Many times at a pet store you will see small animals labeled as 'Feeders' or 'Fancy'. What is the difference between the two? An animal labeled as a 'Fancy' animal (i.e Fancy Mouse, Fancy Rat) is generally one that is tagged for sale as a pet. The term comes not from the definition that an animal is considered ornamental or even bred to a point of exceptional beauty and standards (although, a good 'Fancy' pet often is). The use of Fancy comes from the definition 'To Fancy', to take a liking to or have an interest in.

To a reputable breeder, their definition of a Fancy animal would be a well bred animal that is an asset to it's breeding. That animal will be pedigreed, with a health history and health guarantees from a reputable veterinarian. The definition becomes very different once you enter the world of the pet store.

At the pet store, animals labeled as Fancy are often only labeled so because they are not albino. Any animal that is an albino is generally grouped under the label of 'Feeder' pets, and are bred and raised with the intention of feeding reptiles in captivity. We do not believe that this practice is beneficial to anyone involved, including reptile keepers. Rodents that are bred as 'feeders' in the pet store are often inbred and denied any medical care or suitable housing, instead being packed into heavily crowded cages with the other 'feeder' animals. This results in unhealthy rodents, which in turn can result in unhealthy reptiles whose owners feed them the sick rodents.

Often, a person entering a pet store is tempted into 'rescuing' an animal labeled as a feeder, wishing to save it from it's fate at the jaws of a reptile. Again, we do not believe this is beneficial in the end. The best thing you can do for an animal that is labeled as a feeder is to make sure it receives humane treatment along the way. If you see cages that are overcrowded, animals that are in need of medical attention or being mistreated it is best to contact animal control to get the pet store cited. Purchasing an animal out of poor conditions may save the life of that single animal, but in turn you only condemn the one that takes it's place as the store turns a profit off of your purchase. Oftentimes, this animal is inbred and may even be infected with parasites due to bad quarantine practices that are often the norm at many pet stores.

If you wish to help feeder animals, the best thing you can do is not to patronize shops that sell animals to begin with. Shop for your pet supplies at retailers who only sell supplies and not animals, or better yet, patronize stores that adopt out animals from rescue programs and shelters. If you have friends who are involved in reptile keeping, encourage them to order frozen rodents from a company that specializes in producing healthy feeding stock and practices humane flash freezing processes to prepare their animals for shipping.