Do you associate with your feeders?

I had rats as pets before I got my snake. I have 4 males who are great pets...also breeders. The females however are too skittish, and tend to get very nippie when they have babies, I only like one of them. The mice I have, if they come out with an interesting color/pattern they get to live, they become breeders, and may be snake food when they are old.
Everting dies, and with a short lifespan like rodents it does not bother me that much. But I could never feed a snake my 4 fave boy rats, also I don't think my little 1yo bp could handle a 2-3lb rat (my boys are big)

All of our breeders and holdbacks are pets and named. Unfortunately we really dont spend enough time with them, so I am glad they all have their buddies in their tubs with them all the time.

Hopefully Connie will chime in and add another point to the pets and food corner.

I'm here!! LOL, I'm dearly attached to all of my animals, including feeder breeders. I've named all of my breeders, and I think I'm up around 40 females now.... (ASF's are a different story, I don't socialize them or attempt to. They are just handleable for my needs and their colony is named just to keep track of lineage.)

I keep 3 pet only rats as well, 3 boys that live in a big cage. Dewey, Johnny be Quick, and Bootu.

I suppose it's easier to understand if I say that I only socialize with my breeders, as they will not be fed off for any reason until they expire or their quality of life requires intervention (gassing). Not everyone can keep retired females and I completely understand that point of view.

The pups are fed off when weaned, or grow up for only a few more weeks for larger snakes. I don't grow attached, and I don't name them.

I suppose as time goes on I might run out of names, but giving names also helps me keep detailed information about all of my rats, their lineage, and phenotypes.

Bottom line from me, don't name your food and you'll be fine.

I love to watch mine, but they are named food. Just cleaned the cages and they are a lot more relaxed than at first. I talk to them, like I do all animals, but I only named my male breeder. Even then, one day he will probably be food.

All my breeder rats have names, and I talk to them, socailize with them and give them the best care possible.

As noted they have their buds so I do not feel any obligation to them in that regard, but I do feel that every bit of attention they get, and any attempt I make at meeting their needs... social, psychological, and physical... keeps them healthier, happier, and has the benefit of making them better breeders and better parents, as well as better cagemates.

That benefits them, me, and the snakes (the snakes get more feeders that way).

We always have one pet only rat... right now a hairless dumbo named Stanley.

I really enjoy my rats, even my feeders. But does not mean that I have any trouble tossing them to a snake. I am a suck in that I really enjoy them, but I am a pragmatist in that if I got attached to the feeders I would be over-run with rats in no time. So that is easy to make that decision (one learned from experience).

Same with my retired breeders. I have allergies, and cannot keep the retired females around indefinitely (only have the lung capacity for so many furry beasts) so I make every attempt to re-home them, but the point their health starts to fail I do not hesitate to euthanize them and donate them to a boa keeper that I know.

Mice... I talk to them, I can handle them, but they are not pets. Eat your young... meet a snake... bite me... meet a snake... fail to breed... meet a snake.

ASFs. I handle them such they are manageable, and on occasion they do something I find kind of cute, but they are not pets, do not have names, and rarely tug my heart strings.

Even my long term breeder rats, if I wake up to find one has expired I do not get sad over it. I just hope they didn't suffer.

I think keeping rodents, or any feeder, you have to respect that animal, know what it needs, and make every attempt to meet those needs.

Bruce

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Originally Posted by Bruce Whitehead

All my breeder rats have names, and I talk to them, socailize with them and give them the best care possible.

As noted they have their buds so I do not feel any obligation to them in that regard, but I do feel that every bit of attention they get, and any attempt I make at meeting their needs... social, psychological, and physical... keeps them healthier, happier, and has the benefit of making them better breeders and better parents, as well as better cagemates.

That benefits them, me, and the snakes (the snakes get more feeders that way).

We always have one pet only rat... right now a hairless dumbo named Stanley.

