Rodent Rescue
Josh and I have started rescuing and rehoming rodents. We find them on online ads on websites such as Pets4Homes, Shpock, Preloved, and Gumtree, where they are often advertised for sale in tiny, inhumane cages, with wheels that are too small for them and bend their spines, and little to no enrichment. They are often sold to others who keep them in the same cage and are just as ignorant to their needs. Sometimes, especially when they are advertised for free, they end up as snake food. We take them in and foster them until we can find them forever homes with people who have knowledge about proper hamster care and can provide evidence of having a suitable cage.
This GoFund Me account has been set up so that we can continue providing care to rescued and adopted rodents. We have reached our limit of being able to provide a forever home, but we can rescue and rehome one rodents if we have the funds to do so. Each rodent comes with the adoption fee from the seller, and we will also need to provide bedding, food, wheels, accessories, boredom busters, and hides to put in our rescue cages. With your help, we can afford to keep rescuing!
We also aim to support small businesses when buying accessories, hides, and food.
Our rodent rescue story:
14 months ago we adopted our first hamster, a Syrian hamster who we named Mina. We did a lot of research in the days following her adoption and we came to realise that the way most people think hamsters and other rodents should be cared for is actually inhumane, neglectful, and cruel. This is mostly done out of ignorance due to taking pet store advice at face value and not bothering to do any research, not to mention the amount of misinformation also on the internet about hamster care. I do believe that anyone buying a pet has the responsibility to do thorough research about the care needed, but I also have a lot of respect for people who find out later that their care is inadequate and make amends for that by drastically improving their care.
In July of 2020 we adopted another hamster, a winter white dwarf hamster named Dog. Sadly he was a sickly hamster and had to put down only 2.5 months after we had him, at 10 months old.
In his memory we rescued 9 week old gerbils Pepper & Peanut, who were advertised for free on the internet and could easily have ended up as snake food or with terrible owners. They were living in a tiny cage before we took them, and the owner didn't ask a single question about our knowledge or care.
A week later we adopted tiny roborovski hamster Ivy, who was rescued by a lovely lady who has great knowledge about proper hamster care, and then rehomed Ivy with us.
Two days later we rescued elderly rats Noodle and Bean, who were in a tiny, rusty, smelly cage that was bare except for a wheel too small for them, a water bottle, food bowl, and a hide that stank of urine. Their plastic level had dried urine caked on it, and the whole cage stank of their urine too. We are currently rehoming them to someone amazing who can provide them with a suitable cage filled with enrichment and rat pals, for them to live out the rest of their lives.
Rodents are one of the most mistreated group of pets, because their mistreatment is not only done through cruelty, but more frequently through ignorance. There are not many laws protecting rodents from neglect and mistreatment, and pet stores like Pets At Home are legally allowed to sell unsuitable, inhumane, sickening cages that are far, far too small, some that are specifically marketed to children. Hamsters need a bare minimum of 80cmx50cm, as do gerbils and mice. Rats need a cage that is about L100cmxD60cmxH150cm. Degus, chinchillas, and guinea pigs need a LOT more space than the cages available in stores like Pets At Home. All rodents need a lot of enrichment and have much more complex care than you might think. Many beddings sold in pet shops are dangerous for rodents, and wheels need to be a lot bigger than you might think.
- For hamster care, please look up Victoria Raechel on YouTube. You can also look up the hashtag properhamstercare on Instagram for many accounts and inspiration on hamster care.
- For rat care, please look up Isamu Rat Care on YouTube.
Please donate if you can to help us provide care for rescued and adopted pets, as well as helping us rescue and rehome others!
Thank you!
