Originally Posted by ~LONGCAT~

Well you have to look at it as different approaches. True Breeders aren't looking to make a quick buck out of the animal, that would be animal mills, like puppy or kitten mills where they get the female pregnant as early as possible and as frequently as possible until she is broken and can't be bred again. Breeders are trying to get the best qualities out of an animal, or a specific quality that they want. Example: pigeon breeders look to get the fastest or the neatest colors or some crazy plumage. Dog breeders want a dog that meets the show-quality standards.
Farms on the other hand, are trying to get animals at large numbers to meet with demands. So small animals do better in farm situations because of their quick gestation periods and high litter counts. A breeder would be hard pressed to find homes for all the babies in reasonable time, where as farms tend to have a clientele of businesses they deal with. Honest farms (and breeders alike) only breed when the female is fully mature and only do it a few times to keep overall health of mother and children optimal.
They're both legitimate ways of getting a pet. It's Mills that I hate they have no regard for the animals' health just a quick buck.

Ah, I see. I always get the impression that many mills throw out claims that they are breeders and such. Which means having to do the research, like Poet said. Again, I'm not crazy knowledgeable on this topic because when we do get dogs, it's usually through places such as the SPCA.

And we haven't looked into getting a purebred or a special mixed breeds, so there hasn't been a reason to consider looking into a breeder.

I did have a guinea pig as a child but I'm fairly certain that was from a family friend.

Many pets in shelters now-a-days were mill puppies that people couldn't break of certain habits that are ingrained from the living standards created in the mill environment. House training is the biggest issue, the second being an overly shy/nippy behavior. It's sad that it happens.
I would just recommend looking into any pet before you get it. Ask around the shelter about the situation leading up to the pet's sheltering. Or if you do go with a breeder ask for credentials and information to get in contact with previous buyers to see how their pet experience is.
And don't just get an animal because it's cute and you need the company, think of what it requires first and if you can provide for it. Not just food and a house but exercise and time.
I'm the obnoxious person at petsmart that tries to get you to put your new found turtle pet back in the pond where you got him.

Eventually I plan to go through a breeder to get my partner her dream pet. She wants a purebred Turkish Angora someday... blue eyes white fur. Beautiful cats, but you can only have one pet if you do.

Some petsmart people are like that? Really?

Very few of us. But yes. That would be me. Turtles are very expensive to maintain properly and quickly out grow their tanks. And most US states have laws protecting wild turtles from being captured and kept as pets. I just try to help everybody out in the long run by telling them the turtle is happier left with his friends and family in the pond. Wild animals should not be kept as pets under any circumstances.

Well that's debatable... because some wild pets prefer the domestic life. It's just better to leave them outside...

I know my partner had a little "pet hotel" thing going on for a while with the lizards she caught XD

Meh, wild animals are just better suited to living in the wild. Taking reptiles in from the wild throws off their chronobiological rhythm and prevents them from knowing the right time to go into hibernation which if returned to the wild can be lethal.
I could go on and on about how I feel about it. I live in NJ and most of the turtles that people bring into the store looking for supplies for their new pet, are Diamond Terrapins, which are protected by many laws in NJ because of protective status.

Well if that's the case that's not very bright... if it's illegal to own people should leave them be.

Most of the pets she caught were drowning in a pool though I believe. I typically don't bother an animal unless it is putting itself in a dangerous area like on the road or in the pool.

Well if it's a rescue rehabilitation then its a completely different beast! :3
And it's always good to lend a hand to creatures crossing roads, provided that you keep safe too!

hello! :D

I picked up one snake off the road because it would get run over or killed by a crazy person who thought it tried to kill them with it's nonvenomous fangs...

Let him go by the house I was staying at in hope he'd eat the crickets...

*shuffles in* What's happening here?

Everything Ling... everything...

HA! Of course...I just had cracked pepper potato chips for the first time, they were tastier than I expected them to be.

Hey everybody.

Hey guys!

hey longcat! :3

*peeks in*

i see you ling! :0

*comes out of hiding*

Hey sushi_mew!

gosh am i terrible or what? i drag you out of your hiding hole to talk and forget about the tab that's up D;

*cries* im fine ling, how about you?

LOL, From memory I logged out not that much longer after I made that post...ooops... no need to cry.

I'm fine too, actually.

not as bad as me Sushi. I said hi and then went to sleep.

Sorry about being all MIA. For those who don't know me, I usually do this right after an event. ^_^; I'm hoping maybe late tonight to announce all the winners and such from the event thread.

And of course, congratulations to Hummy for killing the thread yet again!

haha man i always try not to post when im about to sleep. even if it means missing a chance to talk to buds

dang hummy always seems to snag the last post

Sorry Sushi_Mew! Dx If it helps, I won't be posting much right now because I really should be doing work... >.>;