NO More Feeder Rats!.. Right?

[RoSni]

When I was about ten years old, I went to my first and only Reptile Expo with my cousin and my uncle. My uncle bought my cousin a corn snake, and then bought a live pinky mouse for the corn snake to eat when we got home. I cried.
The whole time during the car ride back home I held the little one in my hand and begged my uncle not to feed her to the snake.

Wellll, he did anyway, as a snake has to eat. But I think that's what fueled my love for buying feeder rats.

Fast forward yeaaars later. Today I read that there's a reptile expo going on right here in Toronto for the first time ever, next Sunday.

Then I remembered my first experience. I think you can tell where this is going.

There will be feeders there, no doubt. I have walked into pet stores and left without rats many times, so I AM capable of doing it.
But it's not easy. And it'll be even harder at the expo because there are rats from ages 1 day to a few months there. I think the mere fact that hand raising baby rodents is a very hard thing to do will keep me from the pinkies and fuzzies. But due to my recent pondering about life in general I may not be able to stop myself.


I try to stop myself by thinking about the following things:

1. I've heard countless times that people who buy feeder rats fuel the need to breed more feeder rats.

2. Two out of the now five male rats I've owned have had tumors that ended up killing them.

3. And two have required a vet trip within a week of having them.

4. The fact that I'd said I would 'take a break after Panzer, Posie, and now Maddox have passed."

5. Rats are expensive.

6. Sometimes I panic and feel overwhelmed with more than two rats.

7. Many shelter rats need homes!

8. You swore feeder rats off in front of COUNTLESS people over the internet AND in person!


SOMEHOW, I have the ability to look past those cons, and a persuasive voice in my head says:

1. I'm only one person. How big of a difference could I be making?

2. All pets get sick. So does family. I can deal with it! I HAVE to deal with it!

3. Vet trips are a good time to bond!

4. Maddox is only 8 weeks. If I get a new baby they'll be roughly the same age! Panzer may be full of energy now, but Maddox's energy will be too much for him when he's old.

5. Back in solid work! So it's doable....

6. You get over that panic -very- quickly.

7. At least the shelter rats won't be eaten by snakes.

8. But you only swore off feeder rats to save YOURSELF from future heartbreak!

9. You've got room!

10. ONE more can't hurt.

11. You're saving a life. Hello? A life!

12. Think of how lonely Maddox will feel when Panzer passes!

13. You only live once, and life is short. It's even shorter for rats! You're making a huge difference for that one rat!

14. [the worst of all, the sappy guilt trip.] Look at that little face- those eyes! He needs you. If you don't save him, he'll never know love, or get scritches, or popcorn while being tickled. Imagine if you'd never saved Rowf, Snitter, Panzer, Posie or Maddox!



I don't want to stop myself from having a fun experience because I fear I might come home with another rat to love. I said I'd never buy a feeder again, and I said it for a reason! I hate going back on my word.

At the same time, when I feel like something is right- TRULY right for me to do, who am I to ignore it?
But who says I'll fall in love with a little rat anyway?
I'll have a stern voice telling me not to do it, and I can try to stay away from the bins. I can avoid it!

.. Oh dear, what if I fall in love with a mouse?!

 

[victoria]

The thinking that we are each individuals that can't influence a market is crap. While there may always be a market for feeders, every feeder you "rescue" will be replaced by another rat bred to fill the demand - and the breeders/pet stores will make even more money. There are however many, many rats that need rescuing from situations where they won't be replaced by another rat destined to suffer the same fate you rescued the first from. EVERY rat you adopt from a rescue/shelter makes room for another rat in need to be taken in. Those rats needing to be rescued will be euthanized (best case scenario), suffer without medical care, be "set free", or otherwise be neglected or abandoned and will not be replaced by another animal subject to the same treatment.

Adopting from a reputable rescue, you will also have more peace of mind as to the health of the rat (including that you are not getting a pregnant rat) and about where your adoption fee goes.

Can you just skip the reptile expo to avoid temptation altogether?

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

My advice is don't go if you think it might result in your coming home with another rat. If everyone has the same "it's just one rat" mentality then we get nowhere in the fight against irresponsible/unmoral breeders and like victoria said it takes away potential homes for rats in much worse situations.

 

[jorats]

I tend to agree with the others, although, I do not judge those who buy from pet stores or the like.
But... I just can't give money to someone that I know is making a female rat suffer out there.

 

[RoSni]

Of course I'm influencing the market; I didn't say I didn't make a difference at all.

