Rodent names????

[BoidKeeper]

There seems to be no standard for what people call their rodents. There seems to be too much termanology. Too many names to describ the same size rat.
Here is what I've always used Pinkie, fuzzie, hopper, small adult, adult jumbo. Hopper and small adult seem to be where most of the confusion occurs. I've heard weaned, small rat and a few others.

What would you call these?

This is 4" and 27g.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/512/28927g_4_in-med.jpg
This is 5" and 45g.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/512/28945g_5_in-med.jpg

Is there a scale somewhere, something standard? If a rat is so long and so heavy then it is called what ever, that sort of thing?
Thanks,
Trevor

[Lisa]

weened and hopper seem to be about the same. the best way is to go on weight. when i buy i go by weight not name.

[BoidKeeper]

I heard that, grams are grams!
Cheers,
Trevor

[drewlowe]

the place i go to they have pinkies, fuzzies, hoppers, weanlings and adult mice.

to me and the way i buy that 1st pic looks like a weanling. and the 2nd pic looks like an adult. but i'm used to it being that way.

[BoidKeeper]

Sorry I neglected to mention it but those are rats.
Trevor

[Linds]

As Lisa mentioned, weight is the best way to go, not length. That is how rodent suppliers define their stock. Still though each person/place has their own standards for what is what, ther isn't a set standard for sizing feeders really...

[Stockwell]

It's a good point Trev..It's always been confusing.
I couldn't really define the difference between a hopper, a jumper or a fuzzy or weenling...Everone knows what a pinky is, but as soon as they have fur, it gets confusing.
Weight is the way to go for rats, but weight is seldom used for mice..they are still a problem
I have to custom pick the size I need for most sands and rosys..They are bigger than weenlings, but not quite "smalls"...If I wasn't picking them out personally there would be no word to order them by.
You're right we could do with a unified scale for rodent feeders.

[tai_pan1]

I would call them breakfast, lunch and dinner! LOL :)

[Ed_r]

I know on www.rodentpro.com they give a weight range for the sizes of rodents. Just wish everyone would do that, or at least go by their standards.

[Matt]

a little off topic, but has anyone noticed a real lack of feeder rodents in Canada (or maybe just Ontario) lately....?????

it seems like a couple years ago i had no problems getting large quantities, now i cant for the life of me
find breeders with large quantities......

at this point, i dont mind about the size descrepenses....I just need RATS BADLY :)

[BoidKeeper]

Ed_r! That's it! Thanks man I love their site. That's what I'm talking about something standard to use to help elimaninate confusion. I'm going to adopt their names for those sizes.
Thanks,
Trevor

[jadegrasse]

I breed about 1000 rodents a month and when I have a surpus, I sell them live or frozen. If the rodents are well fed and watered then there is very little difference in the weights of the sizes. Pinkies are pink. Fuzzies have fuzz but the eyes are not open. Hoppers hop and have open eyes and juvies live on their own and the ears are stand up without drooping.
The biggest difference is in the size of new/old pinkies.
We freeze about 500 pinkies a month and feed away most of the rest.

Alain

[tabastifur]

I too have noticed a rodent decline. I have a lot of trouble finding rat pups for some reason. The local superpet sometimes has them, but I usually end up having to go to hamilton.

Maybe there should be more breeders out there;)

[Lisa]

We're working on it, though currently we haven't been able to keep up with our own needs. Currently our plans are to get a house and really expand from there.