>Thanks for mentioning that. I hesitated to mention it, but if you just
turn the
>babies over to a pet store, they may start out with "non food" prices....
but if
>they don't sell them and need the cage space...... Who knows? And I
know for
>a fact that some stores do this. I got my boys for free.
>
>Tam
Any store that I supply, I offer a 'swapback' option. Any hamster or
gerbil getting 'long in the tooth' in the cages; I will take in trade for
a younger animal of mine. As long as that animal is healthy and still
young enough to become a breeder. I do this about every six weeks.
The store loves it as they can get rid of an animal (i.e. syrian hamsters
get pretty antisocial by the time they hit ten weeks old and will try to
kill any other one in with them) that they can't sell; frees up space for
them; and I get animals that are usually well into breeding age. We
swap them at a one for one basis.
If the animal has obvious defects but is otherwise healthy (would make
a good pet but has some reason it should not be bred) then I place
it with a school under my 'homeroom hamster/gerbil' project. I loan
equipment (set up cage) and put an older retired breeding animal
in the classroom. The kids and teacher care for it; and it comes
back to me in the spring. The kids do something (like contribute
a dime a month) to raise the cost of the bedding and feed......I have
some scheduled for the week after Labor Day to deliver now; and
I will pick them up about mid-May. Most retired breeder hamsters
will make one to two 'seasons' as a homeroom pal, a gerbil (just
adding them this year) should last two to four.
I leave it up to the classroom teacher if they want to let a student
take the animal home for the summer (the setup doesn't go though)
and keep it as their pet.
I much prefer that my retired breeders (10-14 months for hamsters,
and I'm still figuring the age for a gerbil) get good homes.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
