NJ Exotic Pets — Attraction in Lodi

I bought my first mini lop about 6 years ago who has had no problems throughout her life. I got her from the Lodi location, they told me she was a male and I found out later at a vet that she was female. All they said was “I think it’s a boy” it wasn’t. The Lodi location was a lot larger than where the store is now in Elmwood Park NJ. My mini lop recently passed so I wanted to get another one from the same store. I saw they changed locations to Elmwood Park, and when I went there, the store was absolutely disgusting. It was wayyyyy smaller than there lodi location. It was 90 degrees in there, all the small mammals looked like they were panting for air and barely moving. There are way too many animals smushed in the same pen piled laying on top of each other. There were an absurd amount of reptiles in extremely small Tupperware. Half of the employees are teenagers who have no idea what they are talking about, and there is never anyone available for help. I got a new mini lop when I visited the store and she passed away overnight the first night I got her. I brought her back to the store in which an employee saw her and said “oh shit, which one do u want” leading me to the same pen of bunnies i had bought from the day before for an exchange. I got another mini lop, and she went into stasis and passed away 5 days later (RESEARCH GI STASIS BEFORE PURCHASING RABBITS THE STORE DOES NOT INFORM YOU ABOUT IT). I went back to the store once again and gave it one more chance, this time buying a holland lop (3rd bunny in a week). Once again, she went into stasis on the 5th day of having her and doing absolutely everything on the instructions they gave me. I spent hundreds of dollars at the vet getting diagnoses and treatments, and the vets advice completely conflicted with the stores care instructions. Down to the amount of pellets, the type of hay, and the attention received. Every time I call the store about this problem they just say “well the bunnies here have been doing fine”. This place does not properly take care of their animals, give out proper instructions to take care of their animals, and have no compassion. They need to be shut down immediately for neglect.

UPDATE: I was going through some of the other reviews to see if anyone had a similar experience, and I saw another customer had 2 rabbits from there also die in 2 weeks. In the review she ended up finding out that they had Coccidia, which is a parasite. After seeing that my rabbits had similar symptoms after researching it, I took my most recent rabbit (in stasis) to the vet and asked if they could do a fecal sample to test for parasites. The results came back positive for Coccidia (Coccidiosis). I got antibiotics for her but later that night she was having terrible seizures and falling over, and I ended up having to take her to the emergency vet to put her down. After finding out, I called NJ Exotics to tell them that they sold me my first rabbit with a parasite. (They don’t test for parasites before selling). The first rabbit spread it to the 2nd and 3rd one, because I was unaware at the time that the first one even had it. Megan the manager was very helpful at first and one of the only compassionate employees there, offering me a free new cage and supplies. However, she told me that all rabbits have Coccidia, not understanding what I was saying. (Coccidia brings out coccidiosis). When I arrived to the store to pick up the new cage and supplies, she goes “I was going to give you all new stuff but now I can’t because of this” and shows me a screenshot sent to her from the owner of my review above. Since the owner gets notifications of reviews I’m assuming, hopefully they see this one was updated! You are disgusting. Megan then proceeded to tell me how i was causing the store to lose money because of the free rabbit exchanges and the new supplies she was about to give me, even though I lost way more money paying for vet visits than all of the things she...

After knowing about this store for years I am now finally writing a review based on my personal experiences. I purchased a rabbit from here back in February and despite taking every precaution to ensure he had a good and healthy life, he suddenly and unexpectedly passed away about 2 weeks ago. I am unsure what caused this as is my vet that saw him semi frequently. He had never had stasis or anything underlying that I knew of.

About a week later, my boyfriend purchased two more rabbits from this store and not even a week with having them, they appeared sickly. I originally called about 3 days later to inform the staff of the sicker one’s unusual stool and decreased appetite; I was informed to switch them back to Timothy hay (I did switch them back) and I could bring her in to switch her out for another rabbit. I instead took them to my vet where they were found to have coccidia (1 tested positive, the other assumed to also have it due to being contagious) and possible underlying dysbiosis. The healthier of the two did have a moderate amount of yeast growth in both ears. So due to her illness, my vet had filled out an unfit for purchase form. She is now currently on two oral suspensions and subcutaneous fluids twice daily, the other just on one oral suspension.

I called NJexotics to inform them that my rabbits were sick therefore the others may be as well. I mentioned the unfit for purchase form, my current balance for treatment and what further hospitalization if she does not improve would look like. The first person I spoke to was extremely apologetic and understanding. The second one however was still adamant that it was due to alfalfa hay despite me getting diagnostics done (IH cytology and blood work) and medical proof this was caused by her illnesses. The only way to refund me of current treatments and for the sick rabbits I purchased was to return them so in turn they could return them back to the breeder. At this point I could care less about reimbursements or money. It is extremely unfair to put an animal back into a situation where they possibly became ill in the first place. I understand the store has policies and you need to abide by that but I am not okay with knowingly doing that to an animal; especially one that is now improving on medication. This however will be the last time I purchase an animal from here. If you decide to purchase or adopt an animal from this store, please do your research and know for signs of illness. Rabbits especially are very fragile and if these two were bought by an unknowing customer who had never had rabbits before, I would say the sicker of the two would have more than likely died by now. As for the store, you are an independent business. Please do better for the sake of the lives...

Review from July 29. 2020: PLEASE READ ITS LONG BUT IMPORTANT:

I am contemplating why I ever trusted this pet store as I write this review.... on 07/13 my husband and I purchased a baby blotched king snake and an 8-12 week old regular haired guinea pig (not sure why they don't keep track of the age but ok). Both of us did tons of research on these pets for a long time before purchasing them. BEFORE PURCHASING, I noticed the guinea pig had eye crust. I asked them if he was okay and they said yes he probably poked himself in the eye with hay or was a little too rough with the other GPs. I said okay... continued on and purchased over $350 worth of pets and supplies for them.

Within 5 days the snake had mites ALL OVER HIM, which were 100% NOT introduced by anyone/anything in our household. We've made sure we were as sanitary as possible with everything regarding both pets. So I call and tell them the issue they say soak him in dawn soap he'll be fine and rush me off the phone... after doing extensive research on mites, the only chance of him getting them that soon after purchase is that he already had them from the store. That's been taken care of, thankfully and with no thanks to them.

Anyway, my main issue is with the guinea pig who had eye crust from the day of purchase. They assured me he was fine and sold me over $200 worth of stuff and sent me on my way. I was trying to clear his eyes gently but a few days go by with no improvement and towards the 10th day got worse and some sneezing started. I brought him back there on 07/23 and said you guys sold me two sick pets. Help me fix my guinea pig.. They gave 110 excuses "he poked himself in the eye" "his nose might be sensitive to strong smells" they brought him in the back for under 2 minutes came out with him and a carrot and said he's fine. I said ok but I'm suspicious because the snake I bought on the same day immediately had mites "oh I'm sorry, have a nice day"

After doing research AGAIN with how to properly treat this at home I got OTC eye drops and cleaned him. Eye got better and sneezing got worse. So yesterday 7/28 I brought him to a vet. He has a PNEUMONIA and is closer to 12 weeks old. They said it looks like he's never seen a vet before, like ever..... I was told it was good i brought him in when I did otherwise it could've worsened to death and he's now on an antibiotic.

I was sold 2 sick pets and given the run around with both of them.

I've read reviews and saw some people had the same issue and the employees address it with "after you leave the store the pet is your responsibility" or something along those lines. I ASKED BEFORE I LEFT THIS NASTY STORE AND WAS LIED TO AND RUSHED INTO PURCHASING SICK ANIMALS. You better believe I'm reporting this place....