The Difficulties And Rewards Of Working In A Pet Store

Working at a pet store is not something that all people are suitable for. While a job at a pet store may fit some people like a glove, it is entirely impossible for others. Those working in a pet store have to be true pet lovers to take care of so many different pets day after day, and have to be strong enough not to burst into tears when their favorite animal is sold. A lot of responsibilities come with the job as well, as they will be responsible for the safety and health of all the pets in the store. If one of them gets sick and is not treated in time, the responsibility falls on those taking care of the pet. Even those employed as simple sales men or women still have to assume responsibility for the pets in their care. Knowledge of products being sold in the shop is also required, as customers will require information on all products available, from simple hamster cages or squeaky toys to a large terrarium for their reptile friend.
Caring for the pets being sold in the store means more than simply feeding them and providing them with water. It also involves playing with them at regular intervals, to keep them happy, as well as cleaning their cages, or fish tanks, in the case of fish. Anyone who has ever cleaned a fish tank before knows that this is quite a lengthy process, especially as it also involves a complete cleaning of the filtration system, and a change of water. So taking care of the pets from the store does take a lot of time, and has to be done regularly, so only true animal lovers will be able to do this time after time.
Those working in pet stores also have to clean the cages of the other animals by removing all waste from them and disinfecting them at specific intervals of time. This is the only way to make sure that germs and other harmful bacteria do not affect the safety of the animals living inside. It is also extremely important to keep sick animals away from the others, as they may transmit the disease and eventually cause all the pets in the store to become infected.
A close relationship with a vet is required, and regular visits from the vet are highly recommended, to ensure the well being of the pets being sold. Pet types should never be mixed, as there are germs and diseases that, while harmless to a rat, may cause the death of a lizard. Keeping them close together, even if in different cages, is a certain way of infection, so it should be avoided at all costs. Naturally, keeping hamsters close to predatory animals is also not a good idea, even if they are only young.
There are a lot of people who come to pet stores to sell a great variety of pets, at a very small age, because they do not have room to keep them, or the money to feed them. While this is understandable in some cases, some only do this for a profit, and it should be noted that many types of animals will not be able to properly develop without support from their mother. It is very important for most pets to stay close to their mother until they are at least 2 months old, to properly develop, and they should not be purchased until then.
Working in a pet store offers numerous personal rewards, as there is no better feeling than seeing all the pets cheer up in the morning when they see the sale men and women arrive to work. It can also be difficult, especially for those with limited knowledge of hamster cages, for example, or other similar products such as a terrarium or a rabbit hutch, as customers are sometimes extremely well prepared and know exactly what they want, and not knowing how to answer their questions can lead to problems. However, pet lovers everywhere will find no better position than those offered in a pet store, if they want to remain close to numerous types of animals, all looking for some love and attention.