# CL and Breeders



## Ergala (Jan 23, 2014)

So I was perusing CL the other day and I saw an ad....it stated "Baby Hairless Rats".....and it was about 45 minutes away from me....YAY! So I clicked and the guy was asking $5 each saying it was an accidental litter. No pictures though and they are apparently 4 weeks old. HUGE red flag for me. I scrolled further down the list and I saw another rat posting in the same town (a very very small town by the way) and this time there is a picture and he has numerous rats for sale for low prices. And the rat in the picture absolutely does not look healthy and in that ad he states he has baby hairless rats as well. And he has pinkies. Obviously he is a breeder that breeds feeders and probably got overrun because he knew nothing about how fast rats can reproduce. It took absolutely every single ounce of will power in me to not respond to that ad. I wanted to....but I knew that more than likely they will be really sick or have some serious health issues. I did tell my friend who owns the pet store though, I have a feeling she might be looking into it. But the fact that he is selling these rats before they are ready just blows my mind, and they look ill, the home looks filthy and he has such a huge quantity....I think I'm going to call the humane society tomorrow as well and see if there is a rat rescue around here that might be able to take them. I know there is a rescue here that does all animals but I have no idea if they do rats.


----------



## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

If he breeds feeders then he has every right to sell pinkies and breed in large quantities. Many people breed for those who don't have the space or ability to breed their own feeders.


----------



## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

Ergala said:


> So I was perusing CL the other day and I saw an ad....it stated "Baby Hairless Rats".....and it was about 45 minutes away from me....YAY! So I clicked and the guy was asking $5 each saying it was an accidental litter. No pictures though and they are apparently 4 weeks old. HUGE red flag for me. I scrolled further down the list and I saw another rat posting in the same town (a very very small town by the way) and this time there is a picture and he has numerous rats for sale for low prices. And the rat in the picture absolutely does not look healthy and in that ad he states he has baby hairless rats as well. And he has pinkies. Obviously he is a breeder that breeds feeders and probably got overrun because he knew nothing about how fast rats can reproduce. It took absolutely every single ounce of will power in me to not respond to that ad. I wanted to....but I knew that more than likely they will be really sick or have some serious health issues. I did tell my friend who owns the pet store though, I have a feeling she might be looking into it. But the fact that he is selling these rats before they are ready just blows my mind, and they look ill, the home looks filthy and he has such a huge quantity....I think I'm going to call the humane society tomorrow as well and see if there is a rat rescue around here that might be able to take them. I know there is a rescue here that does all animals but I have no idea if they do rats.


There's nothing wrong with breeding feeders. As far as him selling them before they're ready. Well, people need different sizes/ages for feeders. It's sad, but rats are used as food items for many types of animals. As far as them being dirty..... I know a person that produces thousands each month. He cleans twice a week, but with that many rats...... There's still an odor. 

Did you actually go to this person's house and see the living conditions of the rats? Did you see sick/dead/dying animals? If the animals are truly diseased, then you should try to do something about it. If not, the person does have a right to breed feeders.


----------



## Ergala (Jan 23, 2014)

Oh I know he has a right, but he was selling the younger ones as pets, the conditions in the background were outright disgusting. Snakes have gotta eat of course. I just wish people would be more humane about feeders, it's like they forget they are living things and not just food.


----------



## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

Most feeder breeders do see their rats and mice as living things. Some even think of them as pets. What's wrong with some of them being sold as pets?


----------



## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

Ergala said:


> Oh I know he has a right, but he was selling the younger ones as pets, the conditions in the background were outright disgusting. Snakes have gotta eat of course. I just wish people would be more humane about feeders, it's like they forget they are living things and not just food.


Is this the ad you're referring to?

http://burlington.craigslist.org/pet/4306625703.html

There's a baby rat in a baby food jar. The jar is dirty, but it looks like it's dirty with the baby food that was in it. It's orange like squash or sweet potatoes. So, it "looks" like they gave them some jar baby food. Maybe to help get them or solids or to give them a little extra nutrition. The baby rat peeking out doesn't look sickly. It's eyes are bright and open. Even though the jar is dirty, with food, the baby rat looks clean.....no sticky mess on it. I can't tell much about the condition of the cage. It's blurry, but there appears to be bedding in the background. The cage appears to be tall, so they have room to climb. Going by the size of the rat, in comparison to the jar and the person's hand. It looks to be old enough to be weaned. At least, it looks old enough to survive without the mom. 

If that's the right ad. I can't tell the living conditions from that picture. If you're concerned about the living conditions of the rats. You should go to their house and see first hand how they're being treated. 

Some people do simply breed feeders for the sake of the "all mighty dollar". For some, it's how they pay the bills. They produce as many as possible as fast as possible. Even these type of breeders need to keep them clean and well cared for. Their lively hood depends on the rats they produce being healthy and growing fast.

Others breed feeders to have a healthy supply of food for their animals and they sell the extras, so others can get reasonably priced feeders/pets. These ones will also make sure their rats are kept healthy and well cared for. Remember they're feeding their own animals with them.

People that breed feeders are generally happy when one of their rats make it into a "forever home". 

