# oh dear ive fallen for mice!!



## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

When my friend goes away i feed her animals and she has satin mice  not sure anything about mice but anyway....

ive fallen for these little things, i even tried to stroke them which is a 1st for me as i was always scared of them lol but my friend told me mice hardly ever bite.

so anyway im wanting mice :001_tt2: can you tell me the best sort of housing they should have? are the rotastack with tunnels a good idea? how many should live together? whats best, male or female? and best place to buy them from.

my hubby gonna kill me hee hee but he wont be able to moan as i just get them and its too late to say no then  

oh and do they smell? lol sorry had to ask, please dont be offended just thought id ask as ive heard some rodents smell more than others.


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## Yorkshire_Rose (Aug 5, 2009)

frags said:


> When my friend goes away i feed her animals and she has satin mice  not sure anything about mice but anyway....
> 
> ive fallen for these little things, i even tried to stroke them which is a 1st for me as i was always scared of them lol but my friend told me mice hardly ever bite.
> 
> ...


Where are you from? 
IF its just pets you can always look at rescue some, Allaboutmice has a rescue page with mice all over the country looking for homes.


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

Yorkshire_Rose said:


> Where are you from?
> IF its just pets you can always look at rescue some, Allaboutmice has a rescue page with mice all over the country looking for homes.


im in essex, oh id love to rescue some needy mice. i will google allaboutmice. Thank you.


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

male mice do stink , sorry lol 

ive kept mice on and off for 20 years and some have loads of charahcter, im thinking about getting another myself.

females should be kept in pairs and groups but males can be very agressive and most tend to end up living alone which is just as well because several male mice can stink to high heaven.

THey make great pets though, general rule of thumb, get the biggest cage you can, they love tubes but be aware with them being incontinent you may fine yourself haveing to clean the tubes every day or evey few days to keep them clean and that can be a real pain.

Ive kept mice in a jenny rat cage, its huge for them and they absolutlu love to climb plus the bars are close together and they are easy to clean


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

We used to have five female mice in a large glass tank but they did smell even when they had only been cleaned the day before. They had to be cleaned out every 4 or 5 days and I could still smell them. They are lovely little things though.


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

I dont know much about mice but TDM has some. She'll be on later and can give you all the info you need


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## miss-freak-of-nature (Jan 4, 2009)

Pampered pets said:


> male mice do stink , sorry lol
> 
> ive kept mice on and off for 20 years and some have loads of charahcter, im thinking about getting another myself.
> 
> ...


What they said

But a jenny rat cage is not suitable for young mice under 20 weeks because they can squeeze out of the bars and you will be chasing them all over the house.

I have bred mice for 5 years now, and I have always kept my mice in tanks, the smallest tank I have for a single male is 2ft long. I put paper or wooden tubes and toys in for them, but not plastic as you will have the clean these everyday or so, and wooden and paper ones you can just throw away on the day of cleaning or when they start to smell.

But I think that a group of 3 female mice is just right, as if one dies then the other is not left alone, and if your tempted get another female to introduce to them so if another dies the other is not left alone it has a friend.:wink5:


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## Flissy (Jul 27, 2009)

I don't know anything about mice but i think you should get some 

And I agree about not telling your OH until afterwards, its safer that way! Maybe he won't even notice


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

Im in talks about getting a boy mouse, so ill be joining you being a mouse mummy  only difference is i have no other half to say no lol yippee


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Male mice do not necessarily stink and I wish people would stop saying that! I have 14 mice just now, 7 males and 7 females. They only start to smell by day 5 and they get cleaned every week. I also have 6 of my male mice living with their brothers (3 lots of 2) without any issues. Unless one of my mice is ill or I don't clean them out at the end of the week there is no smell.
As for housing I have a tank, bin cages, imac cages and a fop dixie cage. Each has it's one benefits and drawbacks. IN terms of fun for the mice I find that the perfecto 3 level tank and the imac are best but this is easily remedied by giving them plenty of toys in any cage. You will need to keep an eye on the spacing of the bars - the closer the better. For feeding them try to get a mouse only food - the food for gerbils and mice, hamsters and mice etc. won't have everything they need as they each rodent has different dietary requirements. Personally I find mixing your own food is cheaper, better for the mix, lasts longer, is healthier and there is much less in terms of wastage.
Females generally get on better but if you have the time males can live together very happily too. Best place to get them is from a breeder or from a rescue - I would avoid petshops (I've gotten 4 of my mice from a pet shop and although they are great they weren't as healthy for a while. All 4 now happily live together and escape their cages or attack the cat through the bars


