Hamsters are usually sold at local pet stores, and I bought my hamster at such a store. Taking care of and keeping my hamster, I asked myself what happens to the hamsters that will not be sold.
So I did a little research and here’s what I found.
What happens to unsold hamsters in pet stores?
Unsold hamsters in pet stores are often sold at deep discounts so that they can still be sold in the end. If they do not manage to be sold at a price of $1, then they are given as a gift when selling other products or taken to charities.
In today’s article, you will find out what happens to the hamsters that will not be sold, why they remain unsold and similar questions.
What happens to unsold hamsters in pet stores?
Hamsters that remain unsold in pet stores are sold at a discount and price reduction of 20-25% per week.
This decrease can last for several weeks until the price of buying a hamster has decreased and reaches only 1 dollar.
If it doesn’t sell even then, some stores give them away for free for adoption. Here are some things pet stores can do when hamsters go unsold.
Weekly discounts on the purchase of hamsters
Pet stores sell hamsters when they are still small, more precisely when they are 5-6 weeks old because at that age hamsters can live alone without their mother.
The sale of the hamsters is going well until it is noticed that certain hamsters cannot be sold even though they have been in the pet store for several weeks.
Then the stores reduce the price of the hamsters by up to 25% per week, which usually results in quick sales.
It is very rare that a hamster remains unsold because when buyers see a discounted price, they immediately buy them.
Moving to another pet store
Sometimes if the hamsters cannot be sold at one store, they are moved to another pet store where there are more hamsters for sale.
Such migration of hamsters usually results in sales, since in stores with higher sales, the chances of them being sold are usually higher.
Sometimes big pet brands like Petsmart and Petco use this tactic to sell hamsters faster.
Placing captions for the sale of hamsters
Pet stores have various tactics for selling hamsters, and one of them is placing emotional captions.
For example “Why no one likes me, and I am a very good pet” and similar others that attract buyers to buy a hamster.
Most of the time, these and other inscriptions work great, and in the end, the hamsters will be successfully sold.
Adopt a hamster for free
If all else fails and the pet store fails to sell the hamster, then they give the hamster away for free.
They do this for the first time when they assess that they can no longer sell the hamster and that it creates more expenses for feeding and keeping it.
Or they may give the hamsters to pet charities as a way to find them a forever home.
Hamsters as a free gift
Hamsters that cannot be sold at the pet store are often given as gifts.
For example, if someone buys a cage and other accessories for keeping a hamster, they will get a hamster for free that cannot be sold for a long time.
This is a successful strategy because the buyers are satisfied because they didn’t pay anything for the hamster, and the sellers are also satisfied that they managed to sell some of the products together with a free hamster.
Return to the breeder
Sometimes pet stores make contracts with breeders for hamsters that will not be sold for a certain period of time.
In such situations, breeders take back hamsters that are not sold and then decide what to do with them.
They either continue to breed them, or give them to humanitarian organizations, but they still try to find a home for each hamster.
Why buyers do not want to buy the hamsters?
Hamsters remain unsold due to certain factors such as genetic problems, strange appearance, DNA, and other similar factors.
So let’s read in more detail about each of them.
The appearance and look of hamsters affect sales
The appearance of hamsters greatly affects whether they will be sold or remain unsold at the pet store.
For example, hamsters that have no hair or lack fur look strange in contrast to other hamsters and are very difficult to sell.
Honestly, when I was buying a hamster, I was looking to buy the most beautiful hamster, which is a completely normal thought for every new hamster owner.
Read more: Where Can I Sell My Hamster? Let’s Discover
Genetic defects
Certain hamsters are born with genetic defects and are then more difficult to sell in the pet store.
Of course, they also have an equal right to life, and that someone should take care of them, but the buyers do not want to buy these hamsters.
Although these hamsters are sometimes sold at a discount, in the end, no one buys them and they are given to charities for keeping pets.
DNA affects hamster sales
If the hamsters have a different appearance than all the other hamsters then they are hard to sell.
For example, albino hamsters have a different appearance because they do not have enough melanin in their organism, they have pale eyes, their fur is different and often remain unsold.
Pet stores have trouble selling hamsters that look different and don’t fit the normal hamster look.
Read more: What Age Do Pet Stores Sell Hamsters? Let’s Find Out
The season affects the sale of hamsters
In the summer period, most hamsters are sold, while in winter it is much more difficult to sell.
During the winter, hamster shops have to give discounts and other ways to sell hamsters.
FAQs
Is it OK to get a hamster from a pet store?
Buying a hamster from a pet store is ok, but it is still best if you can buy a hamster from a reputable breeder. Hamsters in pet stores may have certain genetic problems, diseases, and similar problems.
Where do hamsters live if they are not a pet?
Hamsters that live in nature usually live in hot and dry areas, such as the areas in Syria, where the first hamsters came from.
What age should hamsters be sold?
Hamsters are sold in pet stores when they are 6 weeks old, from that age, they can live independently from their mother.
Conclusion
When hamsters remain unsold for a long time in pet stores, then often large discounts are given for their purchase.
With discounts, the hamsters will still be sold in the end or will be given to charities for keeping pets. Sometimes hamsters are given for a dollar or given as a gift when buying other products from the store itself.
A big problem when selling hamsters is when they have genetic problems because then the buyers don’t want to buy them and take care of them.
However, I hope that for every hamster a buyer will be found who will take care and keep his new pet because hamsters deserve it.
Read more: Where Do Hamsters Live In The Wild? All You Need To Know
