# What does Petsmart do with sick rats?



## varoujan (Apr 12, 2012)

Four days ago I got my first rats, Cinders and Arra. As soon as I got home I noticed Arra was sneezing every once and a while. I figured it was nothing because aside from that she was acting quite healthy and energetic. 
Well, long story short, Arra got sicker and sicker over the last four days and my mom finally said we should exchange her this morning. After some tears I finally agreed to let the little baby rat I had already completely fallen in love with go.
I feel awful.

So, I was wondering, will they treat her and hopefully find a new home or will she be put down? I don't think I will be able to forgive myself if they are just going to kill her....

God, now I'm crying again.


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## RatMama13 (Aug 20, 2011)

If you take her in they will take her to the vet and you should be able to get her back as long as she can be treated.


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

I highly doubt anything will get done for her. You should take her to the vet instead of exchanging her.


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## varoujan (Apr 12, 2012)

I think I might have to ask if we can go back and get her. I really miss her :c
It's nice to know that they are going to treat her, if my mom won't let me go back for her that is.


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

How can anyone exchange their pet? Seems like I'm hearing about this a lot. People buy from petstores, where the vast majority of the animals are already sick, and just exchange the sick animal, for another sick animal, instead of getting that animal vetrinary care. :\


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## shedevil7953 (Dec 8, 2011)

I wonder if that's what they do. I took one back after 2 days of seeing the red 'P" word (not sure how to spell it) coming from her eyes and nose and sneezing. When I told them I wanted to exchange for another, the 2 young sales clerks exchanged glances. I picked that up to mean the rat would become snake food. They said they'd take her in the back. I hope I'm wrong but I just got a funny feeling over that.


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## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

When you adopt rats from a pet store you should know that they probably aren't in the best of health, but by adopting them you are taking responsibility for them. You can't (or at least shouldn't) just dump them at the store when they turn out to have health problems; it is your responsibility to treat them. If you can get the store to agree to pay for the vet bill that is great, but I would never return a rat to a store because they will likely just leave it untreated, or use it as snake food.


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

They themselves probably will not take the rat to the vet. Some pet stores WILL pay for you to take the rat to the vet depending on the store and it has to be a vet of their choosing, I do not know if Petsmart is one of these places. The reality of the situation is likely pretty much what everyone else has said, either she will be left to pass away in a back room or she will become food.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Honestly, they may try to treat her, but I doubt any vet will be a part of it. They will probably load her up with some expired bird antibiotics they had to take off the shelf and hope for the best. I can't see a corporate chain like Petsmart paying for a vet to assess a single rat when they could just use that money to bring in 10 more. What goes on in the back room, only the employees know.


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## British (Apr 2, 2012)

I'd go back to the store and tell them you want her back, personally. You agreed to care for her for the rest of her life, the minute you walked out of the store with her. She deserves that, doesn't she? You obviously love her, so I hope you will do right by her. The chance of a corporate giant racking up vet bills over a rat they could "recycle" as snake food is pretty unlikely


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I'm sorry,but when you take in any animal it is the responsibility of the owner too get them vet care. I would try and find a part time job before you look into getting any animal. All four mine go too the vet when sick between URIs and neautering I have spent a grand on them. Luckily I work soo am able too support them. As for them taking them back yes they will be sold as snake food or will be put in poor medicane and if they do not get well they eventually let them die......:/


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## PitterPatter (Feb 28, 2012)

I agree with British. There's a lot of home care remedies for all the small things, and if she was seriously sick I think if you love an animal you can sacrifice something you love like a game system or something to the pawn shop like I did when I found my baby kitten.
I mean, I would do anything for any one of my animals. I've made sacrifices and I've sold precious belongings just so they could get medical attention, and then I've spared a few dollars for home remedies that have worked.
As for your Mum, if you let her know how you feel about this little ratty, and if PetSmart still has her, you can go get her back. Just make sure you quarantine her from the others for a while.