EVERY rat you adopt from a rescue/shelter makes room for another rat in need to be taken in.

That's one thing nobody [that I can remember] has said when talking about feeders vs rescues.

But about the "Peace of mind as to the health of the rat" when adopting from a rescue. You mean initially, as in they won't come with a URI, or current health issue at the time of adoption?

Thinking about it even more deeply, I suppose it's better to die young than live your whole life either alone, in pain and sick, neglected, or in terrible conditions. If we can get even more deep than that, when one of my pets [or family for that matter] pass on I always get this "need for new life" feeling. I hadn't made the connection at first, but the fact that getting another -baby- rat NEVER crossed my mind when Posie was still around made me think.


I really don't want to avoid going. This may sound like crock to you, but I don't get out often [especially with family] and I wanted to go somewhere with my younger cousin [who gets out even less] and mother that they would enjoy going. I'd like to take pictures and be able to say I actually DID something on the weekend.



Actually here- for whatever it means to you, many of the people on this site I hold in high regard as rat owners, and as far as I can see reasonable and level headed people. People I don't want to see me as a liar. And though it mainly benefits me [and of course other rats], I will put my hand on my heart and I'll guarantee you, I'll promise you- I'll SWEAR to you that I will come back home feeder-ratless.. And feeder-mouseless..
Just plain feederless! Unless it's some sort of insect, as I enjoy raising a lot of insects through their stages of life..

It's been a dream of mine to rescue an adult rat or two, and getting another feeder will just prolong that dream from happening.


Obviously I don't know you guys, and you guys don't know me, so I don't expect you to hold me to it, but.. well, you can.

 

[jorats]

Aww... no worries, even if you do come home with one, we'll still love ya.

 

[xxchelle]

The point about adopting from rescues - so true. When my rescue is full, it literally kills me when I have to turn down severely neglected, abused rats. When someone adopts from me, that gives me the opportunity to take in those abused rats and attempt to find them a forever home.

 

[RoSni]

Back and ratless!
I've got to tell you, I almost took one home. I was so, scarily close. I made the decision, picked him up, sexed him [compared to the others], and realized I had not ONE cent on me [for the exact reason]. I had to ask my mother for the money and she reminded me why I shouldn't do it. >: Still hurting, but it's for the best I suppose. .. I suppose.

...


But I did buy something. :3 But I'll post it in the 'other pets' section.

 

[jorats]

Awww... just think, you did not support a rat mill industry.

 

Its hard here not to come home with a pet store rat, since we do not have a rat rescue here. I usually go to kijiji ..but even then there are not very many ..maybe 1 every two months! Unless I was in a situation where I NEEDED another rat soon because I had a lone one, then thats the only time Id have too, if there were none on kijiji.

 

[Joanne]

Congratulations on foiling yourself! Hehehe...
Now how about checking out a local rescue for a baby that needs a home to keep Maddox company.... :giggle:

 

[SQ]

I couldn't do it ... which is one reason I don't go to pet stores or reptile shows etc.
Another reason is that I refuse to support them by giving them my money.

 

[megk]

i love going to reptile expos. except the feeder rats and mice stand. its so said because they are so cute and you know their fate

but buying them from those people isnt going to rescue them, because your still supporting that industry. But at the same time its cruel what about the snakes? They need to eat too and they dont really make a commercial dry food or whatever. if i had one and had to feed it i would probably only get frozen ones, i wouldnt want to see the struggle.

I mean i love fish too and have multiple fish tanks to admire them, but still have feeders for my turtle

 

[RoSni]

Ah, forget the other pets section I'll just say it here!

I got a Tarantula. The best part about it is the people who sold him to me breed ONLY arachnids[scorpions included], and they're all captive bred, so none of them are ripped from the wild.

So no snakes to feed if you catch my drift, and they don't breed rodents for anything. I had to make sure before I bought him because if not, I might as well have bought a bunch of the feeder babies.

But at the same time its cruel what about the snakes? They need to eat too and they dont really make a commercial dry food or whatever.

I know. I mean, I think it's terrible when I come across people saying all snakes should be killed because they're evil for eating rats. What sense does that even make?

I couldn't do it ... which is one reason I don't go to pet stores or reptile shows etc.

I really regretted going for a while there. I kept picking them up and putting them back down, walking away and going back. I stood at the bins for a good half hour before I ended up just leaving the expo. They actually had PET rats for sale there. Hairless ones. I didn't know what to think of that.

