[justify:36hiv6lb]Any mill is sad to look at, whether they look like they're nice ones or not... Looking at the pictures absolutely breaks my heart. Don't get me wrong, I know there are other pets out there that need to feed. To me, it's a very difficult topic. No one ever complains about crickets being used as food. But when it comes to a cute little mouse, rat, or bunny, then we're all kind of against it. What about cows and pigs that are bred for meat that WE eat? Cause Iâm pretty sure not every rat owner or anima lover is a vegetarian or vegan. Iâm surely not. I LOVE chicken sandwiches. Is it wrong for me to eat chickens that were bred for my desire?
Rats were never meant to be domestic animals, just like snakes and tigers were not meant for captivity. So I disagree with the person who said to leave snakes and tigers in the wild, because don't forget, rats are wild animals, too! But as I said, some are better in adapting to life in captivity than others. I don't really know much about rat mills, as I am very new to the rat community in general, but if the animals are being mistreated in any way, shape, or form, then I highly disagree with rat mills breeding feeders... But Iâm pretty sure that these mills are not responsible breeders. They obviously donât care about the animals. Just the profit. Otherwise they would be more concerned in the good health and welfare of these little furry friends.
My older brother once had a ball python. I remember the first time I saw it eat a mouse and I was devastated. I cried for almost thirty minutes. My brother, on the other hand, was pretty entertained by the scene. I guess some people just donât care about the cute little guys like we do⦠All I could think about was the life of that little mouse... It's a sad thing being brought into this world just to be fed to a predator. My brother's dad (as we have separate fathers) started breeding his own mice. He is a very kind older gentleman and has always loved animals. He treated the mice very well, but they were still only being bred for the pet snake. It's a sad fate for our little friends being brought into the world just to be some reptile's snack later on and never get to enjoy the life of a pet. To me, however, this is just the way of life. It's not much different than predators eating rodents in the wild, but because predators in captivity don't have the luxury to go hunt for food, their owners have to provide it... and I don't think people would get anywhere if they tried to go out and actually hunt their pet's food. Thus the convenience of mills and pet stores that sell feeders.
I think what it boils down to is pet owner responsibility. Not everyone who owns a snake is a horrible person who doesnât care about the life of a small rodent. There are snake owners who take steps to be more âhumaneâ when feeding THEIR beloved companions⦠In reality though, there are a lot of people who go into pet stores and buy the first thing they think is âcuteâ before taking into consideration the responsibility, time, and effort it takes in caring for any type of pet. I think that if people educated themselves prior to adopting a new pet, they would probably then choose to buy from a breeder or shelter as opposed to a store⦠Because store rats are usually not socialized or handled very often⦠And that is a big factor because people want rats so they can interact with them, and hold them, and cuddle them⦠Then people go and get one (not two or more like suggested because they didnât at least GOOGLE the âbest care for ratsâ) and it ends up being very skittish⦠Then people are lazy and donât want take the time to socialize it and get it used to being interacted with⦠so it either just sits there in the cage all the time, with food time being the only interaction it gets with humans, or it ends up going to a shelter and being ârescued.â Wow I think Iâm getting way off topic. I need to stop RANTING lmao. The point I was trying to make is that (for those people highly against purchasing from pet stores) more people would probably be less likely to buy from pet stores if they did a little bit of research prior to adoption⦠Itâs the smart thing to do.
The three rats that I finally decided to adopt are coming from an owner who has no choice but to give them up to a good home. One of them came from a pet store, while the two younger ones came from a woman who kept having litters irresponsibly⦠so you may consider them ârescuedâ since this idiot of a woman kept letting her rats get pregnant either by accident/carelessness or for the wrong reasons (such as âbut babies are so cute!â). This is an example of the types of morons who go into pet stores and buy rats and end up having baby rats and giving them away as feeders. If people didnât do things like that, it may reduce the number of feeders and/or reduce the number of rats that desperately need a good home.
Might I add that I went into Pet World in Hampton, VA to look at rats. I knew I didn't want to adopt from a pet store at all, but I did just want to take a look anyway... I couldn't find any rats and went to the front desk to ask when they would get any rats in... The manager took me into the back room behind the counter where all the rats were stored in 10 gallon aquariums, stacked on shelves, crammed with their fellow rats and family. They were feeders... not meant for adopting. Otherwise they wouldnât have been hidden in the back. These rats werenât meant to be pets. They were there for one purpose, and one purpose only; feeders.