They do view them as living things. Unfortunately, sometimes other living things need to eat.

The ones that breed feeders with no respect that they are living creatures...... They're in the minority and they're not around long. Feeders and pets need to be healthy for anyone to be willing to purchase them. If the person you're talking about is actually selling "sick" animals and keeps them in "filthy" conditions..... They're either eventually be turned in or go out of business. Either way, they won't be around for very long.


----------



## Ergala (Jan 23, 2014)

That is Daize! He had another ad up though that I think was flagged. I am still tempted to buy one of this hairless ones, I might contact him since we're finishing the girl's cage tonight, I'll have a quarantine cage for the new one and I can take her to the vet as well to be sure.


----------



## Sylver (Sep 5, 2013)

Your thread got you a reaction: 

Titled: really

"I posted about baby rats for sale and someone went on the rat forum saying there sick because one my pic is a baby in a baby food jar as I feed baby food to my rats for extra vitamins also saying I am a guy as I am not I am a female who breeds rats anyone interested in buying a baby can pick up at myr house to see all my rats as there are clean the one thing I hate is when people talk about me when they have never meet me or been to my house to se my rats before people talk about me I would rather they ask me about it before trying to say im dirty and don't take care of my rats. thank u reading and please people don't judge by a photo, "

And that's pretty much what my reaction would be as well. 

The only things you can tell at all from that picture is that there is a baby rat in a baby food jar, and they maybe own a houseplant, though I didn't see any other pictures.


----------



## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

Sylver said:


> Your thread got you a reaction:
> 
> Titled: really
> 
> ...


Is there a houseplant?? I didn't see one.


----------



## Sylver (Sep 5, 2013)

It's either that, nicknacks, or a painted cabinet at the bottom right of the photograph. Could also be a dark fish tank I suppose? lol


----------



## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

Sylver said:


> It's either that, nicknacks, or a painted cabinet at the bottom right of the photograph. Could also be a dark fish tank I suppose? lol


OK, I see what you're saying. LOL I thought that was the cage in the background. It's blinds on a window. Maybe I should remember to put my glasses on. LOL

So yeah, that definitely looks like a houseplant.


----------



## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

Yeah.. I'd react the same way... I hate when people jump to conclusions about stuff.. Reminds me of one of the rat breeders I had issues with recently.. lol.. I really wish I could tell that story here but I don't really want said rat breeder to see it.


----------



## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

Considering what was said by the OP.... I think the girl who responded was very polite. 

I wonder if the person that put the ad up on Craigslist is a member of this forum?


----------



## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

Probably just a lurker.


----------



## Ergala (Jan 23, 2014)

Well I am glad she responded. Abyss My issue when people who breed feeders and then sell them as pets is that a lot of the times there a few issues with them. At least around here. We had a nasty nasty problem with that. Daize I hope she is a member and I apologize to her if she is a member. I've far to much stuff on CL in regards to really bad things, I've gotten a few pets off there or arrived at a home to check out a prospect and just turned on my heel and walked out. I shook my head and walked away. Lately I've been super grouch girl between migraines and medication interactions and sleep deprivation. So to the young lady on CL I apologize for judging you unfairly.


----------



## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

Ergala said:


> Abyss My issue when people who breed feeders and then sell them as pets is that a lot of the times there a few issues with them. At least around here. We had a nasty nasty problem with that.


In most cases, feeder breeders will have the better quality rats or mice because they will cull the aggressive ones or sickly ones. There have been so many cases where I have seen "reputable" pet rat breeders adopting out an aggressive rat that needs to be housed alone when that rat shouldn't be allowed to live and further taint domesticated rats. Most feeder breeders want healthy rats because they want the best for whatever animal they are feeding.


----------



## Ergala (Jan 23, 2014)

Awaiting_Abyss said:


> In most cases, feeder breeders will have the better quality rats or mice because they will cull the aggressive ones or sickly ones. There have been so many cases where I have seen "reputable" pet rat breeders adopting out an aggressive rat that needs to be housed alone when that rat shouldn't be allowed to live and further taint domesticated rats. Most feeder breeders want healthy rats because they want the best for whatever animal they are feeding.


I wish that were the case here  My friend was just telling me how she had someone trying to sell her wild mice as feeders. And then another guy was breeding feeders for her store, it was fine for a few months but she turned away a batch when they didn't look very healthy. He became offended and never went back. No clue what happened. If someone knows what they are doing they are fine, but some people honestly think it's just a matter of letting rats and mice breed over and over and over again and not maintaining a healthy population. Kind of like the whack jobs that breed puppies that are mixes and dub them designer breeds and try to charge upwards of $300 or $400 and they don't have any shots or anything. Yet they got the parents for free on CL or FB. Like a woman selling the puppies from her Pure bred pit and from her husky mix in a group I'm in. She wants $450 per puppy because they are cute. No shots, no papers obviously....they just don't understand the responsibility involved. I'm glad that the woman I unfairly judged on here while I was miss cranky pants isn't one of those. I have seen a lot on there that are absolutely DISGUSTING and I shudder.


----------

