Need advice: Approaching owner about care

I don't think this is happening only while they are on vacation. It couldn't have gotten this bad in even a week.

I know rats breed fast. But I am sure she is well aware of the reptile store we both go to, will willingly buy rats from her. She had the rats separated into groups in the bins at one point. Bin of males, females, grow out, etc. I just don't know what happened.

I would like to think that things have just gotten away from her? That she just needs someone to come and set up her rat colony and go with her to purchase replacement materials. But she has been keeping rats and reptiles longer than I have. I just wonder if it would slip back into the way things are now.

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Originally Posted by Vasiliki

This approach is a good way to cause someone to become even MORE set in their ways. People who treat animals like this oftentimes KNOW they are doing something wrong. If someone challenges them, they'll be even more firm with NOT making changes. They'll accuse you of being wrong, of getting involved, etc etc.

Coming out front and telling them: "You are abusing your animals!!" won't help.

However, finding a way to inform them that their animals care needs to be improved has a higher chance of getting success. No one is saying be wishy-washy about it. No one is saying not to do something. It's the approach. What happens if this person gets mad, tells her to leave, and then worries she'll call the humane society and report her for abuse? She could try to get rid of the animals in a panic, and then there's a whole new issue right there.

I firmly believe that people who n eglect or abuse animals have some mental flaw (however minor). Because of this, it can be very hard to get them to change.

I agree that everyone should stick up for the animals, but sometimes sticking up for the animals means finding a way to get the person to change. If that means a gentle approach at first, then that's whats best for the animal. Getting mad at the owner won't help anyone, least of all the innocent critters. However, finding a way to help the owner.... That's what we want, and where the difficulty lies.

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I disagree . I guess I am just old school. I don't believe in namby pamby with these kind of people. In my experience it's best to take a head on approach . I do agree it might make them a bit resistant at first but I stand by being hard nosed. If you let them know you don't approve of there practices they might change out of fear of being reported or shame. I suppose both ways could work but for me beating around the bush just is not me. In the end its all about the animals....

Well just an update. She said that it was a last minute trip. Still, animals don't get that disgusting in even a weeks time. I told her about the Petco $ per gallon sale and she had no idea about that. She said she also trades rats for crickets at our local reptile store.


I stopped by to transport some of her rats to a friend as it was on my way. I had a few pups of my own and put them in the same container. I had to listen pups screaming while I was on the interstate and all I could do was rattle the bin in the back seat. Sure enough when I got out of the car (15 min drive) there were 2 dead pups, one partially eaten pup, one so mangled I had to whack it, and a few others that were bloody. I was very upset. She just needs new stock and to feed them rodent block.

wait....how old were the other rats that were in the same container....?

I had pups in there and hers were medium. Probably not the smartest idea, but I shuffle pups and pinks around in my own bins and maybe I got complacent. It was a single rat (small/medium) that was doing the mauling as the others were laying down and sleeping. I didn't have another container, she had them in a cardboard box, they are notorious chewers and it was pouring. Looking back I should have known it would happen. A few months ago when I was animal sitting for her at my house for 3 weeks, a mom mauled every single pup and they were born here. When I told her, she blew it off and said it had happened before.
When I delivered them, I told him not to use any for his personal breeding stock. Luckily they were all used as feeders, even the dead ones for his kings.