One of our rats got hurt in a fight and we didn't take him to the vet, as there was nothing a vet could do that we couldn't. We administered aspirin (just under the suggested strength as he was a little old), treated the wound with Betadine, trimmed the fur, washed the wound and applied a bandage ourselves. The cut was too shallow to be able to stitch, and was over a joint; even if he had been stitched they would have ripped open anyway, leading to secondary infection which would be worse than one, clean, quickly treated cut. He had almost completely healed in about 4 days, and was able to be taken out of his isolation box (restricted movement = more chance for cut to heal) and put back in with the others. Doing this at home meant we saved however much in vet's bills, but we also saved the little guy the trauma of being moved around, being prodded by a person he doesn't know, being taken away from his playmates, and of course the physiological strees of anaesthetic which as we all know is so dangerous in small rodents. So sometimes vet treatment just isn't worth it, which I think is in agreement with what Charisma is trying to say.
Sometimes it's in the animals best interest not to go through treatment, but to just send it to pet heaven; it's a hard thing to do but often the cons of an operation outweigh the pros and yes, unfortunately, some of us have to include the cost of the animal in this. As much as I love my little Strawberry she only cost me £30 odd; if she became eggbound in the future and it was going to cost several hundred pounds to save her, I just couldn't afford it. If the same operation was to be perfomed on, say, an investment royal which cost £2000 it's a different kettle of fish. The money put in to save her could be taken out of the babies she had produced previously and so could be justified; plus there is stil a resale value if she had no further use as a breeder... no-one wants an adult amel corn that can't be used for breeding!
Anywhooooo... Millipedes! Yeah millipedes! They're the bestest!! And more handleable than some beetles etc as they're so slooooooooow and can't fly! Yaaaay milipedes!!