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

i said male mice generally smell as over the 20 yrs ive kept them most of mine always did, i have had the odd few males that live together but most didnt, what i post i post from experience.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I wouldn't reccomend getting more than 1 male, so if you want a group females would be better, sorry ZT but your boys are pretty amazing and it isn't usual for them to get on:blushing:. There is a mouse cage calculator which will tell you roughly what size cage you will need Mouse Cage Calculator , they need more space than you would imagine, they love bars as they love to climb, as ZT says the smell is often because the cage is stripped and completely cleaned every few days and the mice then feel the need to remark everywhere,I find that once a week is perfect and I put some of the old bedding back in so the don't go mas scent marking everywhere. They love ropes and things to climb on and the home made toys are usually better than the bought ones, like rats they should not be kept on shavings especially pine. This is my mouse cage and I have 5 girls in there, they climb all over it,they are amazing pets and so friendly.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Pampered pets said:


> i said male mice generally smell as over the 20 yrs ive kept them most of mine always did, i have had the odd few males that live together but most didnt, what i post i post from experience.


:001_tt2: Okay, you've way more experience than me :blushing: I've never found them to smell though.



thedogsmother said:


> I wouldn't reccomend getting more than 1 male, so if you want a group females would be better, sorry ZT but your boys are pretty amazing and it isn't usual for them to get on:blushing:.


Do you think it's maybe as a result of me dropping them on their heads too often? :001_tt2:


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## cherrie_b (Dec 14, 2008)

I have 4 female mouseys!!  They live in a 3 tier Imac. They are very funny little creatures!! 

Mine all have different personalities...Daisy is very friendly, whilst Maisy is very shy. Snowy and Flo are just very cheeky!!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

zany_toon said:


> :001_tt2: Do you think it's maybe as a result of me dropping them on their heads too often? :001_tt2:


Apparently that isn't reccomended, so you shoould maybe think about stopping doing it .


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Pampered pets said:


> i said male mice generally smell as over the 20 yrs ive kept them most of mine always did, i have had the odd few males that live together but most didnt, what i post i post from experience.


Yes I too found my males smelled - a persistent musky smell. When I had show mice about 25 years ago (black & tans, pearls and silver satins) I was at college. I used to get a lift in every day with a guy who lived nearby. One day he started wheezing badly and almost crashed the car - turns out he was severely asthmatic & allergic to a lot of things and I'd handled my male mice that morning and still had the same clothes on.

ETA: Frags - look at this page, if you love the colours of rabbits you'll love the colours of mice!
http://www.miceandrats.com/standmic.htm


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Apparently that isn't reccomended, so you shoould maybe think about stopping doing it .


They rather seem to enjoy it though  I think the kitty who likes to be spanked has had a bad influence on my mice then....


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

MerlinsMum said:


> Yes I too found my males smelled - a persistent musky smell. When I had show mice about 25 years ago (black & tans, pearls and silver satins) I was at college. I used to get a lift in every day with a guy who lived nearby. One day he started wheezing badly and almost crashed the car - turns out he was severely asthmatic & allergic to a lot of things and I'd handled my male mice that morning and still had the same clothes on.





Pampered pets said:


> i said male mice generally smell as over the 20 yrs ive kept them most of mine always did, i have had the odd few males that live together but most didnt, what i post i post from experience.


With you both having a lot more experience than me, do you know what makes some male mice smell and others not? And why some just don't get along?
I only got mice this year so have been assuming that mine are the standard so unlike MM and Pampered Paws I don't have years of experience to draw on. I just wondered if you knew why this is so in order that I could keep an eye on them as I intend to keep mice for many years to come!


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

zany_toon said:


> With you both having a lot more experience than me, do you know what makes some male mice smell and others not?


I have absolutely no idea, but I can never forget the smell - I only have to walk into a shop or someone's house to know if they have a problem with wild mice.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

MerlinsMum said:


> I have absolutely no idea, but I can never forget the smell - I only have to walk into a shop or someone's house to know if they have a problem with wild mice.


Maybe mine really are weird then!! My sister hates them but even she only comments on the smell of the boys towards cleaning day. Either that I perhaps I have a smelling problem which is quite possible (like some people can smell aniseed and others can't) hmmm. Now I'm really confused.

