Petco Or... Petsmart?

Petco is the best,its cheaper,and it has cuter cats and animals!!!

I understand completely where you are coming from. I had no choice but to turn to one if those places for my chinchilla, I couldn't find a shelter or breeder who had them. So I went to petsmart, I've had my chin for almost a year now and he is the nicest little bugger ever. Granted I had to work with him because they couldn't really give him the attention he needed day to day and the workers even told me that which I respected that. I've seen videos of the animal cruelty that "goes on there" but it's the factories and shipping places that treat them horribly I highly doubt petsmart or petco does the same within their store. I am an avid animal lover, I have boycotted KFC lol if I suspected that they themselves treated their animals like that I wouldn't shop there at all.

I guess it's safe to say I think you'd be okay getting a guinea pig from one of those stores. However, I'd try a local pet store first! Just because giving a small buisness business is better then a huge corporation! Also they're more likely to be handled more often and treated fairly. Good luck to you!

I have an amazing guinea pig, Toasty, and I got her from Petco. Their staff is very sweet and knows a lot about animals! The woman who helped me pick out my cage, bedding, etc. from there was genuinely happy to assist me. I have had the same instance before at the same store. I purchased a baby female mouse and the staff was happy to see her go home rather than be snake food (Yikes)! Although, I could see Petsmart being good as well. It really depends on the store and staff you visit. All I know is that I am very satisfied with the female guinea pig I got from Petco! :)

Well, they technically are not from a shelter. I don't know where PetCo gets their animals (probably from a breeder), but PetSmart gets their animals from breeders. Now, ignore the videos the have seen online. However, one thing I do know is that PetSmart is stricter with how they take care of their animals. I have a few friends that have worked with PetCo while I work with PetSmart and they agree that they slack a little with their rules.

I hope that helps.

Although I disagree with the insanity that is PETA, I do think this video is worth watching. Just so you know these animals come from at Petco and Petsmart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHU9T70YFJU

Also, I know a friend who has worked at petsmart (which in my personal opinion keeps their animals in much healthier conditions) and she told me how bad they keep the animals in the back. The ones in the back of the store you don't see, but they are kept in similar conditions as those seen in this video. Crowded small containers, many are dead and sick, but only the healthy ones are put out in the display case. If they are sick, they are given the minimum quantity of off brand medicine, which doesn't work like 85% of the time, and many of them just die. My friend was telling me all of this about her work at petsmart. It is all about making money.

I would look on craigslist for guinea pigs. I am sure somebody is selling some.

I enjoy shopping at Petsmart for pets. I have gotten two hamsters from petsmart, and both of them have lived long and healthy lives. The Petco in my area isn't very nice.

Good luck!

Get a Guinea pig from pet Co then the other one from Petsmart!!! :)

Please don't buy guinea pigs from either.

Petsmart and many other large chain pet stores get their animals from large breeding companies that are equivalent to animal mills.

You should always look for a rescue or breeder to adopt any pet from, before you resort to buying an animal from a pet store. The animals there are often inbred or ill, resulting in unhealthy babies that are taken away too early from their mothers, and are often abused or neglected. They get no human interaction, making them more fearful and skittish, and harder to tame.

read this:: http://www.cavyspirit.com/petstores.htm

you should check out both. Sometimes one is better than the other. People say that Petco is bad but in my neighborhood they are knowledgeable and the cages are clean.

Pet Smart in Milpitas alot of animals and most/all are healthy they have cats too and fish birds rodents soo c ute