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## digitalduckie (Mar 22, 2012)

I got my girls at Petsmart and both were sneezing for the full first week and when I finally spotted some discharge at Chell's nose, I called a vet myself and took them in to be treated.

HOWEVER, my Petsmart had me sign a contract when I picked them up. It explained everything on the back as to what you can do and/or expect if your pets become sick within two weeks of having purchased them. You can take them back to the store you got them from (and no other, even if it's just another Petsmart store) and they will take the sick pet back to be treated (so it says). You get your money back or a replacement pet, but you can option to have them let you know if the pet gets better. They will not pay for the bills if you take them to a vet on your own.

Now while I agree that when you adopt or purchase a pet, you are taking on the responsibility for caring for them, I do think it is the store's responsibility to be sure that the pets they're selling aren't sick to begin with. That's not to say I believe all pet stores accept that responsibility, but I don't think it's out of the question to take a pet back and trying to work with the store to come to some agreement, especially when the store explicitly says you can do so.

But as I said, in the end I didn't want to risk giving up my girls should the store not treat them properly or worse. From all the info searching I was doing and the lack of other symptoms from either of my girls, I figured it was probably just better to take them to a vet myself and now they're both doing much better. Happy and healthy as can be and sneeze-free.


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## Rachellynn (Mar 19, 2012)

Both my boys Toru and Asher were from a Petsmart as well, Toru was purchased while Asher was free because he was part of an accidental litter born in the store. Toru has had nasal/ URI issues since i got him, but since your baby seems to still be within their 14 day warranty, try to see if their instore vet (if there is one) can arrange an appointment. I managed to get an appointment free (35 dollars normally) but had to pay the 10 bucks for the meds. Toru ended up needing more extensive medical attention apart from this, but it is always worth a shot!


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

I'd try and get her back, and push for petsmart to cover the vet fees. If for some reason this isn't possible, don't beat yourself up, do remember for next time though (it can be a valuable lesson at least). My feeling is that if a shop sells a sick animal, they should pay the vet fees. Please let us know how you go


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## Pandora345 (Apr 14, 2012)

The same just happened to me. I called petco, they have a 15 day gaurentee so they keep them in back for 10 days to give them antibiotics, have a vet come in and check them out before obviously. I can go see them wheneber i want, and I get them back in 10 days. I'll miss them, but atleast i can see them and grt them back soon,i have to take them monday. Are you sure petsmart doesnt do this too?


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## RatMama13 (Aug 20, 2011)

Both Petco and Petsmart have local veterinarians who work with them to care for sick animals. My clinic works in conjuction with the local petcos. You sign a contract that says they willprovide vet care if the animal becomes sick within the 14 days and then you can have them back.


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## ilovemyfatcat (Apr 14, 2012)

I don't know if your Petsmart does this, but most pet stores offer a 15 day free vet just in case one falls ill. I purchased two guinea pigs and one developed an abscess, we called our Petsmart and they told my mom and I to take her to the vet and tell the vet to bill the Petsmart. If you haven't taken her back yet, call them and see what they say.


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## Afwife83 (Mar 28, 2012)

Flashygrrl said:


> They themselves probably will not take the rat to the vet. Some pet stores WILL pay for you to take the rat to the vet depending on the store and it has to be a vet of their choosing, I do not know if Petsmart is one of these places. The reality of the situation is likely pretty much what everyone else has said, either she will be left to pass away in a back room or she will become food.


Actually, this is quite untrue. A very good friend of mine worked for petsmart and became a manager. They call in a vet, who assesses and treats the animal. I brought a hairless back a few years ago when I was a fledgling rat owner, for a scratched eye. They treated her, I took home a different rat, and then when she was well again, they put her back into the tank to sell again. I bought her back and took her home. They treat the animals when it's treatable.


