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A recent PetSmart class action claims that the store’s hamster homes are defective, making them unsafe and dangerous for pets.
PetSmart is one of many pet stores in America. Consumers can come to the store for pet food, toys, treats, and even for purchasing animals such as cats, fish, reptiles, and hamsters. PetSmart also sells supplies for these animals.
One type of hamster cages sold by PetSmart is the All Living Things Tiny Tales Small Pet Habitats. These hamster homes come in a variety of “styles,” including Comfy House, Country Barn, Barn Silo, Rocket Ship, Amusement Park, Castle, Castle Turret, Race Car, Clubhouse, and Playground.
The hamster homes have a primary area as well as options to add additional attachments, connected to the main area by transport tubes.
Although these products are portrayed as safe, a recent PetSmart class action claims that hamsters can chew through the lip of connected transport tubes.
Hamsters are notorious chewers and are in fact required to vigorously chew items in order to maintain their continuously growing teeth. This habit allegedly makes it likely that they will chew through the plastic of the cage – allowing them to escape. Additionally, the ingestion of the plastic can reportedly make hamsters sick.
“Despite Defendant’s self-proclaimed expertise concerning pets and pet care, the Tiny Tales Homes contain a critical defect, which renders them unsafe and dangerous to the very animals they are intended to house safely and securely,” the PetSmart class action lawsuit claims. “As a result, the Tiny Tales Homes are worthless.”
Plaintiff Todd Carpenter reportedly purchased four Tiny Tales Homes for his children as Christmas presents. Carpenter allegedly connected two of the habitats together to make a larger habitat and did the same for the other two, allowing the two hamsters to live in larger homes.
Unfortunately, both hamsters allegedly chewed apart numerous connectors in both of their habitats. This reportedly dislodged the transport tubes and allowed the hamsters to escape, leaving Carpenter’s children “completely devastated and deeply saddened.”
According to the PetSmart class action, numerous consumers have left reviews about their own similar experiences on PetSmart’s website.
Due to these reports and common sense, PetSmart allegedly knew that their products could pose a hazard for small rodents.
Although the Tiny Tales Habitats are advertised as being appropriate for rodents, the PetSmart rodent care website reportedly urges consumers to “choose a habitat with a solid bottom or go for a glass aquarium tank with a well-ventilated wire mesh top” because of hamsters’ chewing habits.
Carpenter seeks to represent a Class of consumers who purchased Tiny Tales Homes from PetSmart. He also seeks to represent a Class of the same consumers from California.
The PetSmart class action lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, monetary damages, punitive damages, restitution, disgorgement, interest, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.
Have you purchased a Tiny Tales Homes hamster habitat? Did your rodent chew through components of the habitat? Share your personal experiences in the comment section below!
Carpenter and the proposed Class are represented by Christopher D. Moon and Kevin O. Moon of Moon Law APC.
The PetSmart Hamster Home Class Action Lawsuit is Carpenter v. PetSmart Inc., Case No. 3:19-cv-01731-CAB-LL, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
UPDATE: On March 2, 2020, claims in a PetSmart rodent cage class action were trimmed by a California judge who ruled that the plaintiff cannot bring nationwide allegations.
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50 thoughts onPetSmart Class Action Says Hamster Homes Are Defective
Yes however I should have kept the evidence the dead hamster. It did check and its easy to open
Yes I have purchased multiple cages and my hamster chewed through them and got out and I found him out side frozen my poor little Gus Gus
I think it depends on which hamster breed, my dwarf hamsters love their cage and I haven’t found any damage to their cage.
I have a dwarf hamster too and mine chewed through the wheel in the fire truck cage. I don’t know why she would want to get out since her only food and water is in the stupid cage.
Add me please
add me
Have Tiny Tales Clubhouse, had to replace the hamster wheel (it came with) immediately (wouldn’t spin). Had to BUY new tubes because they wouldn’t hold together tight enough AND just noticed my dwarf hamster missing because the top lid where she sleeps isn’t closing correctly! It no longer clicks shut. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS the last time I cleaned her cage, everything appeared to be working perfectly. My son is very upset, so am I. Hope we can find her before the dog does!
My hamster didn’t chew through the connectors and escape. One normal day when I woke up I checked on her and she was just dead. I took great care of that hamster but even though I provided her plenty of chew toys, she gnawed at the cage BARS so much that the white paint was mostly gone. I can’t imagine this would be okay, but does anyone know if it is made with lead or something extra dangerous?
The same thing happened to my sons hamster cage. I bought him the Tiny tales rocket ship and the tiny tales farm house. Connected them together and the Hamster chewed connecter of the tubes and got out. I was trying to find replacement connector but have no luck. This is devastating that these are still being sold and they are not cheap.
Gnawing on the bars can kill any hamster since the bars are too hard and can cause their teeth to go upwards and damage the brain. Next time try giving them chew toys if they still chew on the bars rather than the chew toys you should coat them with a thin layer of butter occasionally.
My son got a dinosaur cage and a new hampster for his birthday. It has only been 10 days and the hampster chewed through the leg and has escaped. We have 10 snakes and 2 dogs. I hope we find her before they do.
Yes mine did too and my hamster unfortunately died. I bought my at animal shelter worst mistake. They should not be able to sell these castle of any kind they are dangerous and can be chewed.
i had to tape and hot glue the tubes together , and the cage as well .
We bought our daughter a hamster and the cage and added different attachments for it along with tubes. We have had him for 2 months now and so for so good nothing is wrong. Hasn’t chewed through nothing, that’s cause we bought him bark or those chew toys so they won’t chew through the plastic cage. So we have no problem at all, we love and he has brought peace to our daughter while she sleeps…