# Careless/Reckless/Selfish breeder!!!



## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

So for any of you who know, I have two big boys and recently got two little boys. One of which turned out to be a girl, so by everyone here and the vets advice I stanly separated them as soon as I found out - as cute as they are I don't want rat babies!!! In order to separate I had to buy ANOTHER cage as I wasn't prepared for this. So this meant I had a girl in one cage, a baby boy in another cage and then my two big boys in another. Just as I was considering introducing baby boy to big boys a massive fight broke out which made me sceptical, so I decided to wait another month until little one is 12 weeks. I finally managed to he hold of the breeder and he agreed to 'give' me another boy to keep my little one company. With working full time I was unable to give two separate lone rats enough attention to make up for a rattie friend! So I thought giving him a friend would reduce my worrying and his loneliness significantly (which it has done HURRAH). So after waiting two days for a reply breeder requested I turn up the next morning (after working a long shift) as it was the only time he was available. So I booked new baby in for a vet check so I could start integration instantly. I picked the baby up from breeders partner who apologised for their mistake and mentioned NOTHING about money, and neither had the breeder in our two prior phone conversations. That evening after picking baby up I get a phone call: "oh sorry my partner forgot to charge you for the rat." SORRY WHAT? Luckily I'm good at keeping my call! But I cannot believe after selling me the wrong gender, meaning I had to cover various unexpected expenses that he had the cheek to charge me for a rat that I only asked for as a cover for his MASSIVE MISTAKE! Am I unreasonable!? I asked if he'd be willing to give me the money for a cage that I had to pay out because of his mistake at this point he became sheepish!!!I couldn't believe it! He breeds mostly for snake food so the rats all have a bad diet and are kept in the most boring plastic boxes I've ever seen! If you're going to breed and choose to sell these animals as pets then BE RESPONSIBLE! This includes fixing a problem when you make mistakes!!! Grrr


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Some people. It's not audacity, it's just plain stupid. 


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## SneakyLord (Mar 22, 2014)

Your in the UK right? How badly is the care, because if it is so bad I'd call the RSPCA or something. I believe they can get fined and even banned from owning animals because all owners are legally required to give the minimum care.


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## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

They are fed and have water, but when you own rats you know they need toys and stimulation which these rats definitely don't get. He feeds them a high protein goat mix, we all know high protein is bad! And when I picked up the little boy yesterday, she seemed more than happy for that to mean one little boy was left all by himself in a cage. No decent breeder would ever allow for a rat to be alone! He does mainly breed for snake food and not pets but that doesn't mean the animals don't deserve a good life! I'm pretty sure all the rats have lice as well


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

Oh my god I would have been so mad. I would have told him off and definitely wouldn't have paid for the cover rat. I would be like are you kidding me?! There is no way in *******^*^^^ that I am paying for this rat cus u screwed up. 


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## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

Oh don't worry I didn't give him any money for the cover rat!!! I'm not sure whether reporting him to the RSPCA would be worth it, because for 'snake food' the conditions aren't awful, but for any one who has ever owned a pet rat it makes you want to save them all! I'm just glad I saved three of them from him!


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I know live-feeding is supposed to be illegal, isn't he technically running an illegal business?


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## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

I'm not sure, I didn't ask many questions about the feeding side of what he was doing as I would have wanted to save all 100 of them! He did show me a plastic box full of (live) mice that he was about to sell for feeding but I'm honestly not very clued up about how feeder mice/rats end up frozen etc...I just think someone needs to teach him the differences between raising ratties for pets and not profit


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## SneakyLord (Mar 22, 2014)

nanashi7 said:


> I know live-feeding is supposed to be illegal, isn't he technically running an illegal business?


 There is no specific law that says 'live feeding is illegal' only that it is 'discouraged' and 'not to be suggested'. So basically, your advised not to and your not really allowed to advertise or say, that is why in British pet shops there are no feeders and all animals are (usually) treated to standard and are pets. However, by live feeding you can break old and new animal welfare laws. But you can't specifically charge someone with live feeding.


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## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

Yeah I just looked it up, most people discourage it and its not allowed in a public place and you are not allowed to cause unnecessary suffering. Basically the law understands that this is natural behaviour for snakes etc and thousands of rodents are killed each year in horrible ways such as cruel traps/poison whereas this has a purpose and is 'swift and efficient.' I am so glad I save these three little ratties!


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## SneakyLord (Mar 22, 2014)

But you can still be breaking the law since there are other old and new animal welfare laws that it could fall into. If it were me, I would call the RSPCA, as you said before about them being in boring boxes and also there's 100 of them. Being in the boxes could cause a respiratory infection, therefore the owning is breaking the law by purposely harming (or trying to harm) an animal. It is just my opinion since I would hope for him to stop being cruel and save some ratties. If I know where they are I could call them and believe me I would.


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## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

I wasn't debating with you at all! I 100% agree!!!


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