Do you think the diet could affect their smell? I did notice a smell from the boys when I first got them. I changed them on to my own mix instead of the pet shop stuff the breeder had been feeding them and haven't noticed it since now that I think about it.


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

id just enjoy them lol i hope im getting a male mouse in the next few weeks so ill let you knwo if he smells, but then again i have ferrets so im always being told i smell lol

I like the mouse and ferret smell though, perhaps people shouldnt visit me or get in my car.....now there is a good idea! id much prefare my animals to people who complain how much they smell.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Pampered pets said:


> id just enjoy them lol i hope im getting a male mouse in the next few weeks so ill let you knwo if he smells, but then again i have ferrets so im always being told i smell lol
> 
> I like the mouse and ferret smell though, perhaps people shouldnt visit me or get in my car.....now there is a good idea! id much prefare my animals to people who complain how much they smell.


Likewise!! My mice always come running to meet me - I'd rather put up with my animals than most members of my own family!!

Again, sorry if I sounded like I was getting on to you for saying the mice smell  Guess I didn;t realise how unusual it was for them not to!!


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

zany_toon said:


> Again, sorry if I sounded like I was getting on to you for saying the mice smell  Guess I didn;t realise how unusual it was for them not to!!


It is unusual for them not to - maybe the presence or absence of females could be a factor.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

MerlinsMum said:


> It is unusual for them not to - maybe the presence or absence of females could be a factor.


All 14 of my mice are in the same room with their cages next to one another...I seriously think my mice mmust just be mad!!


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

thanks to all for the advice i will be trying to find a good breeder in essex as i cant find a rescue near me.


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

could you rescue some from the local pet shop? most of these end up as illegal live food so i always think they need rescuing.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Pampered pets said:


> could you rescue some from the local pet shop? most of these end up as illegal live food so i always think they need rescuing.


Noooooooooooo, please no pet shop critters ever, they just replace the ones you buy with newly bred poor little critters.
http://www.petforums.co.uk/rodents/59475-something-all-new-small-animal-owners-consider.html


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## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

I know they replace them, but i'd rather have a mouse/any animal that has had a terrible upbringing and to have saved it from that, and given it a new and happy life, so it doesn't end up as live or dead bait. I think the ones from breeders are always going to have a good life, but the ones from petshops needs some tlc too.

But i suppose thats just my opinion


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Phenobarbie said:


> I know they replace them, but i'd rather have a mouse/any animal that has had a terrible upbringing and to have saved it from that, and given it a new and happy life, so it doesn't end up as live or dead bait. I think the ones from breeders are always going to have a good life, but the ones from petshops needs some tlc too.
> 
> But i suppose thats just my opinion


Obviously it isn't rescuing that I have a problem with its the fact that when you buy from a pet shop you are promoting breeders who keep their animals in terrible conditions, I have seen horrific videos of rodent farms which is where the majority of pet shops get their 'stock' from and I would hate to be promoting that, you could say the same about puppy farms, I would find it very hard to walk away from a puppy living in those conditions but I would not knowingly promote this trade.


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## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

Oh yes ofcourse i wouldn't want to help promote rodent farms in any way whatsoever, but i suppose it's a difficult one to argue really. Maybe they do it like that on purpose, so that some poor sod like me will come along and feel sorry for the hammies and buy them 
I'm looking for another hammie or a hairless rat to add to my zoo soon too 
The hairless rat will definately be from a breeder, but the hamster will probably be from the rescue bit in [email protected]
But they probably make up half the sob stories written on their names in there to be honest!!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Phenobarbie said:


> Oh yes ofcourse i wouldn't want to help promote rodent farms in any way whatsoever, but i suppose it's a difficult one to argue really. Maybe they do it like that on purpose, so that some poor sod like me will come along and feel sorry for the hammies and buy them
> I'm looking for another hammie or a hairless rat to add to my zoo soon too
> The hairless rat will definately be from a breeder, but the hamster will probably be from the rescue bit in [email protected]
> But they probably make up half the sob stories written on their names in there to be honest!!


Most of my hamsters came from the adoption bit of [email protected] but I only recently found out that sometimes they bend the truth about where they came from, you just have to hope you are getting a genuine rescue and not old stock, it won't stop me from getting animals from there in the future though, I will just be careful what questions I ask I think any very young animals will probaby have come from stock.


