Australia's Science Forum

Hi all! Did you enjoy your long weekend?? I sure did! I went to Katherine and Darwin where it was nice and warm Can't beat swimming at 10pm in the middle of 'winter'!!!

But now I'm back in reality where it is cold and I'm at work and need to find some rats for yr 12 bio... I know Southern Biological sell them, but does anyone know another supplier? We've all been asked to get at least 2 quotes from different suppliers for each order we put in. I do this anyway with most of my orders but have only come across southern bio with rats... Remember to just give their names, not a link to their website.

Thanks!
Rosalie

We have sourced frozen rats from a local pet supplier who supplies food for reptile and snake owners. They come frozen with all the relevant info and because they are for pet food, they have been euthanized(?correct spelling?) in the correct way to follow all the WH&S guidelines. Cost us about $10 - $12 each. Perhaps you have someone close to you who does the same?

Hi Rosalie
I got rats from our pet store in Gunnedah for about $2 ea! I think. Anyway they were cheap, (maybe $5). They were frozen food for snakes, as has been mentioned. Although they were smallish, the bio teacher said they were fine. So I would imagine one of your pet stores in Tamworth would have them, or if not, we could organise something from here. Cheers

euthanized?
euthanased?

J

K-i-l-l-e-d yep that's it.

In South Australia we need to apply to the Animal Ethics Committee to use rats in schools. The Gilles Plains Animal Resource Centre provide these frozen rats, frozen rats are cheaper than live ones. Unfortunately as I am in the country we need to pay for the delivery costs also. I am currently in the process as to see whether we will receive the permission to dissect these rats by the Animal Ethics committee, and then the price to receive these rats. Sorry about the long spill, but that is how I have to go about it. Good luck.

Laurena Grieger
Waikerie High School

Laurena,
Ethics approval even though the animals are already dead? What a pain in the rear!Laboratory Animal Services (WAIT campus) at Adleaide university also supply frozen animals for disection in SA reasonably cheap too $2 each or something (Well they did when i worked there 12 months ago), May be worth looking into?

In WA we also have to apply for animal ethics permission to dissect rats even though they are already dead- and need to apply a minimum of 8 weeks or so in advance! Haven't done them for a very long time now which suits me just fine

You are fortunate. to be able to buy Rats from pet shops.
WA also has an Animal Ethics Commity, and we are governed by them. the ratio for rats in the class room is three students to one rat. Even Less for Pregnant rats. Paper work. Paper work.

I have a chap in Footscray, at Victoria University, who sells frozen rats - Male, Female and Pregnant. This year's charge is $8.50 per rat. They are frozen and he will send, somehow. I am fortunate that I just go and pick them up from him. His name is Ian Johnson. His email address is: ian.johnson@vu.edu.au
Good Luck, Maree

I had an enquiry from another high school to see if we are allowed to dissect rats in NSW schools and if so where can we get them from.
I think she is hoping that we aren't allowed to do them.
Estelle

Short Answer....are NSW DET school allowed to disect rats?

I was under the impression that we weren't and needed a permit per student that cost $$????

I just had a request for rats....

Rats, can be done, we have to be purchased, as RATS that are special bred for use in Schools. In other words they are hard to get hold of. Southern Biology has rats, but they are dear. I also believe they are not part of the curriculum. Only part of the senior Biology course.

Thanks.
I am looking at the animal act on the DET intranet....interesting..

Why don't you get large mice instead? There are just as good to dissect and you can easily source them frozen from most petstores and not very expensive either

I also tried to get the animal policy up, but for some reason it was not going to happen. My head teacher, Animal welface co-or for our school. "Said you can not just disect any old Animal, it must be free of all disease's, in other words specialy breed" Perhaps the person who managed to see the Animal act cane tell us what it said?

http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/media/dow ... /a1_13.pdf

if you can look at it, this is the link that I read.
Basicvally what i also got, is that if the learning experience cannot be enahnced by any other method (audio / visual etc) then use disection. But it must be satisfied that taht is the case, and that it is absolutely necessary for the learning of the student... and outcomes etc etc.

In summary the HT has said no, we're not going to do rats as it isn't on the syllabus and therefore is not needed to be done...

Phew.....todays eyes are enough for me,

Yeah coz I always go and find the disease free toads!

We get ours from the "Rat Man" at James Cook University in Townsville. He sends them frozen by TNT in a styrofoam esky box, at a very reasonable price. They are usually still frozen when they reach us in Mount Isa.
(He used to put them on the greyhound bus but I think that freaked out the bus driver too much .)
Contact details are:

Scott Blyth
James Cook University
07 47814238
07 47791526 (fax)
0427738170(mob)
Scott.Blyth@jcu.edu.au