Your thoughts about selling rodents at Doncaster IHS show

[oakelm]

Hi all
I have attended doncaster to sell reps previously but will not breeding much this year im unlikely to need a table. But have been thinking my rats and mice are booming this year and I noticed they were selling rodetns but never got chance to actually get away from my table to have a look. Would people be interested in live rats and mice to be for sale for pets or future breeding colonies? Would it be worth doing? If so any other rodents people would like to see such as multis, gerbils, hamsters, etc.

Cheers in advance for your thoughts.

[Tarn~Totty]

Think its worth a go hun...I saw them there at the last Donny show, behind that screen thing lol. Multi's might be a good idea too, everyone seems to be on the look-out for those lately

[Zak]

I can definitely see the worth of it however id speak to the organisers regarding it. Having seen the ways councils and anti's have reacted recently im sure they'll have a field day with reptiles and live mice in one room, i can see the headlines now haha.

However from a hobbyists point of view its excellent, especially if you could have other things for breeding mice such as bedding, cages etc.

[White_raven666]

I think animal right activists will have a field day with the selling of live mice or rats.

I can just see the heading of their campaign.

"Illegal reptile fair now selling live rodents for sick livefeeding and sick entertainment"

In my opinion not a good idea mate unless you wanna fuel the fire for the antis.

[oakelm]

Yeah I can see what you mean about the whole anti's thing but to be honest they will find fault with anything. The reason I thought about it was someone who was picking a snake up from me at the last show in september had brought some mice from behind the screened area and I was a little surprised to see them myself. But kind of made sense them being there. Just didnt get time to go look for myself, what was actually on sale behind the scene?

And yeah multis I think would be good as well as equipment.

I think more furry lovers than people think have reps as well. Also thinking of the people that do actually want them as pets as well as not everyone owns rodent eating species.

I was at the bradford excel small animal show this weekend where they showed rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice and hamsters. And the one stall I was surprised to see was the IHS stall at a furries show.

I shall drop the IHS an email and see what they think of it too but anymore opinions for or against gladly listened to.

[jav07]

there were several tables allocated for furries,they all had a very good response and sold alot

[pigglywiggly]

there were a nice mix of hamsters, rats, mice ( bald and hairy )and harvest mice for sale.

i dont see how there was a problem as the screen was up, its not as if they`re next to a big viv of snakes eyeing them up for dinner.

[Ssthisto]

I *personally* am concerned about selling "feeder type" rodents at a reptile show.

Although we know it's for buying breeding stock and pets, people who are less in-the-know are probably going to see those inexpensive rodents in the same light as they see the stacks and stacks of boxes of locusts, crickets and mealworms - livefood.

I have no problem with exotic or *very* fancy domesticated mammals being sold - things that are not going to be priced in the feeder bracket.

[pigglywiggly]

i got a new hammy and paid the same as in my local shop, they were definatly priced for pets/breeders

[Twiglet]

I didnt realise some of the shows had OK'd the sale of mammals?? I had a table for furries at the exeter show a few years ago, that was the last time i'd heard of non-herps being allowed. Infact, dont most shows actually stipulate "no mammals"?

Or am i totally wrong?

I'd like to see small mammals on sale but as has been pointed out... the anti's will think they've hit the jackpot, we'll be seeing photos of our cute little pets online next to headlines claiming us all to be livefeeding torturers that get off on watching things die... couldn't be further from the truth but we all know that the antis will twist it to their own end.

Kat