For us, it starts with a genuine desire to make our customers happy.  In order to do that, our employees must be happy with the work they do.  Because of this, we strive to hire employees who love animals and people, and who understand that a good business relationship is more like a good friendship than just business.  That is why so many customers here are also great friends.

One thing that has always gotten under my skin is when I visit a business and ask how things are, the cashier/salesman/etc. has a dour demeanor and answers something like “Well, I’m here” or “Can’t wait til Friday.”  This tells me that they are unhappy with their job and that I won’t be getting the absolute best customer service.

But, customer service is more than just being friendly.  While that is nice, to provide the best in customer service, a business also has to be willing to provide the product, information and knowledge to serve our customers.  This is where we really shine.  If we don’t have a certain product, instead of just shrugging our shoulders, we do our best to get that product in.  This can be very difficult for a small business, since not all products are easily obtainable in the small quantities that we sell.  But, we always do our best to get that product.

If we are unable to get that exact product, we do our best to find an equal or better product.  This is where product knowledge comes in handy, and, while we don’t know everything, we do our best to educate our staff and ourselves on as many products as we can.  This isn’t always as hard as it sounds, since all of us are animal lovers and are familiar with the products we use.

Customer service is a lot of things, it is friendliness, of course.  But it is also the ability and desire to provide the customer with the service and product that they need.  It is also the willingness to educate and inform the customer of a product they are considering.  Most importantly, it is the honest desire of the business and it’s employees to provide this customer service because they WANT to, not just because they have to.

Customer service isn’t dead, but it is on the endangered species list.  The best way to ensure it’s survival is to demand it wherever you go, and if any business is unwilling or unable to provide the best in customer service, use your dollars to vote them out.

Richard.

Don’t forget – Gloucester Chick-Fil-A’s First Annual Summer Carnival is TOMORROW, August 20, from 3pm-7pm. We will be there with games, prizes, and, if the weather is good, animals! Our friends from the Animal Resource Foundation (ARF) and the Peninsula Pet Pantry will be there, too. Come on over and have some fun!

Alice

EIGHT   REASONS   WE   LOVE   FERRETS

1. Ferrets love everyone! They are naturally non-aggressive and play well with each other, with children, with adults, and they will even want to play with your dog and cat (provided your dog and cat have an interest). Keep them away from pets smaller than them, though, as they may be mistaken for a snack! Gerbils and hamsters look pretty yummy to a ferret.

2. Ferrets want to be held! This is great because holding them is so much fun… like holding a fur-covered slinky. And the more they are handled, the more mellow, sweet, and well-socialized they become. Do note, though, that like puppies, young ferrets have a tendency to bite playfully – but it is very rare that they would bite from fear or aggression. More than anything, they love companionship and cuddles… So much, in fact, that you should have at least two ferrets so they always have a playmate.

3. Ferrets are very adaptable! You may have noticed our selection of ferret travel-carriers. Ferrets usually travel as well as a dog and are quick to adapt to new places. They would happily ride with you to a friend’s house and have a good time exploring the new surroundings!

4. Ferrets can typically be litter-trained! We carry ferret litter boxes for just this purpose. Ferrets are not as trainable as cats in this area, however, and they may choose not to use their litter box if it is inconvenient to them. A ferret in a multi-level cage would appreciate litter boxes on different levels, just in case.

5. Ferrets don’t even smell that bad! The worst smell comes from their waste. If you keep their cage and litter boxes clean, this should not be a problem. Additionally, adding Bio-Odor to their water helps to neutralize the scent of their droppings. Other than that, ferrets have a natural musky odor that some people find unpleasant. There are sprays available to combat that, which is better than bathing them, as over-bathing a ferret can actually build up more unpleasant oil. Once a month is often enough for a ferret bath.

6. Ferrets love to play! They sleep a lot, but when awake, they are all energy. Ferrets need time out of their cages for playtime, exercise, and interaction. Keep them under supervision, though, because they hop around, run, and are avid climbers. They need a large cage so they can entertain themselves when you can’t play with them.

7. Ferrets look so darn cute on a leash! “Along Came Polly” was an awful movie, save for one visual treat – Jennifer Aniston walking a ferret. We carry ferret leashes because ferrets really can be taught to walk on a leash! They will not, however, heel the way a dog will, and they may try to play with the leash, and there is also the possibility that they may figure out how to free themselves, as they are very nimble and agile creatures. So keep an eye out when you are ferret-walking!

8. Ferrets are moderately easy to care for! They are not as low-maintenance as, say, a goldfish, but they are not as high-maintenance as a parrot. They need food, water, frequent cage-cleaning (once a week is not enough), and LOTS of playtime. Feeding is easy – just give them ferret food and only ferret food. Cleaning isn’t hard, either, if you pick up some Nature’s Miracle and neaten up after them often. And playtime should be a joy: take your ferrets out several times a day and go crazy!