It's so sad...
Mills make me sick, but I accept it more than I probably would like to⦠I just understand that other animals need these rodents to survive. If our rats needed to eat snakes, wouldnât we buy snakes to feed them? Snakes would be hard to find if we didnât have snake mills to make buying them more convenient⦠Try looking at it that way. I am in no way saying that I like these mills, or that I like the fates of these poor animals, as it is very heartbreaking that these animals will never get to bond with humans much less be able to rest at all⦠Since they are constantly breeding and raising babies, and when they canât even do that, theyâre tossed into the snake pit.
People are saying that they refuse to buy from stores that sell animals. This includes Petsmart and Petco? Two of the leading pet supply stores in the United States? They have good supplies and I will always shop there. But I would not buy animals from them. I believe it is ok to buy supplies from these stores, but to not buy animals⦠If no one buys their pets, then they wonât want to waste the money in purchasing them from mills to sell. Besides, Petco is a hell of a lot better than Pet World after I was taken back to see where the rats were being housed in a dark room full of 10 gallon aquariums⦠At least Petco has their rats out on display. I think they are SUPPOSED to be for pets, but people who work at Petco are often afraid of rats. Iâve gone in a few times to talk about the rats and I also get the same remarks on how employees donât particularly like to handle the rats⦠People have such a misconception on these amazing little animals.
As for people being against feeding rats alive; I donât like this, but I understand that the captive predators still need to hunt their food⦠Correct? I saw someone on here say that in their rescue, snakes are fed frozen mice, while young raptors are fed live prey because they need to learn to hunt⦠Is this wrong? That little hawk or owl needs to learn how to hunt or he wonât survive in the wild⦠Snakes are predators. Like hawks and wild cats⦠Mice and hamsters are not predators (unless youâre a seed). But if they were, I still believe that us rat lovers would go to the extent of providing live food for our companions if that is what they required.
I guess I am being so easygoing about this topic because the mill shown in this thread is clean and organized. The rodents still donât receive any love and attention. Theyâre like hard-worked employees straining every day to satisfy their butthead boss who never gives them a break, a raise, or any praise and acknowledgement⦠I would highly be against mills that are unsanitary and neglectful or abusive to the animals (including their housing and such). The animals shouldnât have to be crowded. Arenât there animal rights and laws that people are supposed to abide? Iâm pretty sure itâs inhumane to overcrowd pets. Iâve seen on Animal Planet where people are arrested because they have five or six large dogs staying in one apartment while the owner is never home. This is neglect. Donât the same rules apply to small pets? Is it just that the bad mills are kept in hiding? I mean when I look at the mill posted here, Iâm thinking; well if my brotherâs dad continued to breed his own feeders⦠and then sell them to his neighbor who own snakes⦠isnât that similar to what youâd find happening with mills? I think it can be acceptable under the right conditionsâ¦
Also another thing I just thought of; people are against other people who buy from pet stores because it supports mills like these. I understand that but in reality, there will always be mills, no matter how hard or how long we protest⦠They will always exist, and there will always be those unfortunate ones whose fate is to be a feeder. A pet store rat is just as deserving of a good, permanent home as any rescue or shelter rat⦠Or should they suffer, along with hundreds, or thousands of other feeders and pets in pet stores while you attempt to stop mills because face it, there is NO stopping mills. So why not just give a store bought rat a nice good home. Otherwise heâll be adopted by either an idiot and not live long or be neglected for the rest of his life, or a snake owner as some pythonâs lunch. So quite frankly I donât have a problem with people buying from pet stores. Theyâre already a live, might as well give them a nice home or let them sit there in the pet store for the rest of their lives, watching people walk by and ignore them behind the glass of their aquariums⦠when even the storeâs employees are too repulsed to pay them any attention.
Please donât bash me for what I have said above. I am just stating my opinions, which often change as I learn new things⦠I am always open ears to other peopleâs opinions and suggestions. Perhaps you could shed light on the matter and change my mind on the subject. Itâs always possible⦠But I would appreciate not being trampled on for what I have said. I love animals and I do hate mills and the way many small animals are treated in the world, but I also try to think rationally and not always with my heart and emotions.
