Buying Live Mice or Rats from Pet Shops

[mysnakesau]

I was talking to a worker at Pet Stock today. They don't sell any animals except fish, hermit crabs, but he was telling me he was approached by National Parks and was told that if they did have small animals, that it is a requirement of the pet shop to ask people why they are buying live mice or rats. If they are for people with snakes then he isn't allowed to sell them unless he gets the license number of the buyer. They have to keep records of such people for National Parks to check up, to make sure people aren't feeding live mice or rats to reptiles. He said the liability issue is too much for them to want to deal with which is why they don't bother. He said he gets at least 20 ppl a week, asking for live rodents for feeding to snakes and he said he wouldn't sell them even if he did have them.

So prove its a pet, or you can be refused the purchase. Good idea, I say good on them.

 

[JAS101]

plenty of backyard sellers will sell live rats/mice to pepole .

 

[pythonmum]

Not really fair. I have purchased live mice as reptile food, but I kill them (or make my husband do it) right before feeding. Thus I am buying live mice for purposes of feeding my snakes, but they are not fed live feed.

 

[slim6y]

Funny, a few years ago a pet shop was selling chicks as (and I quote) "Live feed".

Of course I questioned it and wrote to EPA... They could do nothing.

The thread is here somewhere - too tired to look for it now.

 

[mysnakesau]

Not really fair. I have purchased live mice as reptile food, but I kill them (or make my husband do it) right before feeding. Thus I am buying live mice for purposes of feeding my snakes, but they are not fed live feed.

I told the guy today, that I too have bought live mice from pet stores for my snakes, but they either become breeders or are euthanised before offering them to the snakes. I don't have the heart to feed live, even if it wasn't considered illegal. I said it is ppl that do this, especially for the pleasure of cruelty, that give reptiles a bad name.

 

[JAS101]

Funny, a few years ago a pet shop was selling chicks as (and I quote) "Live feed".

Of course I questioned it and wrote to EPA... They could do nothing.

The thread is here somewhere - too tired to look for it now.

is it this one >>> http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/chit-chat-39/rspca-vs-pet-shop-signs-139368/

 

[-Peter]

Sorry Kathy but that is the biggest load of crap. NPWS cannot ask for and do not have the right to ask for that information from petshops or authorise them to gather it. There is no requirement to provide that information to a petshop nor do the have the right to ask for it. Someones trying it on.

 

[mysnakesau]

Really? Peter I must be the most gullable, sucker on earth. I believe everything I hear and most often thank God for my friends who rope me in before doing something silly. What you've said does make sense. I can't believe - I can actually - I fell for such a story.

 

[smithson]

plenty of backyard sellers will sell live rats/mice to pepole .

wear do i find someone with mice in south east melb

 

[leamos]

wear do i find someone with mice in south east melb

Keep an eye on the for sale forums, ads for rats and mice are posted regularly

 

[GeckoJosh]

If you need live rodents in Melbourne I know Pails for Scales sell them

 

[slim6y]

is it this one >>> http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/chit-chat-39/rspca-vs-pet-shop-signs-139368/

Yes - that's the one...

 

[tweety2]

we were told that u should freeze ur mice and rats for 3 months before feeding them to ur snakes that way any bad bacteria in the rodent is frozen out of it so ur snake doesnt get sick from eating it any truth to that???

cheers
lisa

 

[PythonLegs]

I wish this was the case, and it was enforcable. I swear, most of the douchebags I run into who own snakes feed live. Apparently it's entertaining? Meh.

 

[FAY]

I went to a pet shop in the city a while ago. They had a ign on their rat cages that they sprayed them with something, can't remember what, but they were unsuitable to feed to your snake. I think the rats cost about $20.00 each.
I said to them that no reptile person would even pay that much for a rat to feed to their snake.

I think it is pet shop people saying whatever they want....bit like giving great reptile advice

 

[Bel03]

I see the same sign Fay mentioned in alot of petshops, & when going with a mate who was buying rats as pets, the lady at the petshop did ask if they were for a snake, although if it were i doubt you would say 'yes, yes it is' My brother was buying live, (but killing first) for awhile, but again, as Fay mentioned, they want anywhere between $15-$25 each rat, so why would you bother anyway. Its a big risk for those who still do though, cause they really are treating them with chemicals that could kill your reptiles.

 

[-Peter]

Rats groom themselves constantly, to treat them chemically would put the rats health at rsik. Its all rubbish. Attempts to put people off buying live rodents to feed to their snakes. Same people probably have vegan dogs and vegan cats that they let out.

 

[JAS101]

we were told that u should freeze ur mice and rats for 3 months before feeding them to ur snakes that way any bad bacteria in the rodent is frozen out of it so ur snake doesnt get sick from eating it any truth to that???

cheers
lisa

nup i dont belive that , iv herd the same thing . half the time my lot get fresh killed and there all doing fine , infact i think your more likely going to run into issuesusing a frozen rat [ either the time it takes the rat to freeze , then the time it takes to thaw] compard to a fresh killed.

 

[Bel03]

Rats groom themselves constantly, to treat them chemically would put the rats health at rsik. Its all rubbish. Attempts to put people off buying live rodents to feed to their snakes. Same people probably have vegan dogs and vegan cats that they let out.

Im referring to them using 'lice/mite' sprays, worming treatments, & some 'nutrient' spray they put in their food........these are what's listed on the signs ive seen, & i would have just thought they cant be good for your snake. Either way though, i cant see the point in feeding a snake fresh killed $20 rats, when a frozen one would be no more half that.

 

[Fuscus]

we were told that u should freeze ur mice and rats for 3 months before feeding them to ur snakes that way any bad bacteria in the rodent is frozen out of it so ur snake doesnt get sick from eating it any truth to that???

It is considered best practise but most people who breed feed fresh killed - I do;

I went to a pet shop in the city a while ago. They had a ign on their rat cages that they sprayed them with something, can't remember what, but they were unsuitable to feed to your snake. I think the rats cost about $20.00 each.
I said to them that no reptile person would even pay that much for a rat to feed to their snake.

I think it is pet shop people saying whatever they want....bit like giving great reptile advice

I've encountered the sign too.
Also I have seen frozen rats for $19.95 :shock:

I've brought rats from pet shops. Once a girl asked if I was going to feed it and I said after it retires from breeding and her reply was "Oh - that's all right then"