But I will present the argument that the other side puts forward so you can make your own mind up. A feeder rat is one which is bred with the sole purpose of serving as live food for snakes.
However, in the USA, feeder rats are a fairly common sight in a lot of pet shops. As feeders are not viewed as a viable pet by most shops, they are often not kept in good conditions. Now, no rat lover in their right mind would disagree that feeder rats are wrong. Thats one thing people on both sides of the argument agree with. Frozen food is another matter, but live is frowned upon by nearly all rat lovers and knowledgeable reptile owners. Feeding live food to your snake is not only inhumane, it is actually dangerous to the snake itself.
A rat, or a mouse, is not defenceless and they will not sit and wait to be eaten. Below is a picture of a ball python that was attacked by a mouse it was supposed to be being fed on:. If this is the damage a single mouse can do to a snake, you can imagine what a fully grown rat can do.
Some reptile owners will insist on feeding live since they think it is more natural. Because while the average pet rat is quite clean and well behaved, wild rats can be downright dangerous. They were first bred into being by rat-catchers and others in the 18th and 19th century. These breeders enjoyed using the rats for blood sports and rat-baiting yikes! Two famous rat tamers capitalized off smaller, rarer, more colorful rats, breeding them and selling them as pets.
Domesticated and wild rats breed at about the same rate. Media New media New comments Search media. Log in Register. Search titles only. Search Advanced search…. New posts. Search forums. Log in. Install the app.
For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Feeder rats as pets.. Please help. Thread starter rattiemama12 Start date Feb 9, Joined Feb 7, Messages 2 Location Kentucky. I dont know if this is in the right section if not please let me know but I plan on adopting 6 , 1 month old, female rats from a guy who used them as feeders for his past snakes..
I read somewhere online that they aren't good pets and wont be worth having or trying to tame.. Is that true? M0onkist Well-Known Member. Oh heavens no, every ex-feeder rat I have ever met has been just wonderful, and they're absolutely NOT harder to tame than a rat born to an ethical breeder. The only difference is instead of having their baby days be cushy and spoiled, they had terrible living conditions, hunger, maybe pain, and lots of fear - they can smell when snakes are close by.
Imagine having a mortal enemy always living right next door to you, and you have no idea when the door between you might just open What I really mean is, sometimes it takes just a bit longer to get them to truly trust you, to place their lives in your hands, to know without question that you stand for everything like love, caring, food, fuzzy hammocks and lots of veggies and treats.
But to be honest, the first time a rat trusts you is the most precious moment you two can have together, and if you have to work hard for that moment Now when you're first handling them you do want to be careful - you won't know just how scared they are of you until you've seen them for a while and interacted with them a bit.
But if you keep your movements slow, your voice gentle, and just keep feeding them treats from your hands, they'll realize it's not the Big Grabby Hand of Doom, but the Big Gentle Hand That Bears Yummies. Soon you'll have six devoted little followers who can't get enough of you. At a minimum, cages for healthy adult rats should provide two cubic feet of space per rat, have multiple levels, and be very easy to access and clean.
Cages that allow air to flow freely between wire bars are far superior to aquariums or other habitats with solid sides. Litter needs to be replaced at least weekly, and the cage should be washed on a regular basis. Cages should also be outfitted with the following:. Even if you put together the ideal habitat, your rats need at least minutes outside of the cage every day. During this time you should interact with your rats through play and some cuddle time.
You can even train your rats to perform tricks, come when they are called, go through an agility course or maze, or walk on a leash. Rats are omnivores, meaning they will eat almost anything, but you still need to give close thought to what you offer them. Pellets made specifically for rats should make up the bulk of their diet.
Small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables make ideal rat treats. Fresh water should be available at all times.
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