Id like to add to this:
I think that in some cases, people get into breeding and alot of animals
becuase they really are interested and like it and mean well- but they had
no idea of the work actually involved or the cost. I am trying to start
somethign liek this for rats, maybe this can be started for gerbils too- a
sort of "mentorship program" where if there is a local breeder near you and
you want to get into breeding, you maybe go help out, sort of liek working
but learnign too- so you find out just how it feels to be changing litter
and carrying around those 10 and 20 gallon tanks to clean out every week and
how much the bedding costs and how a room full of 50 animals and all their
bedding affects your allergies (if any), and how the breeder interveiws
potential new owners and places them etc etc. In "payment" for your workyou
get A) experience - so you know what you are getting into and how to do
thigns responsibly and B) the breeder can pay the appretice with breeding
pairs for the new breeder to get started with.
If breeders advertise this on their papers when they place or advertise
animals too or through clubs liek NGS, AGS, then they can attract other
local persons with breeding interest, form alliances with breeders they know
now are responsible to their standards and thus have better networking (for
all those placement problems too!)
ag
>From: Deborah Adams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: Deborah Adams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: B: Good breeders/shippers certified by AGS :B
>Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 11:13:25 AKDT
>
>Hi-
>
>Just my thoughts:
>
>>If you are not within reasonable driving distance from a good gerbils
>>breeder or pet store, then get a lizard instead. You aren't within reach
>>of a gerbils veterinarian either.
>
>Or, if you breed in an area and cannot sell all the pups you breed, then
>don't breed. Please don't make impassioned pleas to strangers on this list
>to buy your gerbils because otherwise you'll "sell them to the petstore".
>I
>only bred one female at a time in Fairbanks. There just wasn't enough
>desire for gerbils in Fairbanks. I chose to stop breeding now that I've
>moved because I there are just too many petstores in the area and I cannot
>compete with them.
>
>If you chose to breed, be responsible. Only breed as many as you can keep
>or sell. Do not depend on illegal shipping methods for your customers.
>Feel free to illegally ship, but don't DEPEND on it.
>
>Most important, try not to get so caught up in the colors game that you
>lose
>sight of the welfare of your animals. How many times has this list seen a
>new gerbil breeder get so excited about obtaining every possible color and
>breeding said colors only to have that same breeder write several months
>later for help because they have too many gerbils. This is not responsible
>breeding. Take breeding slowly. Start with one or two pairs and wait a
>year or two before drastically increasing your gerbil population. Use that
>year or two to discover if you really like gerbil keeping and breeding; to
>discover whether you have what it takes to sell your gerbils; to discover
>if
>you have to discipline to clean cages, socialize gerbils, and find new
>owners.
>
>I discovered I did not have what it takes to breed gerbils, so I stopped.
>7
>gerbils is more than enough for me. I can't handle much more. As much as
>I
>have been tempted to keep more gerbils or to breed exotic colors, I just
>don't have the discipline and time. I love the gerbils I have and will
>continue to love them until they die. At that point, I may chose to get
>another same-sex pair or I may not. Until then, I dedicate myself to my
>current gerbils and avoid dreams of exotic colors.
>
>
>>
>>Some people have started new "lists of breeders" web pages. Most of them
>>don't seem to know what already exists. They are spreading confusion.
>
>The AGS site already has a list of member breeders. The NGS site already
>has the capabilities to advertise gerbils for sale and gerbils wanted. I
>agree that new sites aren't necessary. The current sites should be used
>more often instead.
>
>That's my thoughts for the day on this matter.
>
>Deb Adams
>
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