Great for guinea pig needs (Pets at Home)

Member Name: GizmoPig

Product:	Pets at Home
Date:	08/06/09 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: wide choice, reasonable prices, animals always seem in good health

Disadvantages: some things can be expensive compared to rescues and local shops

We use Pets at Home as a second choice store for our two guinea pigs, simply because we support our local rescue by buying the basics from them.

I regularly visit Pets at Home however, just to check out their Guinea Pigs, especially if I have had an off day and need cheering up. Our local stores in Bristol both seem well run, with the animals looking in good health. I really like that they have an adoption area for returned pets that people were unable to look after and have been tempted many a time by the cute guinea pigs here, but we only have room for our two...

The best products from here that we have bought for our pigs are the wicker balls that they like to chew and roll round the floor (£3.95), their nice, sturdy ceramic bowls which are heavy to prevent tipping over and really easy to get nice and clean, and their glass water bottles which come with a tiny yellow duck so you can see the water level easily, plus a metal bungy cord to keep the bottle secure on the cage. One of them is also a fan of the Pets at Home Guinea Pig Nuggets - around £4 for a huge 6kg bag that lasts weeks if not months (we mix ours with Excel as the other piggie came to us on this food and we're adjusting them to one brand - not sure which yet)

I also like the natural treats range on sale, made from natural grasses and herbs (but ours won't eat anything but fresh veggies and hay), the own brand hay cakes which are really fresh and fragrant for a treat, and the pet blankets and beds - designed for dogs and cats but our piggies have them too (spoilt...never!)

I am however, not a fan of their hay or sawdust. I use Megazorb bedding which you cannot get in Pets at Home as sawdust in general can cause redness and soreness on the feet due to the essential oils in the wood. I just think that the Pets at Home is particularly expensive sawdust compared to local pet stores. Their hay is cut too short. I like a longer cut of hay as it can be built up into 'hay houses' so the piggies have 'food you can hide in'!

Summary: Great for basics and open til 8pm for after work piggy run!