Spring Rodent Fest 2011 / Meet-up and swap outside of RF

Rhasputin,

I would like to point out that if you choose not to attend RF that is one thing but that is against club rules and QT procedures. You should ALWAYS QT mice, at least, 2 weeks before AND AFTER an event. If someone has a health problem pop up, how can they say they got it from RF if they picked up mice from your unchecked animals also.

I, personally, would not adopt from someone who is refusing to undergo health check at an event, but more than happy to adopt out mice to you AFTERWARDS at a hotel?

RodentFest has a new health checker this year, and if you have a problem with it then you should not attend the event at all OR be ANYWHERE near it.

It screams to me red flag if you aren't willing to have your own animals checked at RF, just like last year when you didn't point out unchecked animals at the health check table.

If you re-read my post you will notice that not only am I going to have someone else health check the mice I am bringing, but I will be health checking any animals entering the hotel room.

I will be following all of RF's QT rules, as will everyone else, and nobody is allowed to pick up mice until they are either on their way home, or after RF.
I am perfectly willing to have my animals health checked, which is why I asked for someone to health check my animals. I have experience health checking from an ECMA show, and know what to look for.

The reason we are meeting there the same day, is because a lot of people flock to the area for mousey things, and it is the best time for a lot of us to meet up even if we're not attending RF.

Last year at RF was the first event I attended with animals and did not realize that the health check was poor until it was pointed out to me later on. I did not know what to expect. It's not like I skipped health check, and I'd appreciate you not saying that. The health check skipped most of my animals and told me it was okay. Later on I found out that that is not standard procedure, it was not my fault, and i did not purposefully evade health check.

I would also like to point out that I am not under any circumstances breaking any RF rules.
Thanks.

Well, I'm almost rendered speechless by all the RF drama..almost, lol. My mice are quarantined and have been for over 3 months...no new animals here. I'm not getting mice from RF and none of my mice will be going to anyone at the actual RF event...maybe I won't even go into the building and just stay at the hotel and hang out all day with all the other mouse people that I know are going. What is my incentive to actually attend this event anyway...all I've ever heard so far is horrible things and unfriendly comments from others that do go? I am definitely going to be in the area and I'm bringing mice that people have reserved more then 4 months ago...why? because it's convenient and helpful to others who will be in the area during that same weekend and want healthy beautiful friendly mice from a breeder who gives a ****. What the heck is the big deal?

Beth,
You've never attended a RF and are going off of comments made people who were BANNED from club events or who had friends BANNED from club events. I think this is a bad reason to make a decision on a club or event you have never attended.

RodentFest is making an effort this time around, due to complaints made by parties (mostly representatives of the ECMA who would like to see RF shut down, as it is their competition - just as they do EVERY TIME a new club surfaces on the east coast, as well. RodentFest is their only current competition) to have more health checkers. People never reported sick animals to RF reps. and only posted negative comments AFTER the event, without making ANY effort to bring it to RF's attention AT the show.

I am NOT a representative of RodentFest. But ALL of my animals WERE health checked at the last RF event, and I did NOT see a SINGLE sick animal in that building and I DID look at EVERYTHING. And here I am 7 MONTHS LATER - AND I DO NOT HAVE A SINGLE SICK ANIMAL PICKED UP FROM RODENTFEST.

Anyone who has attended multiple rodent events (INCLUDING RODENTFEST) KNOWS that you are supposed to do a PRE and POST quarantine for ANY event. If someone WERE to pick up animals AT RodentFest AND AT the "after party" and then go home to find an animal has an illness 2 weeks later (as some illnesses can be asyptomatic for MONTHS, like Pastuerellosis, and only display in younger or animals with already weakened immune systems), then WHO do you contact? Do you contact RodentFest or the people who were at the hotel? Do you not see a problem with this? So if I get mice at RF and someone else goes to your event and gets mice from BOTH, then has an illness pop up, then they do not know who to contact about the problem, how do I KNOW I'm not supposed to be looking out for it too, just in case? It IS against club rules, which is why there were previous issues with the ECMA show being held in conjunction with (AT THE SAME TIME AS) RodentFest, as it broke QT procedure for BOTH clubs. This is the SAME thing.

Lastly, Beth, you want healthy, beautiful animals from a breeder that gives a ****? I give a ****. A BIG one, and I see a HUGE problem with this. And any breeder that has hosted a show OR helped with a show OR KNOWS QT procedures in and out that gives a **** SHOULD see a problem with this. And if you don't, then you don't give as much of a **** as you thought you did. And I WILL be at RodentFest, if all of my plans go accordingly. I even volunteered for health check duty, to be sure that I can make a difference to see the END of this ridiculous nonsense.

Casey, you have issues with RodentFest's health checkers? Well, what if your health checkers have no clue what they are doing and miss something? Then will there be more comments made about sick animals at RF?

And, here's my point, you did NOT realize the health check was poor until is was "pointed out to you"? Then I'm sorry, whose opinion of sick animals and poor health check are you basing your decisions on? Your own or someone who has a biased against RF?

Lastly, if someone travels with mice that go to both events, and half of them get health checked into your event and half of them health checked into RF, and some of them fail health check at EITHER event (maybe some have an issue that rode in the same cage that do NOT pass RF's health check, but the other mice that get OK'd into your event do not have any symptoms, but carry), then that's a serious problem. How could you not think of this?

You have a problem with RodentFests health check, so you are choosing to break QT for EVERYONE who attends both events and potential problems for anyone that attends RodentFest - HYPOCRITICAL.

Either go to RodentFest or DON'T GO and plan your own swap LATER.