RoSni
Active Member
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?!
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?!