Also thank you for taking the time to read this thread, as it is very lengthy. I can get carried away sometimes in thought.[/justify:36hiv6lb]
Rats were never meant to be domestic animals, just like snakes and tigers were not meant for captivity. So I disagree with the person who said to leave snakes and tigers in the wild, because don't forget, rats are wild animals, too! But as I said, some are better in adapting to life in captivity than others. I don't really know much about rat mills, as I am very new to the rat community in general, but if the animals are being mistreated in any way, shape, or form, then I highly disagree with rat mills breeding feeders... But Iâm pretty sure that these mills are not responsible breeders. They obviously donât care about the animals. Just the profit. Otherwise they would be more concerned in the good health and welfare of these little furry friends.
My older brother once had a ball python. I remember the first time I saw it eat a mouse and I was devastated. I cried for almost thirty minutes. My brother, on the other hand, was pretty entertained by the scene. I guess some people just donât care about the cute little guys like we do⦠All I could think about was the life of that little mouse... It's a sad thing being brought into this world just to be fed to a predator. My brother's dad (as we have separate fathers) started breeding his own mice. He is a very kind older gentleman and has always loved animals. He treated the mice very well, but they were still only being bred for the pet snake. It's a sad fate for our little friends being brought into the world just to be some reptile's snack later on and never get to enjoy the life of a pet. To me, however, this is just the way of life. It's not much different than predators eating rodents in the wild, but because predators in captivity don't have the luxury to go hunt for food, their owners have to provide it... and I don't think people would get anywhere if they tried to go out and actually hunt their pet's food. Thus the convenience of mills and pet stores that sell feeders.
I think what it boils down to is pet owner responsibility. Not everyone who owns a snake is a horrible person who doesnât care about the life of a small rodent. There are snake owners who take steps to be more âhumaneâ when feeding THEIR beloved companions⦠In reality though, there are a lot of people who go into pet stores and buy the first thing they think is âcuteâ before taking into consideration the responsibility, time, and effort it takes in caring for any type of pet. I think that if people educated themselves prior to adopting a new pet, they would probably then choose to buy from a breeder or shelter as opposed to a store⦠Because store rats are usually not socialized or handled very often⦠And that is a big factor because people want rats so they can interact with them, and hold them, and cuddle them⦠Then people go and get one (not two or more like suggested because they didnât at least GOOGLE the âbest care for ratsâ) and it ends up being very skittish⦠Then people are lazy and donât want take the time to socialize it and get it used to being interacted with⦠so it either just sits there in the cage all the time, with food time being the only interaction it gets with humans, or it ends up going to a shelter and being ârescued.â Wow I think Iâm getting way off topic. I need to stop RANTING lmao. The point I was trying to make is that (for those people highly against purchasing from pet stores) more people would probably be less likely to buy from pet stores if they did a little bit of research prior to adoption⦠Itâs the smart thing to do.
The three rats that I finally decided to adopt are coming from an owner who has no choice but to give them up to a good home. One of them came from a pet store, while the two younger ones came from a woman who kept having litters irresponsibly⦠so you may consider them ârescuedâ since this idiot of a woman kept letting her rats get pregnant either by accident/carelessness or for the wrong reasons (such as âbut babies are so cute!â). This is an example of the types of morons who go into pet stores and buy rats and end up having baby rats and giving them away as feeders. If people didnât do things like that, it may reduce the number of feeders and/or reduce the number of rats that desperately need a good home.
Might I add that I went into Pet World in Hampton, VA to look at rats. I knew I didn't want to adopt from a pet store at all, but I did just want to take a look anyway... I couldn't find any rats and went to the front desk to ask when they would get any rats in... The manager took me into the back room behind the counter where all the rats were stored in 10 gallon aquariums, stacked on shelves, crammed with their fellow rats and family. They were feeders... not meant for adopting. Otherwise they wouldnât have been hidden in the back. These rats werenât meant to be pets. They were there for one purpose, and one purpose only; feeders.
It's so sad...