Congratulations on foiling yourself! Hehehe...
Now how about checking out a local rescue for a baby that needs a home to keep Maddox company....

Why thank you! It wasn't easy. Funny enough I had a dream involving my rescuing two male rats yesterday. XD Got me thinking.

Unless I was in a situation where I NEEDED another rat soon because I had a lone one, then thats the only time Id have too, if there were none on kijiji.

I ran into that issue with Snitter. I was so scared about his change in behavior after his brother died and I just had to go out and grab him some buddies from the feeder shop.

Awww... just think, you did not support a rat mill industry.

That's what keeps me from feeling too bad.

 

[Joanne]

Hmmm, I've never met a tarantula in person. My only fear with critters like that is that I am worried about getting bitten. Dogs and cats and rats, etc. have body language that can be read, so you can get an idea of how and what they're thinking. I would have no idea if a spider was happy/sad/pissed off, etc, so.....

 

[RoSni]

Hmmm, I've never met a tarantula in person. My only fear with critters like that is that I am worried about getting bitten. Dogs and cats and rats, etc. have body language that can be read, so you can get an idea of how and what they're thinking. I would have no idea if a spider was happy/sad/pissed off, etc, so.....

Hahah, this is an aggressive species so I wouldn't even try holding it. Well I wouldn't hold any Tarantula. I don't really see the need- it's like holding a fish. You CAN, but..

Either way they've got body language too! They rear up and raise their front legs and palps at you. I still wouldn't risk it, even though many of the ones sold as pets don't have life-threatening bites.

 

[Bamboo]

*squee* I want pics!! What kind did you get? Is it full grown or just little? Who'd you get it from? Tarantulas Canada? (Sorry, I'm nosy lol)

Hmmm, I've never met a tarantula in person. My only fear with critters like that is that I am worried about getting bitten. Dogs and cats and rats, etc. have body language that can be read, so you can get an idea of how and what they're thinking. I would have no idea if a spider was happy/sad/pissed off, etc, so.....

Hahah, this is an aggressive species so I wouldn't even try holding it. Well I wouldn't hold any Tarantula. I don't really see the need- it's like holding a fish. You CAN, but..

Either way they've got body language too! They rear up and raise their front legs and palps at you. I still wouldn't risk it, even though many of the ones sold as pets don't have life-threatening bites.

True dat! And if we're talking about a NW species they're more likely to hair you then bite, if you're stressing it out. As with anything else, if it has teeth it can bite but if bites happen, they're human error :wink2:

 

[RoSni]

*squee* I want pics!! What kind did you get? Is it full grown or just little? Who'd you get it from? Tarantulas Canada? (Sorry, I'm nosy lol)

Hmmm, I've never met a tarantula in person. My only fear with critters like that is that I am worried about getting bitten. Dogs and cats and rats, etc. have body language that can be read, so you can get an idea of how and what they're thinking. I would have no idea if a spider was happy/sad/pissed off, etc, so.....

Hahah, this is an aggressive species so I wouldn't even try holding it. Well I wouldn't hold any Tarantula. I don't really see the need- it's like holding a fish. You CAN, but..

Either way they've got body language too! They rear up and raise their front legs and palps at you. I still wouldn't risk it, even though many of the ones sold as pets don't have life-threatening bites.

True dat! And if we're talking about a NW species they're more likely to hair you then bite, if you're stressing it out. As with anything else, if it has teeth it can bite but if bites happen, they're human error :wink2:

Heheh, this guy seems more likely to bite than hick hairs. He's a Cyriocosmus elegans, aka a Trinidad Dwarf Tiger Rump, or Valentine Tarantula.



Cutie Patootie, no? He's an adult, but he's a dwarf species. Confirmed to be male.


... ... This has turned into a TarantulaShack, it appears.

 

[Cinderwolf]

Ohh thats so niffty, I do think theya re such cool little critters. My bio teacher had a pet tarantula, and I forced my friends to sit with me at the table next to him . It was named Peter.. like spider man ( by my sister's friend when he belonged to his first owner, a different teacher) but when my bio teacher got him, he named him ( her?) Aragog. To cool, I would stare at him and watch him while the teacher was talking. I also saw it hunting and stuff. Fun times.

But I must admit, I'd never have one. Nto for me, but still really cool to look at.

 

[hprats]

what does "hair you" mean??? :shock:

That is a great looking tarantula though.
Spiders still scare me. Just the way they move. It's so cool, but in a creepy way.