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Review content:
HORRIBLE PLACE!!!!! There should be an option to give 0 stars!
We bought two ""dumbo"" (we soon realized they were not) rats from them 6 weeks ago. We were told they were 15 weeks old (they were closer to 6 weeks).Within a few days, both were sneezing. I called them and was told that it was normal and they were just adjusting to their new home. A few days later, I took them to my vet because they were still sneezing occasionally. They were both diagnosed with Mycoplasma infections and one had a brewing case of pneumonia. We left with a nebulizer and three different kinds of antibiotics.
I was not initally upset with the pet store...I have done my homework and realize that mycoplasma exists in most pet rats and some rats wind up showing symptoms and getting sick and some don't. I figured it was bad luck. The more research I did, the more I realized how wrong I was.
In the pet store, the rats were housed in a small glass cage, mixed sexes and in pine bedding. If you have rats or have learned the hard way like me, you know that pine or cedar bedding is BAD for rats. It can cause respiratory irritation and bring on flare ups of Myco.
At any rate, we began treating both rats...nebulizing them for 20 minutes twice a day and giving oral antibiotics twice daily. After a few more days, I realized that they both had these tiny brown specs of dirt in their fur. NOT DIRT...LICE. We were back at the vet, picking up even more medication to treat the lice. Since lice are species-specific (rat lice only like rats, people lice only like people), the only place they could have come from was the pet store.
So let's get to the point. Three weeks after my purchase, one rat had died, and I had spent over $600.00 in vet bills for her treatment. Last night, the second one died. She had begun to show signs of SDA (sialodacryoadentitis). Her eyes were bulging out, she had porphyrin drainage from her eyes and nose, a swollen neck, difficulty walking, etc. Unfortunately, this is a virus. No treatment is available and most healthy rats will kick it in about 7-10 days. My rats from S and S were not healthy. Combined with the current myco infection it was deadly.
I hold this pet store 100% responsible for the expensive emotional roller coaster ride that my 9 year old daughter endured. They lied to us about the age of the rats and the breed and sold me product that was unhealthy for them. I received no help from them when I called, but was assured that all the other rats there were happy and healthy and that they had not had any other complaints from customers.
DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS STORE. IT SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN.
P.S. Anyone who keeps a lion and tiger in a concrete, small enclosure has got a screw loose. Shame on me for missing that red flag.
Pros: It's a great place to see sick, mistreated animals.
Cons: You will get ripped off.
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