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## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

Awwh no! I got my 3 rattie boys from there ar 8 weeks old. Apparently they were from a someone who couldnt look after them, but when she was writing on the adoption form, she put 'breeder' 
I don't think they should be allowed to lie about that!!


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

so why cant i buy from my local shop that uses them as feeders but pets at home is ok? there would be no way of ever knowing what was the truth so thats a bit hypocritcial, sorry but i got my ben from the pet shop just as he was about to become food and id do it all over again, ive had him nearly two yrs now and a lovely boy he eventually turned into.

my local pet shop stocks from local breeders or accidental litters from people, its pets at home that buys en masse and who is to say the conditions they come from?


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Pampered pets said:


> so why cant i buy from my local shop that uses them as feeders but pets at home is ok? there would be no way of ever knowing what was the truth so thats a bit hypocritcial, sorry but i got my ben from the pet shop just as he was about to become food and id do it all over again, ive had him nearly two yrs now and a lovely boy he eventually turned into.
> 
> my local pet shop stocks from local breeders or accidental litters from people, its pets at home that buys en masse and who is to say the conditions they come from?


If your pet shop buys from local breeders that is the perfect solution, I would not buy from Pets @ Home sales area (if they sold mice) but would adopt ftom their adoption section providing I felt happy that they were not old stock that hadn't sold. My first mice were from a local breeder who breeds feeder mice and they have been amazing pets.


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## Tammy0407 (Sep 19, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> If your pet shop buys from local breeders that is the perfect solution, I would not buy from Pets @ Home sales area (if they sold mice) but would adopt ftom their adoption section providing I felt happy that they were not old stock that hadn't sold. My first mice were from a local breeder who breeds feeder mice and they have been amazing pets.


I understand why you wouldnt want to but from pets at home i really do, but i also understand why they put old animals up for adoption as they are only trying to find homes for the animals! I know they buy their animals from those horrible farms but they still need a loving home poor critters


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## Flissy (Jul 27, 2009)

Phenobarbie said:


> But they probably make up half the sob stories written on their names in there to be honest!!


They couldn't make up Poppets sob story lol! 

But yeah they probably do lie... in my [email protected] it usually just says that the owner couldn't look after them anymore or that it fought with its cagemate.


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

i just think every animals deserves a chance no matter what its background, unfortunatly these horrible places are probably never going to stop breeding but i just cant leave the poor animals to their fate, its a catch 22 situation.


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## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

Pampered pets said:


> i just think every animals deserves a chance no matter what its background, unfortunatly these horrible places are probably never going to stop breeding but i just cant leave the poor animals to their fate, its a catch 22 situation.


Yes but we can try to stop them them breeding. Every person who doesn;t buy from them is another couple of babies they haven;t sold. It;s a tiny, miniscule step but it;s astep nonetheless. If we can stop just one person buying, that's a victory to me.

Problem is that a lot of people have white knight syndrome and think they're doing a good thing by 'saving' these animals. All they're doing is condemning another litter to a miserable life. Personally, (and heartless as it seems) I would much rather buy healthy animals from a breeder than save them from a petshop. I have no problems with getting from rescues though.

Peace
Akai-Chan


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

Being realistic, it will never stop. My local pet shop sources local or breeds themselves, unlike pets at home who buy mass produced animals, putting them in the adoption centre is no different than them being on general sale in 99% of cases.

Breeding will never stop so i prefare to get one from where i know it maybe didnt always have good life, my choice.

many so called breeders arnt great behind closed doors, look at the tailess rats.


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## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

Pampered pets said:


> Being realistic, it will never stop. My local pet shop sources local or breeds themselves, unlike pets at home who buy mass produced animals, putting them in the adoption centre is no different than them being on general sale in 99% of cases.
> 
> Breeding will never stop so i prefare to get one from where i know it maybe didnt always have good life, my choice.
> 
> many so called breeders arnt great behind closed doors, look at the tailess rats.


I know that realistically it will probably not stop but if you just give up and give in then it won't stop. I'd like to think that i'm at least trying to help by adopting from rescues or breeding from good quality rats to promote good health. Getting animals from the adoption section still means you are putting money into [email protected], which they will be using to buy more animals.

Peace
Akai-Chan


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

which is why i said i dont buy from pets at home, i rescue and if i cant rescue i go to the local pet shop who use small local breeders.