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## British (Apr 2, 2012)

Afwife83 said:


> Actually, this is quite untrue. A very good friend of mine worked for petsmart and became a manager. They call in a vet, who assesses and treats the animal. I brought a hairless back a few years ago when I was a fledgling rat owner, for a scratched eye. They treated her, I took home a different rat, and then when she was well again, they put her back into the tank to sell again. I bought her back and took her home. They treat the animals when it's treatable.


That's nice, I hope they are all like that!


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## Afwife83 (Mar 28, 2012)

British said:


> That's nice, I hope they are all like that!


From what I understand this is policy across all stores. Not all petsmarts sell rats either. I also know that petsmarts that do sell them are single gender stores. The one in my old town only sells females, and the one in my current only sells males. The petco near me sells only males, and the one on the other side of town sells only females. This policy was put into place because too many accidental litters were happening. I would never, EVER buy a rat as a pet from petco. EVER. I always stop by and see the rats when I'm picking up food, and I was concerned when I looked over and saw one frozen with her head titled and "star gazing". Then I noticed the giant tumor on the front of her throat. The guy admitted to me that their breeders breed for quantity, and not quality. I flipped out and demanded she be taken care of. I also called corporate and bitched. I call every day to check on her progress, and they have a vet appointment. They promised me I could adopt her for free once she's better. The other petco near me, I flipped out on, because one of their males has diarrhea. I demanded they take all the rats out of that cage and have them treated and to check ALL their rats. I was also informed by an employee that most of their rats are sold for snake food, whereas petsmart will not sell them to you if you want them for live food, but they do sell frozen ones.


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

Unfortunately I have very little faith the policy is followed across all stores...it's like going in and expecting that all the betta cups are cared for properly because you saw one store that does it right. Makes me curious though as to how my local one actually handles them.

And yeah, I hate going into petco.


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## Afwife83 (Mar 28, 2012)

Flashygrrl said:


> Unfortunately I have very little faith the policy is followed across all stores...it's like going in and expecting that all the betta cups are cared for properly because you saw one store that does it right. Makes me curious though as to how my local one actually handles them.
> 
> And yeah, I hate going into petco.


Well like I said, from what I understand it's policy, but I doubt they all follow it. I never said they all did.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

I interviewed for a pet care job at Petsmart... I had the whole process explained to me. Their regulations are questionable, at best. The employees are responsible for medicating the sick animals. They had a chinchilla that had an eye that died and shriveled up and the girl that worked to care for him was too disgusted by the eye to give him medication so she just didn't do it. I asked what they were going to do with the chin if/when it healed and they just shrugged and changed the subject.  Obviously he was one of those poor souls that will sit in the back and waste away...


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## PitterPatter (Feb 28, 2012)

That's just wrong. Someone has to help it...


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## British (Apr 2, 2012)

you have got to be joking. Why the frig would you work with animals at all if you didn't care about them?! *angry* 

...and, Flashy - what do they do to the bettas? :'(


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

They all suck at keeping them clean, and that blue water they use is a medication to keep their fins from rotting so they don't HAVE to change the water as much. Never mind that they end up dying from ammonia poisoning anyways.


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## British (Apr 2, 2012)

Flashygrrl said:


> They all suck at keeping them clean, and that blue water they use is a medication to keep their fins from rotting so they don't HAVE to change the water as much. Never mind that they end up dying from ammonia poisoning anyways.


 That's horrid.


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

That's why any of my bettas usually come from a store that actually cares for their bettas (usually a non-chain is better about this) or in the future maybe will be coming from a breeder. The genetics are still a bit of a roulette but there's very little that you can do about this without spending mucho bucks on buying and having a fish shipped. Good American breeders are far and few between. Still I have seen a few chain places that do take care of them and amazingly, there is a Meijers around here that cares for them pretty good.

Anyways, I've derailed this topic enough.


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

Flashygrrl said:


> That's why any of my bettas usually come from a store that actually cares for their bettas (usually a non-chain is better about this)


Whereas I picked the most pitiful. I love my Sinclair and now he's got a good life in a solid set, 10 gal. 