I really enjoy my rats, even my feeders. But does not mean that I have any trouble tossing them to a snake. I am a suck in that I really enjoy them, but I am a pragmatist in that if I got attached to the feeders I would be over-run with rats in no time. So that is easy to make that decision (one learned from experience).

Same with my retired breeders. I have allergies, and cannot keep the retired females around indefinitely (only have the lung capacity for so many furry beasts) so I make every attempt to re-home them, but the point their health starts to fail I do not hesitate to euthanize them and donate them to a boa keeper that I know.

Mice... I talk to them, I can handle them, but they are not pets. Eat your young... meet a snake... bite me... meet a snake... fail to breed... meet a snake.

ASFs. I handle them such they are manageable, and on occasion they do something I find kind of cute, but they are not pets, do not have names, and rarely tug my heart strings.

Even my long term breeder rats, if I wake up to find one has expired I do not get sad over it. I just hope they didn't suffer.

I think keeping rodents, or any feeder, you have to respect that animal, know what it needs, and make every attempt to meet those needs.

Bruce

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You put it better than I ever could have. (Why is there not a smile that says :cheers:

This is an excellent thread.

I have a feeder mice colony. I enjoy them quite a lot. They aren't nearly as nice as rats, but they are still fun to have around. I try to do everything they need to be happy, healthy, and all that. Every one of them is handled at least a minute or so at least once a week, which has several benefits. First of all, it gives me a chance to evaluate their health a little more thoroughly than just opening the tub and looking at them. Second it tames them down, which makes it easier to do whatever needs to be done with them. Finally, I believe that the more comfortable the mice are with me, the less likely it is that there will be problems with cannibalism of babies.

Many of the mice have names. I am trying to name all of the breeder males, mostly as a way of keeping track of which colony is which. A few females that are more favorites have names also.

However, I was very clear with myself and the other members of the family when we got the mice that every one of them is snake food. The only exception to this rule is if I feel a mouse is not healthy enough to make a good meal. Even the named ones and the favorites get fed off if/when they are no longer a productive member of the colony.

I will admit that the first few times feeding off babies that we had raised up in our house was very hard. The very worst was when one male that was something of a favorite was not getting the job done with his females. So into a snake's tub he went. The snake struck readily enough, killed the mouse, but then turned his nose up at the meal and did not eat it. It made me feel terrible that the mouse had died for no reason.

I do think if/when we start breeding rats, I'll have much more trouble feeding them off, especially the retired breeders. Rats have a lot more personality and form more of a bond with you. So I know after I've had a particular rat around for a while and gotten to know it, that it will be hard to feed it off. I'm not sure what I'll decide... it is a bridge that can be crossed when the time comes.

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Originally Posted by kc261

I do think if/when we start breeding rats, I'll have much more trouble feeding them off, especially the retired breeders. Rats have a lot more personality and form more of a bond with you. So I know after I've had a particular rat around for a while and gotten to know it, that it will be hard to feed it off. I'm not sure what I'll decide... it is a bridge that can be crossed when the time comes.

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It's definitely harder with rats to feed them off. It's gotten somewhat easier for me to feed off the babies but my breeders are some of the friendliest (I don't tolerate mean rats lol, too many hungry snakes for that to happen) coolest animals I've ever owned. They all get treated like gold. They all have names, get to come out and socialize with us and they are all around really happy rats :D.

Yeah it does suck sometimes feeding off the babies but the snakes have to eat too. Right now we're pretty much overrun! I think at last count we had something like 30 pinks 20 fuzzies and a few small rats. Most of them will be euthanized and fed off but a few of my snakes will only take live so there's always a few of them around.

I think it's pretty cool sometimes to see the different colors/patterns that we get from our rat breedings. There's a few right now that I'm really tempted to keep just to see what they turn out looking like lol.

It breaks my heart to feed off my rats. Not quite so bad with mice. I thought it would get easier with time but it doesn't. I love my rats, food or not.

see edit note. *meh*