37 replies to this topic

[onlyme]

Guys

They're rats

bitch, we are humans


(<3)

[Drakonid]

While I appreciate your horror-stricken concern (I'm going to assume the country you're in is America), the people she gives her puppies to are all friends, family friends, friends recommended by trusted family/friends. So no, her puppies all find amazing homes She's not a dog breeder, nor does she make profit off them. She doesn't lock up the female with a bunch of other males and only lets them out once they've succeeding in mating countless times. She's also rich, the people she gives the puppies to are either very well off rich, everyone's happy. Over here in Guyana, the mongrel strays are more of a problem, since there're no dog catchers here, and those dogs breed far and wide every few months.

Since when did people get so militant about pets? When I was growing up, giving away puppies/kittens/guinea pigs/any-adorable-pet-creature-here was pretty commonplace.

Welcome to the interwebz, where nothing's holy, except animals.

bitch, we are humans


(<3)

Why didn't I see this before!
Sell them to a lab for testing, that's what humans do!

[chini]

Guys

They're rats

Eve I admire your obvious concern for these 14 cuddly little carrion creatures but I am sure you're not going to incur much karmic debt if you set them free, give them to a pet store or sell them to someone who does have a snake

Hey you know that overgrown boa constrictor you have? Just set it free in the everglades? That red eared slider you dont want? Throw it in the L.A or Santa Ana river!! Have a pet rabbit you don't want? Send it over to Long Beach City College!! Invasive species are so cool and its fun to watch them destroy native species!! Domesticated animal? It can live just like a wild animal! Lets throw are problems out to the rest of the world and just say it didn't happen. (Also the risk of injury for your snake is high when you feed it live, frozen is the way to go unless your snake downright refuses frozen).


http://www.ratster.c...eederlinks.html Here is a list of breeders/rescues that you may want to contact. They can help you find homes for your babies and spread the word out. Also when the babies get to 4 weeks of age, separate them, as rats become sexually mature around 5-6 weeks of age. If you are in need of cages, they may be able to help you with that too. Craiglist is also pretty damn cheap for cages. I used to live in L.A and would help you out if I still lived out there.

I have a couple of concerns in regards to not being able to afford getting one of them fixed. I ask, will you be able to afford veterinary care down the line? Seeing that mommy rat is from the feeder bin, she will most likely develop a tumor in her life unless she is fixed. These surgeries can cost anywhere from $250-$400. It's not cheap. Their medications for their common respiratory issues aren't either. You can buy doxy and amoxicillin for cheap from theratshop, but baytril is by Rx only and can be expensive for long-care treatment. Most vets are not trained to see exotic animals, so finding a decent vet to treat rats is harder, and more expensive than your dog and cat vet.

I have owned about 10 rats over the course of 5 years and probably have spent 1200 on veterinary care alone. I won't even go in how much I have spent on cages, supplies, and food. It doesn't matter what type of animal you get, they will always be expensive to keep if you want them to be in great health.

You could possibly complain to the feeder store, but they will probably suggest you to hand over the babies, which they will feed to snakes. Feed stores tend to be really irresponsible about "pet rats". These stores can give a rats ass about pet rats and that's how you got a pregnant female. God forbid avoid the feeder store from now on. It's a crap shoot whether or not you will get a healthy long lived rat because they just breed randomly, for food. They don't give a shit about what they are breeding into their lines. Use petco/petsmart as a last resort if you cannot find a pet rat in the area.

Since when did people get so militant about pets? When I was growing up, giving away puppies/kittens/guinea pigs/any-adorable-pet-creature-here was pretty commonplace.

Because most people end up not being able to find homes and just dump them into shelters where they have a minimal chance of getting adopted and end up getting euthanized to make room for other unwanted animals. It's a huge problem. If you can find homes for them, then that's great, but do you know if these homes continue to keep the animal or just give it away again? Like I said, people get militant because people who tend to get animals don't exactly do their homework, and the risks of relinquishment are much more higher in these types of people.

I guess you can call me a "militant", mainly because I am involved heavily in animal rescue, am a pre-vet student, and had animals neglected and abused in my household growing up. I still have nightmares of feces caked cages and dying animals because my parents just randomly got animals and failed to provide even basic needs.

Edited by chini, 20 February 2012 - 08:02 AM.

