Rescue or breeder?

Jane · 03-09-2008, 10:06 AM

I know that most people here get their hammies from breeders or breed them themselves but who here has rescued a hammy?

Tic, Tac and Toe were all rescues and it makes me feel great to think that I adopted them, gave them a new chance at life and they got lots of stuff they wouldn't have otherwise had. Any hamsters in the future will definately be from a rescue unless I can't find any (then it will be from a good breeder).

I have nothing against good breeders, nor do I have anything against people buying hamsters but I do wish that people would consider rescuing/adopting more. I know when you're breeding you need to get good breeding hammies etc but if you want some pets, why not rescue a hammy?

I don't care what a hamster looks like or even if it has a bit of a bad personality (if they're tamed, yes, great..if not, then you can try and if you fail they still have a great life). You're still giving a hamster a new life which means they don't have to be stuck in a rescue.

Interested to hear peoples thoughts please

Jane

Mollz · 03-09-2008, 10:13 AM

Well my opinion on where to get hamsters from is ... both!
I have recently (yesterday!) rescued a disadvantage little soul and have to say that I have never felt better and think that if you are looking for pets then a rescue may be the first place to look. However I will also say that we don't really have a rescue (that I woudl consider using around here - very long story) except the p@h one which rarely has hamsters in, but always has rabbits/rats/g-pigs. So I would really rather people would use nice breeders rather than buy from petshops.

The other side is, as you most aptly said, that if you are looking to show/breed then breeders are the only way to go! I suppose it is also good if you want to be guaranteed a really friendly pet, say for a child (however I wouls suggest small, hobby breeders for this rather than the larger ones as I have had two breeder hams which didn't start off really tame - although they have both calmed beautifully now!).

So, again, in conclusion I would say both.

Holly · 03-09-2008, 10:48 AM

I tend to get mine from breeders as well - because I want to show them/breed them and improve the standard of my show hamsters.

If I wanted a pet, however, I'd have no hesitation in getting a rescue - our only rescue (so far) is Bean the robo and he's an absolute joy to have. I defintely plan on getting more rescues in the future.

I_am_plankton · 03-09-2008, 10:59 AM

I try and balance it, but the rescues I have/had haven't been planned and have just came by way, through the internet mostly!

I have show ones that are babies to balance out the age gap with the rescues

Gust0o · 03-09-2008, 12:08 PM

I've rescued/rehomed two, and am potentially in-line for a third.

I think there's something very satisfying, morally, in rehoming - but I'm aware it will not suit everyone, particularly those with a more serious mind to breeding.

Thankfully, whilst I would be happy to own show hams - I have little desire to breed the little blighters; which means I'm well-placed to take on rescues, if a little over-subscribed at the moment!

Widowmaker · 03-09-2008, 12:13 PM

Mine have been a fairly even mix of breeder and rescue hammies

I love taking in hamsters, especially as animal rescues really struggle to rehome small furries. Cats and dogs are popular but hamsters, mice, gerbils etc can sit there for months which is a really long time for them bearing in mind how short their lives are

The only drawback is that you don't always know how old they are, but that's a chance i'm happy to take to give a hammy a good home

Bunsey · 03-09-2008, 12:54 PM

i really like both which is a problem because i'm always short of space! I had to cancel breeding plans for paddy because i suddenly took 2 rescues and didn't have the space! i want to rescue AND breed show hams and it's difficult to do both. Up until now the rescues have taken over, but i'm determined to breed this time!

Catja · 03-10-2008, 07:09 AM

I have had 6 rescue cats and currently 3 rescue hamsters, I prefer to take rescue as I feel I am doing my bit, and I would never turn one away, but I will be getting from hobby breeders too. I like the idea of balancing show hamsters with rescue as I personally feel (and this is only my opinion) that if you are involved in showing/breeding and therefore increasing the population/popularity of an animal then it is good to give something back too.

**jayne** · 03-10-2008, 09:07 AM

I had looked into rescues before i got Max and there was none in my area (good thing i suppose). I kept checking the Scottish SPCA but no luck.
Now, after getting Dasha my WW from Babyboos, iam definately going to get my other hamsters from a breeder from now on.
I have no space for any other hamsters at the moment but when i move to a bigger house that will change. Then i will look into both breeders and rescues

So, in answer to the question i would say both.

Holly · 03-10-2008, 09:26 AM

At the risk of being shot down in flames here I do think that all hamsters (in fact all animals) whether breeder born, pet shop hams or rescues are all just as deserving of good homes and just as in need of our love as individuals.

I understand the don't buy from petshops argument - I've even signed the petition to stop the sale of live animals in petshops but I'm not so sure about it now.

I've been away on the internet and tried to find out how many pet hamsters are sold in petshops in the UK each year - it's an impossible to calculate figure but just one petshop in just one city in the UK (Leicester) sells approximately 10 baby hamsters a week (it's not our local P@H which I'd think sells even more than this and there are at least 6 other petshops just in Leicester selling hamsters). From this it's fairly obvious to me that the number of hamsters being sold is staggering - there is obviously a demand for them therefore they will always be bred.

Now just imagine for a moment if the campaigns to stop the sale of live animals succeeds where are the thousands, maybe millions, of prospective pet owners going to get their hamsters from? They might go to a rescue initially - soon there wouldn't be any animals in rescues (a result of sorts). They might go to one of the "responsible breeders" we hear so much about - there is no way these breeders would be able to meet the demand. I can see the likelihood that other people will see the money making opportunity in this demand and set themselves up as "responsible breeders" - churning out animals like the hamster mills do now with no thought to ethics or responsible breeding

I don't know what the answer is - I hate the cruelty of the pet trade as it is today - but I'm beginning to see that it isn't as cut and dried as I'd first thought and I don't think not buying from petshops is the answer. Maybe a campaign to get petshops and the "big breeders" to have to sign up to a code of conduct with minimum standards and inspections could work, I don't know?

I've just started to feel a bit irritated, on behalf of the humble "petshop ham" and the people who own and love them. Yes, taking in a rescue that someone else didn't want (despicable behaviour except in extenuating circumstances, IMO) is commendable - but so is buying, taming and taking care of a humble pet shop hamster for the whole of it's life. They give so much back - ALL hamsters do.