Our ferrets love to be handled and can never get enough cuddles. They are excited to make new friends and would jump at the opportunity to climb all over you. Come by and say hi! Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself ogling leashes and dreaming of a leisurely stroll down Main Street with two ferrets trotting in front.

Alice

Cichlids: the fun fish
The cichlid (pronounced sik-lid) is a lively, colorful fish available in blues, yellows, spots, stripes, and countless other varieties of color, shape, and size. Far from being a mindless, colorless drone that eats its babies, cichlids are community-based and personable.

African Cichlids
Within our store, cichlids can basically be broken into two groups: South American and African. African cichlids typically grow to be between 6 and 10 inches. Some Africans are mouth-breeders, meaning that the mother will carry the babies in her mouth until they are old enough to survive on their own. Even if the mother is hungry, she will hold on to her children, choosing to starve herself rather than endanger her young. The father is also there to protect both mother and children from potential attackers.

South American Cichlids
South American Cichlids grow to be much longer than Africans. Oscars, a particular type of South American cichlid, can, depending on gender, grow up to 14 inches long! (Next time you’re in, check out the front tank for an example of a giant Oscar.) Oscars come in three color patterns: red, tiger, and albino tiger. They love food and will eat anything. Their personalities are open-ended, but are usually somewhat determined by their diet. A fish fed on a live diet of smaller fish tends to be more aggressive, whereas a basic diet creates a friendlier fish.

Temperament
Cichlids are food-motivated and friendly. At feeding time, they will see you coming and rush to the top of the water for their meal. Even if you aren’t feeding them, baby cichlids will often swim up to the side of the tank to see you. Some breeds, such as parrot cichlids or convict cichlids, look like they are smiling at you… and some will even let you pet them!

Home-making
For all their tropical colors, most cichlids are hearty freshwater fish! In general, our cichlids are low-maintenance and suited for a life in hard well water. When setting up their tank, you will want to put down heavy decorations. If cichlids do not like their tank set-up, they will re-arrange decorations according to their liking. This includes up-rooting plants! Also, cichlids, though friendly, are sometimes aggressive towards other fish. They should be kept in large tanks (30 gallons or more).

If you are interested in owning cichlids, check out our selection next time you’re in! You’ll be surprised at the variety. Feel free to ask us any specific questions you have about them. We’re happy to offer advice in picking out your own cichlids… and in choosing sturdy tank decorations.

Alice

Let’s discuss snakes first. To some, snakes are creepy, crawly creatures straight from a nightmare. But, to many others, snakes are easy to care for, non-allergenic, easy going and, yes, affectionate, pets. The reasons for owning snakes are many, but almost every snake owner will say that their scaly friend is a close companion.

Snakes are also excellent for stress therapy. In fact, there are several businesses that offer this. Just ask Kriota Willberg, a licensed massage therapist in New York. Or, you can ask Ada Barak at his spa in Northern Israel. Of course, The Pet Castle offers nearly the same therapy for free, just stop in and ask for the “Jester” treatment. Jester, by the way, is a rescued ball python that now resides in our store, along with Voxie, who also gives a wonderful neck massage.

Contrary to many of the recent “news” headlines that demonize snakes, they are really quite wonderful pets and companions. In the near future, The Pet Castle hopes to host the Viper snake rescue group, who is a local reptile rescue agency that also provides the opportunity to become familiar with, and to handle different reptiles and snakes.

Now, to discuss pit bulls. Before reading any further, be sure that you know what a pit bull really is. Follow this link,http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html, and then read on.

Pit bulls are great pets, especially for households with children, but only if you are a good, responsible dog owner. Of course, that can be said of any dog breed. Even small, seemingly benign breeds such as Teacup Poodles, Bichon Frise’s, or Beagles can be very dangerous to children if they have the wrong owners. Does anyone remember Petey from “Our Gang?” Petey was a pit bull.

Pit bulls, even the males, have a very strong maternal instinct, and will be protective of their owners children. Dog fighting has a very long history that I won’t go into at this time, but, in an ironic twist, what makes them the preferred dog breed for fighting also makes them wonderful pets for children; a very high pain thresh-hold.

In the years that I have worked at a pet store, I have yet to meet a pit bull that was not friendly. In fact, every put bull that has visited The Pet Castle has not only been friendly, but friendly enough that I would allow my one year old daughter to play with them, under close supervision of course, since kids and pets should always be closely supervised.

I could go on and on about the merits of snakes and pit bulls as pets, but I will stop here for the time being. Suffice it to say, both make wonderful pets, but both cause fear in people unfamiliar with them. This is exacerbated by sensational news headlines. I hope I have been able to influence some with those fears to expand their experiences with these particular animals.

Richard