May 5, 2023
This is a discussion about whether breeders should get a pass for poor husbandry. We know that the practical constraints of breeding animals for a profit yields a compromising attitude towards husbandry. I believe it should be uncompromising, and I am happy to hold myself to the same standards as my customers. Bill is a leader in this movement and I hope we can encourage more breeders to commit to higher standards of care.
Bill does a great job of framing the history of this topic starting with his first multi-generational pairing in the early 90s and how far we have come on many different topics.
- Minimalist care vs enrichment-based care
- Naturalistic vs sterile
- Hydration methods
- Rearing methods
- Our responsibility to sentient beings
- Learned helplessness in group-raised animals