# non member question



## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I have copied this post from the anonymous forum if any one cares to answer.I have not approved the actual post in the anonymous section incase the poster is a trouble maker,which I'm sure they aren't.

justwondering 
Post subject: feeder breeders?
PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:57 am

so ive been stalking this forum for a bit and i just have one question,
its for 'feeder breeders'
how do you guys bring mice/rats and play with them and make them tame and stuff and then kill them?
isnt it hard, i mean i dont mean to be rude or judge you because you breed feeders, im just wondering.
why tame them if your going to kill them?


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

I'll write a reply on here instead of on the original post

I've been a feeder breeder for about 2 years now. I used to breed mice just to feed to my snake, but it reignited my interest in them, and I became fascinated by their genetics. From then I bred mice, kept them tame in case anyone wanted to home them. If someone wanted one- great! But for those I couldn't keep on or the ones who just didn't tame up, I would cull. I wouldn't sell an untamed mouse to anyone- especially if a person wanted to breed with it.

I have a doe with very high fertility, who I keep solely as a feeder breeder because she's far from tame. Her young I handle, because it gives them stimulation and exercise, and just in case one of them is tamer than the rest.


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

I'll chip in on here too.

I have a few does that i keep as breeders for snake food.

I don't purposely 'tame' them, they are handleable; none of my mice are purposely 'tamed'.

Pet Mice have been 'domesticated' as such for a lot of years .


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

I am not, nor have I ever been a "feeder breeder". I see no reason whatsoever why those that are need to defend themselves. You would do far better asking questions pertinent to your own interest in mice, rather than asking other people to explain/defend their reasons for breeding mice.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

I'd rather have my feeder mice live happy, healthy lives with lots of interaction, than have boring anti-social lives in a dank cage.


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## Oakelm (Oct 17, 2009)

I will chip in too as I don't tend to post much.

I am mainly a feeder breeder but am also breeding for show.
To be honest I don't purposefully handle my mice in order to tame, I have been breeding the feeder lines for so long that any that were overly shy or nippy got culled out. So now I have mice which are naturally curious and friendly. I have sold many as pets over the years and always had comments about how friendly they are and people are surprised when I say they have had no more handling than the other mice in the shed. I think they get enough handling from me with general routine stuff.

I think they are cute otherwise I wouldn't be happy spending the hours with them but they are not a pet to me, they are a genetic curiosity and breeding challenge for colour and type. Plus the main reason I ever started up is the same as people keeping livestock, you know what has gone into it.

Culling I admit is never going to be the most enjoyable thing in the world, but to accept my reps I accepted what they eat too.


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## laoshu (Sep 16, 2009)

I am a feeder breeder and have been for 7 years.. 
I am also an anmal lover of all animals. I see keeping mice and culling them to support my reptile collection no different to breeding my own chickens and taking eggs and culling for meat every so often.
I know that the mice are well fed , looked after, clean ect.. and so all my young snakes get good food.
At the same Time I am making my mice stock as healthy as I can because I am not keeping week, old, ill, or any other mice that are not 100% in my collection.

To be honist I wouldnt keep reptiles now with out the rodents and I wouldnt keep rodents with out the reptiles... and I love them all so much I wouldnt be without them!


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

This forum supports the proper care of Mice. All animals, bred for whatever, have a right to a standard of life. Mother nature placed mice at almost the bottom of the food chain, and gave them the capability of rapid reproduction to replace them as they are predated on by almost everything. I have no problem with any person breeding mice as feeders,as that is what happens in nature, big time. Nor do I have a problem with a farmer also putting meat on my table every night, Nor do I have a problem with eating other living things. What I would have a problem with Is any person treating any livestock in a cruel way. This forum, supports the proper care of mice, feeder breeder or not, any person mistreating the animals will be dealt with by law. ( I am an ex wildlife liason officer )- loads fabulous stories there to tell ! .
The original Post, as we must take it at face value, asks why feeder breeders bother to tame their mice- In my opinion its because they have a love and deep care of their animals, and a true and realistic view of nature itself. 
I am impressed that the original post has enquired, I hope we have answered. All I can really assure the origianl post is that if anyone comes to notice that they are ill treating their animals to any member of this forum they will be dealt with according to Law.


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