Mills make me sick, but I accept it more than I probably would like to⦠I just understand that other animals need these rodents to survive. If our rats needed to eat snakes, wouldnât we buy snakes to feed them? Snakes would be hard to find if we didnât have snake mills to make buying them more convenient⦠Try looking at it that way. I am in no way saying that I like these mills, or that I like the fates of these poor animals, as it is very heartbreaking that these animals will never get to bond with humans much less be able to rest at all⦠Since they are constantly breeding and raising babies, and when they canât even do that, theyâre tossed into the snake pit.
People are saying that they refuse to buy from stores that sell animals. This includes Petsmart and Petco? Two of the leading pet supply stores in the United States? They have good supplies and I will always shop there. But I would not buy animals from them. I believe it is ok to buy supplies from these stores, but to not buy animals⦠If no one buys their pets, then they wonât want to waste the money in purchasing them from mills to sell. Besides, Petco is a hell of a lot better than Pet World after I was taken back to see where the rats were being housed in a dark room full of 10 gallon aquariums⦠At least Petco has their rats out on display. I think they are SUPPOSED to be for pets, but people who work at Petco are often afraid of rats. Iâve gone in a few times to talk about the rats and I also get the same remarks on how employees donât particularly like to handle the rats⦠People have such a misconception on these amazing little animals.
As for people being against feeding rats alive; I donât like this, but I understand that the captive predators still need to hunt their food⦠Correct? I saw someone on here say that in their rescue, snakes are fed frozen mice, while young raptors are fed live prey because they need to learn to hunt⦠Is this wrong? That little hawk or owl needs to learn how to hunt or he wonât survive in the wild⦠Snakes are predators. Like hawks and wild cats⦠Mice and hamsters are not predators (unless youâre a seed). But if they were, I still believe that us rat lovers would go to the extent of providing live food for our companions if that is what they required.
I guess I am being so easygoing about this topic because the mill shown in this thread is clean and organized. The rodents still donât receive any love and attention. Theyâre like hard-worked employees straining every day to satisfy their butthead boss who never gives them a break, a raise, or any praise and acknowledgement⦠I would highly be against mills that are unsanitary and neglectful or abusive to the animals (including their housing and such). The animals shouldnât have to be crowded. Arenât there animal rights and laws that people are supposed to abide? Iâm pretty sure itâs inhumane to overcrowd pets. Iâve seen on Animal Planet where people are arrested because they have five or six large dogs staying in one apartment while the owner is never home. This is neglect. Donât the same rules apply to small pets? Is it just that the bad mills are kept in hiding? I mean when I look at the mill posted here, Iâm thinking; well if my brotherâs dad continued to breed his own feeders⦠and then sell them to his neighbor who own snakes⦠isnât that similar to what youâd find happening with mills? I think it can be acceptable under the right conditionsâ¦
Also another thing I just thought of; people are against other people who buy from pet stores because it supports mills like these. I understand that but in reality, there will always be mills, no matter how hard or how long we protest⦠They will always exist, and there will always be those unfortunate ones whose fate is to be a feeder. A pet store rat is just as deserving of a good, permanent home as any rescue or shelter rat⦠Or should they suffer, along with hundreds, or thousands of other feeders and pets in pet stores while you attempt to stop mills because face it, there is NO stopping mills. So why not just give a store bought rat a nice good home. Otherwise heâll be adopted by either an idiot and not live long or be neglected for the rest of his life, or a snake owner as some pythonâs lunch. So quite frankly I donât have a problem with people buying from pet stores. Theyâre already a live, might as well give them a nice home or let them sit there in the pet store for the rest of their lives, watching people walk by and ignore them behind the glass of their aquariums⦠when even the storeâs employees are too repulsed to pay them any attention.
Please donât bash me for what I have said above. I am just stating my opinions, which often change as I learn new things⦠I am always open ears to other peopleâs opinions and suggestions. Perhaps you could shed light on the matter and change my mind on the subject. Itâs always possible⦠But I would appreciate not being trampled on for what I have said. I love animals and I do hate mills and the way many small animals are treated in the world, but I also try to think rationally and not always with my heart and emotions.
Also thank you for taking the time to read this thread, as it is very lengthy. I can get carried away sometimes in thought.[/justify:36hiv6lb]
