Whitie's Pets

First time visiting, enjoyed the store at first. They had a wide selection of animals and products. Although once getting to the fish section no amount of cool animals or Interesting products could take away from seeing this abnormally large flying cockroach just chillen above some of the aquariums. My son Dimitri and I were both concerned about this monstrosity flying and attempting to attack us or even having it flying around the store and traumatizing other children. It’s concerning that the employees DID notice it was there, yet none of them did anything to deal with the issue. There could be more…

We love this store. Employees have always been helpful and shown genuine care about what they do. Whities is my go-to for my pets needs.

Very friendly staff and knowledgeable about the dog food I needed for my tiny rescue Chihuahua. Decent food prices and found exactly what I needed for my little fella!

The variety of aquatic stock and plants here is incredible and unparalleled by any other pet supply shops or chains I have been to. The interior also features beautiful aquariums cared for by the employees. The employees themselves are very knowledgeable and attentive. This is one of the few places where almost everyone I speak to fully knows what I’m talking about and can answer questions realistically from their own experiences. Their plants and fish are almost always very healthy, and those who are not they either mark not for sale or inform you prior to purchasing. Most of my larger aquarium stock is purchased from this location. That being said, I have had two fatalities from this store the same day I brought them home and began the acclimation process. I am unsure if the fish were ill beforehand, or if the stress of the move was too much for them. One (a blue angel ram—notoriously delicate fish) appeared to have swim bladder and unfortunately was not aided by the gentle salt dip and careful attention in its quarantine tank. The other three rams I purchased from here at the same time, however, have thrived in my 40g planted tank. The second baffles me—a medium sized clown loach from a group of six. All the loaches settled in splendidly and with no difficulty, except for this one. He sat at the bottom of the tank on his side and appeared to have some seizure-like attack and was breathing rapidly. He passed on very quickly following that. I’m always very careful not to add fish to an aquarium that isn’t well established. This tank is natural planted and triple filtered, having been cycling for three months prior to any addition of fish. The water parameters were very stable and nearly identical to the tank where I keep my rams and peacock gudgeons, both of whom are very delicate and sensitive to water toxicity and general hardness. I am unsure what could have caused this type of severe reaction and have never had any fish react this way before. All that being said, quarantine and acclimate your fish slowly, and just keep a close eye on them upon purchasing. Always be very selective about which you choose and from what tank to ensure you’re not bringing home anything that could crash your tank, or that has a greater chance of not surviving the stress of a transfer. Their return/refund policy is a bit strange, and for me not really worth the 40-50 minute drive it takes to get there from my location in Hanford. You must contact them within 48 hours if a fish is sick or dead, and bring in the fish and a water sample within that time frame for a partial refund (1/3 of the original cost) or a replacement. The replacement is entirely dependent upon your water parameters testing safely. They will NOT sell you more fish if your water is not suitable to support their wellbeing—as they shouldn’t. All around however, their prices are fairly reasonable, the store is easy to navigate, the employees are helpful, and there is plenty of parking. It can occasionally be a bit crowded, which may affect wait times if you need assistance with something. The wait is never that bad, though. Definitely check it out, if only for the incredible marine and freshwater displays they’ve put together! Last video is my own tank—work in progress, but almost everything is from this location.

1 Star — Heartbroken and Furious: Dead Rats from Negligence I am absolutely devastated and furious after purchasing a bonded pair of rats from this store, only to have them both die shortly after bringing them home. What’s worse? After doing some digging and visiting the store again, I saw something that made my stomach drop: they were housing their small animals on pine bedding — specifically the kind sold at Tractor Supply, which is completely unsafe for rats and other small animals. Let me be crystal clear: Kiln-dried pine and cedar shavings are known to be toxic to small animals. They contain harmful phenols (strong-smelling aromatic oils) that can cause severe respiratory issues, liver damage, and even early death. When rats are kept on this bedding, they breathe in those vapors constantly. It's not just outdated, it's negligent and inexcusable. Tractor Supply’s America’s Choice pine bedding or similar brands are NOT safe for small animals unless clearly labeled kiln-dried and phenol-free, and even then, most reputable exotic vets and animal welfare groups recommend paper-based bedding like Carefresh, Kaytee Clean & Cozy, or other dust-free, non-toxic alternatives such as aspen bedding. The fact that this store continues to use pine bedding for its animals tells me they either: Don’t care about the health of the animals they're selling, or Are completely uneducated and unfit to be selling small animals at all. I’m sick to my stomach thinking that my rats might still be alive if they had come from a place that took proper care of them. I’m mourning them while knowing their deaths were entirely preventable and that’s a pain no pet owner should have to go through. If you love animals, do not support a business that cuts corners at the cost of living, breathing creatures. Do better. Or don’t sell animals at all!!