Companies known for humane treatment

[guitrage]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows of any feeder supply companies that have reputations for providing their feeders with quality lives? By this I mean ample room for the rodents and proper treatment, not crammed living situations like the animals we eat! I don't want to buy any rodents from companies that treat their mice/rats like we treat our cattle/chickens. Here's what I mean: Meet Your Meat

Anyone have any references?

Thanks

[Brandon.O]

Ohh my gosh........i just watched that video, i had to turn it off, it was so disturbing. I didnt even get all the way threw it.

I really dont know what to say about that. Thats just horrible.The last minutes/hours/days must be hell for those poor animals :cry:

[Garrett]

wow, i feel horrible, yet i still drink milk and eat eggs and meat. argh i am disgusted

[sk8er4life]

oh my gosh that is so sad and i love milk and i was drinkin some when i watched this, omg i feel so bad im disgusted too!

[Marla]

The best way I know of to ensure that your feeders weren't raised like the animals in feed lots and similar is to raise them yourself, as some of us here are doing or trying to do.

[epilover]

raise em yourself or get em from a good petstore.

i usually go to petco and pick out a lively, healthy looking mouse, and then gas the poor critter.

[guitrage]

How much money/time would you say it takes to breed mice and rats?

[Marla]

Relatively inexpensive. I have rats and won't have mice (again) because of the stink factor, though others will tell you if you clean obsessively the odor isn't a problem. I feed my rats a mix of Ol' Roy dog food (the only dog food that's ok because of its lack of dyes, though the WalMart connection may put you off), uncooked & unsalted peanuts, rodent lab blocks (buy in bulk if you can because chain pet stores mark it waaaay up), fresh fruit and veggies as available (apple cores, for example, since my kids miss a lot of the apple meat when they eat), and occasional other treats (corn, sunflower seeds, etc.). I think we use about 1.5 cups a day of the mixture for 6 rats (1 full-grown, 5 subadult to young adult), plus the other stuff as noted.

The 5 rats are in a cage we got for free, and the other one is in a cage I built for less than $20, and both cages have (free) newspaper substrate, water bottles, and freebie-type hides like tissue boxes. Not counting caging and caging accessories which is going to vary all over the place according to your choices, I think it runs less than $1 a day for all 6 rats.

Edit: I should have mentioned that it's a good idea to have separate cages for males and for weaned juvies by sex, and I do have those available, just no need to have them set up that way until someone is pregnant.

[guitrage]

Great, thanks!

[Marla]

You're welcome.