ferrets. This is because they use dog distemper vaccine and the vial contains enough for three ferrets. If you have only one done then the rest of the vial is thrown away.

So there you go. 5 top tips straight from the breeders on how to look after ferrets. Obviously there is a lot more to it than that. For instance ferrets can be litter trained to reduce the amount of cleaning out you have to do. If you want to know the details, come in to our pet shop Gloucester to see us and talk it through before you invest in one of these playful (it’s like having a kitten that never grows up), naughty (they like to steal things), very loving little pets.

The Angell Pets Team

Angell Pets – The Friendliest Pet Shop In Gloucester – New Blog!

Posted on April 16, 2012 by rangell

WELCOME!

So this is our brand new blog for all things Pet related 🙂

You can do plenty here, like grab our free gifts by filling in the form on the right hand side of this page, ask us any of your burning pet related questions using the ‘Contact Us’ page above…or simply share any cool info you have found here with your friends on Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter and anywhere else you hang out online!

Visit here as often as you like. We will be posting cool videos, pictures, articles and much more. Oh, and don’t forget to visit us in store, we would love to meet you 🙂

See you soon,

The Angell Pets team.