I need help...

[Fran101]

((HUGS)) I know all this must be very hard for you. I've never kept small animals.. but I've gotta say, looking up the average lifespan for rats and how stretched out rescues already are, I think you should really consider lowering your numbers to only the healthy ones.
They honestly seem like the only ones with even a chance at adoption and their low care cost will give you a chance to have a life and get back on your feet and focus on school

The potential home market for rats isn't that large.. especially sick ones and aggressive ones.
I would talk to the vet about euthanasia for all the sick ones at the very least..

I know it seems harsh but it seems like what is best for you (and the remaining healthy rats) in the long run. You get more time, they get more attention and the care they need.

I just don't see any placement options or "way out" for 40+ rats. Even with some monetary donations.. rats get older, they tend to get more sick, their numbers aren't going to change.. this can't go on..

[Dogdragoness]

If you want "feeders" come to my feed room, there is no shortage of very healthy (looking) that love off the very high quality race horse feeds :/

[~Jessie~]

Originally Posted by Fran101

((HUGS)) I know all this must be very hard for you. I've never kept small animals.. but I've gotta say, looking up the average lifespan for rats and how stretched out rescues already are, I think you should really consider lowering your numbers to only the healthy ones.
They honestly seem like the only ones with even a chance at adoption and their low care cost will give you a chance to have a life and get back on your feet and focus on school

The potential home market for rats isn't that large.. especially sick ones and aggressive ones.
I would talk to the vet about euthanasia for all the sick ones at the very least..

I know it seems harsh but it seems like what is best for you (and the remaining healthy rats) in the long run. You get more time, they get more attention and the care they need.

I just don't see any placement options or "way out" for 40+ rats. Even with some monetary donations.. rats get older, they tend to get more sick, their numbers aren't going to change.. this can't go on..

I've been trying to think of a way to correctly word a reply, so I'll quote yours since it conveys how I feel.

((((((((((((((HUGS, Bri)))))))))))))

If you lived closer, I'd consider taking the suggies. I have two females (for those who were wondering... apparently my Mort isn't a male afterall lol) and wouldn't mind adding more. However, I don't think there is a way to make it financially worth it to get 2 gliders from WA to FL.

[milos_mommy]

I don't breed my own feeder mice (my snakes eat small mice and fuzzies...I haven't bought a pinkie in years), but I do purchase them from a very small, private organization that does reptile awareness, rescue, and education and breeds (and kills) their own mice. Obviously I don't have a veterinarian checking these guys out, but I see how they are kept and there is no sign they are unwell, and if I found out these people were knowingly sending me rodents with infections and unknown viruses/symptoms, I would be VERY upset.

I just don't see the logical behind that at all. You wouldn't see someone post about their chickens who are packed into a tiny, dirty enclosure, unhealthy, being fed unsafe hormones and cyanide, and suggest that since that person can't handle them, they sell them as people food, and say "oh, large meat farms do it anyway so that makes it ok."

[~Jessie~]

I honestly think it's heartless to suggest having these rats fed to snakes. These rats are loved pets, and I couldn't imagine feeding my pets to another animal.

I think that euthanasia would be the best option for these sick rats, unless some rescue was able to actually take them in. Rats have such short life expectancies, and you just can't save them all. Especially when you don't have any income coming in and are struggling to provide for them.

[Saeleofu]

I don't think Sael is saying that feeder rats aren't killed humanely. I think she's just saying that, if turning these rats into herp food isn't a possibility

That's exactly what I'm trying to say. Not even because of the feeding sick animals to snakes reason, either. These are PETS. I can understand not wanting to feed PETS to a snake. That's like me saying your dog's sick, just go feed it to a lion or a wolf, or heck, cut it up and feed it to the other dogs. It's just NOT going to happen.

[~Jessie~]

Originally Posted by Saeleofu

That's exactly what I'm trying to say. Not even because of the feeding sick animals to snakes reason, either. These are PETS. I can understand not wanting to feed PETS to a snake. That's like me saying your dog's sick, just go feed it to a lion or a wolf, or heck, cut it up and feed it to the other dogs. It's just NOT going to happen.

Yep, exactly this.

Originally Posted by ~Jessie~

I honestly think it's heartless to suggest having these rats fed to snakes. These rats are loved pets, and I couldn't imagine feeding my pets to another animal.

How are these "loved pets?" They're pet store rejects that someone supposedly dumped. Makes so much more sense to spend tens or hundreds of dollars euthanizing them ("humanely" isn't a word I'd use for the method normally used by vets on small rodents, but whatever helps people sleep better) and throwing them out with the trash than it does to recycle them. I mean I guess we could donate to have them individually cremated too...

Originally Posted by milos_mommy

I just don't see the logical behind that at all. You wouldn't see someone post about their chickens who are packed into a tiny, dirty enclosure, unhealthy, being fed unsafe hormones and cyanide, and suggest that since that person can't handle them, they sell them as people food, and say "oh, large meat farms do it anyway so that makes it ok."

Really big difference between human grade food and herp food. Do you feed your dog kibble? Because, um... Yeh, pretty sure this isn't human grade:

[~Jessie~]

Originally Posted by SevenSins

How are these "loved pets?" They're pet store rejects that someone supposedly dumped.

Just because they're pet store rejects doesn't mean they're not loved. I can tell the OP cares a LOT about them by reading her posts. She's maxed out her Care Credit card for them, has tried to nurse them back to health, etc, etc.

I've ended up with foster dogs that were "dumped rejects"... it doesn't mean that I didn't love them, or that they didn't end up in homes where they were loved.

I just don't find it appropriate to suggest that these rats be given away for snake food. They're being cared for as "pets" and not feeders.

Originally Posted by ~Jessie~

I just don't find it appropriate to suggest that these rats be given away for snake food. They're being cared for as "pets" and not feeders.

Cool. I don't find it appropriate to beg on a forum for people to fund some bleeding heart's hoarding project. Shall we agree to call it a stalemate?