But as for the OP, I can't see any chain petstore giving a care regardless of policy :\ It's a money racket after all.


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## RatMama13 (Aug 20, 2011)

Maybe I'm just lucky where I live but the employees and care staff at the petco and petsmart locations here are wonderful. Sure you still get a rude employee now n then but that's anywhere. Maybe its because many are farm kids or somethin. I really don't know. The biggest issue I have with them is their paperwork says rats live 3-5 years.


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## jamie87 (Apr 22, 2012)

Flashygrrl said:


> They all suck at keeping them clean, and that blue water they use is a medication to keep their fins from rotting so they don't HAVE to change the water as much. Never mind that they end up dying from ammonia poisoning anyways.


 Everyone should really get their facts straight before they go around bashing corporate pet stores. No..they are not the best and I am not praising them, but I will defend against the lies and assumptions. The medication is used when new fish to come in. Unfortunately during shipment fish..all animals..get stressed. Stress brings on different illnesses, the medicine they use help to treat those fish and prevent spreading causes no harm to healthy fish. And tanks get siphoned on a daily bases.All animals see a vet before given a medication, to prevent wrong diagnoses and over medicating. Any sign of illness they see a vet. Now yes of course not all corporate stores are going to follow policies but most do.If an animal is returned ill they will take it to a vet, treat, and get cleared by the vet again..then you should get a call with an update.


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

jamie87 said:


> And tanks get siphoned on a daily bases.


I think you might be a little confused... The subject of fish was about Bettas, in the tiny cups, in which most sit unmoving in their own waste.


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## jamie87 (Apr 22, 2012)

You're right, I was confused. Thank you lol. And yes..poor bettas. Too many, and too small of containers =\


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

jamie87 said:


> The medication is used when new fish to come in.


If you go there and look in them, they are all in the blue water (which for the record is methylene blue)and I've seen them go through and clean the cups using a big bucket full of that stuff. And I'm not saying it causes harm to healthy fish because it doesn't...I'm saying that they use it so they don't have to clean the cups everyday to keep the fish's fins from rotting which is lazy and inhumane.

Oops, derailed again.


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## jamie87 (Apr 22, 2012)

We were talking about two different things.


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## Rubber Duck (Apr 7, 2012)

Without any actual knowledge of the policies or actual practices of any of these pet stores, you can kind of get an idea just with basic economics.

Pet store rodents sell for what? 5 dollars? More for the older ones, simply because they've got more food invested in them?

They're running a business, they've got profits to make. They sell these critters cheap. That means that if they can sell a rat for $5, they've got less than $5 invested in each rat. It's why the "large" rats cost more. They're older and they've eaten more food. 

Pet store rats are snake food whether they want to admit it or not. They know **** well that somebody wanting to buy a rat to keep as a pet will not have a problem paying $20-30 for a healthy rat that's been cared for properly. But nobody's going to pay that much for snake food, so they breed and raise the rats in a manner in which they have minimal investment and can afford to sell them for $5.

I have no idea how much an ethical rat breeder would charge for a rat, but I'd imagine that even if the person is not doing it for profit, the price would still be more than what you can get one for at Petco or Petsmart.


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

I know that the Bao Varakhii rats are adopted for $20 each and you have to take a pair (trio preferred), and as pets only. From what I've gathered, that's pretty standard amongst breeders.


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## Dingo (Apr 23, 2012)

I'm a little surprised they didn't offer to take the rat to the vet. I worked for Petco for 5 years, and as someone else stated, they had a 15 day guarantee in which if any of their live animals become sick during that time, they will take it to their vet and have it treated. I know this is a totally different company, but you'd think Petsmart would have a similar policy.


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I know ours has a vet care and just recently stated if your are too buy a rat you must buy another, they will not let them go seperatly anymore.


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