Whoa, DEB, that's a too cool idea! I'll get in touch with my daughters
teacher before school starts and see what she thinks of it. I have a few non
breeders myself. This would be great if it works!
THANKS!!!!!!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Deb Rebel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 10:21 PM
Subject: C: was-- Re: B: Good breeders/shippers certified by AGS :B :C
>>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
