what do you guys think?

[rodentopia]

i was thinking of buying some pinkies from the aquarium and hand feeding them then keeping them as pets. im on summer holiday now, so i have the time, plus my job is only like 2 hours at a time, so i can still feed them between work.

i've read on websites that it's a bad idea, but these websites had breeding info on and were generally done by people who had kept and bred mice.

these mice wouldnt be bred from, so i don't really see any major problem apart from it would be hard work.

what do you guys think about this?
if its a feasible idea, would you have any tips or anything?

thanks,
Mark

[canadiancritter]

I've never kept mice,but from reading stuff on PT its going to be alot of hard work and your best off begging older ones if your going to raise them.All I can say its going to be alot of hard work.

[rodentopia]

i think i'm up to the challenge. and plus, i have a really nice vet who gives advise for free.

[canadiancritter]

Then if you up go a challenge.Go for it.Make sure you do your research first tho.And wait till the mice and rat experts come and post.

[rodentopia]

i wont be doing it for a while yet, i thought i's start asking as part of research lol.

[mulder]

I say try and find rescues and shelters and check for motherless pinkies needing homes. You can also search the internet...adoptapet, mooshika, etc...My point to this is, raise pinkies if it HAS to be done. But I personally don't feel comfortable with the idea of people raising pinkies when they have perfectly good mothers. Know what I mean? Like, I feel that we don't have the right to just decide we're as good as moms. It's about being as good as we can be in times of need. So much more than being up for the challenge. I'm sorry, I really am trying not to be crotchety about this. I dunno, I guess I find the perspective on this to be a little self indulgent. It's not sitting well with me. I really believe animals should be nursed by their parents. Not trying to bicker, please it's just how I feel about this.

[Kendalle]

i think she has a post that there are pinkies in a room for reptile food, and thats where she was getting the pinkies, they don't have mothers in there.

It will be hard work and many might not survive but it is an experience worth doing i think you will regret not trying to save them when you can

[rodentopia]

they'd be pinkies for reptile food.

mulder: i know what you mean. no way would i take the pinkies from their mum if they had one. thats cruel and stupid.

[Kendalle]

OK here is what i don't get, are the mothers in there? if not how do they keep the pinkies alive? or do they let them starve and die? If that is what they do why would any one buy them they wouldn't be healthy for a rep to eat a starved critter there is no nutrients in that.

[rodentopia]

to be honest i don't know. and it turns out that live pinkies are illegal in the UK with up to a £2000 fine. thank god. they can only be sold prekilled here, which is cruel, but not quite as bad i guess.

[Vanilla_Rat]

Bad idea.


I mean,why would you even attempt to raise a pinky mouse? It can be done...but unless the pinky is abandoned,you shouldn'y try it.Don't go and buy pinkies to try and save them.Your better off adopting a pregnant rat or mouse and helping that way.But don't take pinkies away from their moms to try and raise them yourself.


If of course a litter is abandoned...then go for it.BUT it is HARD to raise pinkies up and they often die.It can be done,but in many cases....you just end up losing the baby.

[rodentopia]

im not doing it now. i made the decision at 4:30 am. it wasn't the most thought through of all decisions i've made.
sorry for wasting your time guys, but it did use up some time.

[Vanilla_Rat]

It's cool.
I have made spur of the moment descisions before,which were not always the greatest of ideas!