[Turnip]

NO, THIS WORLD HAS ENOUGH PUPPIES, HER DOG SHOULD BE PUT DOWN TO AVOID ANY FURTHER OFFSPRING.

Or, ya know, fixed

[Drakonid]

NO, DEAD.
EITHER DROWNED OR BURNT.

[onlyme]

Why didn't I see this before!
Sell them to a lab for testing, that's what humans do!

yeah i guess it is. why isn't your name meanbear?

[Drakonid]

Ask Soul.

[onlyme]

i did, he didn't answear.

[Drakonid]

Well, I have no idea, he picked the name.

[onlyme]

you have 444 posts.

[zandra]

and this thread has turn into a discussion over pet breeding and what should be done =/

I think that advising him/her would help but it will be great to keep off all the anger and flames.

[Ladida]

Because most people end up not being able to find homes and just dump them into shelters where they have a minimal chance of getting adopted and end up getting euthanized to make room for other unwanted animals. It's a huge problem. If you can find homes for them, then that's great, but do you know if these homes continue to keep the animal or just give it away again?

I already addressed that in my last post. The pets are not given to random people. No, the pups don't get dumped into a shelter.

I guess you can call me a "militant", mainly because I am involved heavily in animal rescue, am a pre-vet student, and had animals neglected and abused in my household growing up. I still have nightmares of feces caked cages and dying animals because my parents just randomly got animals and failed to provide even basic needs.

Good grief, I don't even.. Wow. I have never been in a house where people were cruel to animals. Actually, I don't know anyone who has been cruel to animals. In Guyana, people don't buy food for their pets, they actually go to the butcher, buy meat, and then make it into cooked food for their pets. My parents have taken in assorted birds, squirrels, puppies, kittens (all strays mind you, the offspring of the alley cats and dogs), have taken them to the vet, and tried to help them as much as they possibly can. Actually, in January, I adopted a stray puppy-that-is-probably-a-teenager, her name is Mittens because she's almost completely back with the exception of her paws and chest, which are white <3 When we had fish, they got sick, so my dad found out what medication they needed and religiously dropped it into the tank as necessary. My entire family, myself included, were members of the SPCA in Edmonton. If their membership is lifetime, then we still are members

The point is, no, I do not know people who are cruel to their pets. We have never been cruel to any animals. The people I know tend to treat their pets even better than they treat other humans. I don't see the reason to be militant, since in my case, there is nothing to be militant about where I live. The majority of people here actually love their pets, as crazy as that thought may seem :| Not everyone is out to make some poor creature's life a living Hell, so it would be best to find out first before deciding that the person in question has ill intentions.

and this thread has turn into a discussion over pet breeding and what should be done =/

I think that advising him/her would help but it will be great to keep off all the anger and flames.

I agree with you 100%.

Edit: I wonder if OP has found homes for her pet rats. Eve, you should come back and update us

Edited by Ladida, 21 February 2012 - 12:07 AM.

[EveMazing]

I don't think OP would have to abandon her baby rats in an animal shelter, since the pet store might be happy to buy them. Stuff happens, animals pop out babies, what's with the drama? I'm sure those all those rats would use up less resources than perhaps a couple of larger pets. My cousin's dog churns out puppies like some sort of puppy factory, but no one jumps on her to get her dogs fixed. The puppies are always so adorable they get adopted in no time.

I hope you find good homes for your baby rats Eve!

Thanks. I will find good homes. I know a LOT of people. And I've already had quite a few people interested. And as a last resort I found a nice pet store that will gladly take them in 5 weeks.

Guys

They're rats

Eve I admire your obvious concern for these 14 cuddly little carrion creatures but I am sure you're not going to incur much karmic debt if you set them free, give them to a pet store or sell them to someone who does have a snake

At any rate you have about 4 weeks before they start multiplying exponentially.

But for the love of god separate the parents if you haven't already. Mom can get pregnant again the same day she has the babies.

I know nothing bad will happen to me if they end up snake food, but I care about them and I'd rather not see that happen. Rats are such loving creatures and I'd rather see them go to someone who could use a fuzzy companion as much as I do. Rats fix everything, no joke. Whenever I'm upset they sit on my shoulder and lick my face and I'm all better again :] They bring so much joy and I want to share that with everyone else since now I can >.<