I dont like the fact they sell rats and mice as live food so i consider a rat or mouse from them rescued, rescued from being snake food like my lovely ratty ben who is a very differnt and loving boy from that time he was moments from death.

All my other rats and next mouse have come/are coming from rescue.


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## cherrie_b (Dec 14, 2008)

Preston [email protected] tend to tell you whether or not it is "old stock" in the adoption centre. Something like..."My name is Jerry and I am looking for a new home as I didn't sell originally."

Personally, I will not stop buying from pet shops.

Each time we go out and buy a hamster or a mouse or a rat, yes it encourages the "breeder" to breed more and yes they may be kept in awful conditions. BUT. Once WE buy them, they go to a nice home (the majority of the time) I imagine that anywhere is better than the horrible conditions that some breeders may keep them in.

It is not just the pet shop's fault for not educating buyers either. PEOPLE should also take it upon themselves to ensure pets are healthy and happy. This is what places such as PetForums are for!! EDUCATING. (Not arguing!! ) 

I also think that the most experienced breeder can make mistakes...they could also unknowingly sell to an inexperienced and uneducated owner.

I don't think you can blame any one person in the circle.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Pampered pets said:


> which is why i said i dont buy from pets at home, i rescue and if i cant rescue i go to the local pet shop who use small local breeders.
> 
> I dont like the fact they sell rats and mice as live food so i consider a rat or mouse from them rescued, rescued from being snake food like my lovely ratty ben who is a very differnt and loving boy from that time he was moments from death.
> 
> All my other rats and next mouse have come/are coming from rescue.


Moments from death, what is Bens story?


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## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

cherrie_b said:


> Preston [email protected] tend to tell you whether or not it is "old stock" in the adoption centre. Something like..."My name is Jerry and I am looking for a new home as I didn't sell originally."
> 
> Personally, I will not stop buying from pet shops.
> 
> ...


My main problems is that the animals are bred forprofit with no regards to health or temperament. If they were bred in good conditions, with the aim to eliminate health problems and handled regularly I would have no problems with buying them. Unfortunately that will probably never happen.

Peace
Akai-Chan


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

Ben was about to be fed to a snake within moments, they had brought him downstairs and put him in a small cage ready to feed him when no one was around (with it being illegal) i thought it was cruel he was in a mouse cage not realising at that time he was food so i enquired about him, guy said oh he isnt for sale so i said oh my little boy is upset now we wanted a rat so the guy sneaked him from the cage and told me to leave the shop immedietly before his wife saw.

i didnt pay for him but when i went back in later the wife wasnt pleased at all, he was a petrified wreck for months probably never being handled, he used to scream if i picked him up. 

I hope they didnt have any more rats in stock and they fed the snake a frozen one, thats what i tell myslef or id go insane thinking about them all but when your stood inches from an animals about to be fed live and you can look it in the eye, sorry id never walk away. i didnt pay for ben so they didnt gain anything but i would of paid if id had to and id do it all again so thats why i consider him rescued, id much rather get another rat like ben than buy from a breeder.


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

Pampered pets said:


> Ben was about to be fed to a snake within moments, they had brought him downstairs and put him in a small cage ready to feed him when no one was around (with it being illegal) i thought it was cruel he was in a mouse cage not realising at that time he was food so i enquired about him, guy said oh he isnt for sale so i said oh my little boy is upset now we wanted a rat so the guy sneaked him from the cage and told me to leave the shop immedietly before his wife saw.
> 
> i didnt pay for him but when i went back in later the wife wasnt pleased at all, he was a petrified wreck for months probably never being handled, he used to scream if i picked him up.
> 
> I hope they didnt have any more rats in stock and they fed the snake a frozen one, thats what i tell myslef or id go insane thinking about them all but when your stood inches from an animals about to be fed live and you can look it in the eye, sorry id never walk away. i didnt pay for ben so they didnt gain anything but i would of paid if id had to and id do it all again so thats why i consider him rescued, id much rather get another rat like ben than buy from a breeder.


Aww that's terrible, thank goodness you were there at the right time and saved him. Have you any pictures of him, he sounds lovely.


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## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)




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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

Aww he's lovely.:001_wub::001_wub::001_wub:


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Yep I think I would have snatched him as well, he has fallen on his feet anyway, the shop owners wife sounds like a right bee-ach.


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