Breeding Feeders for 1 BP (for now---more to come)

[Spirit_Scale]

Hey guys,

I always strive to keep my costs down while giving the best care that I can for my animals---whether its the geckos, the parrot or Ihysius.
SO, I got to thinking, would it be beneficial to me to breed my own feeders? Keeping in mind that in the next year or so I plan to get more snakes (still debating another between BP, a hogg island boa, a blood, a jag carpet or rainbow boa---but thats for another thread) I'm looking at some pretty steep prices (not as bad as the 1.50 for a pinky at the local pet store) but still about 2.50 per medium sized rat even online and thats not including the $12 in shipping.

So, if you guys were in my position would you breed your own feeders? Keeping in mind that in the next year the total zoo count (gotta love living with friends who are just as animal nuts as I am) will be *at least* 1 BP , 5-6 adult breeding female & 3 male leopard geckos, 1 male and 1 female bearded dragons (the lizards get them as treats during the breeding season). So pinkies and other sizes wouldn't exactly be going to waste.

If so would you guys go with the ASFs or regular rats?

Of course there's research and supplies yet to be done, but I'm just seeing if economically setting up even two females and 1 male is worth it before investing in the whole set-up. Its gonna start costing me easily 15-20 bucks a month to feed just my BP if I can't think or something to try n get my costs down. I do have a monthly 'budget' for all my herps, and the more I can save throughout the year the more of that budget is put away for their vet check-ups at the end of the year or into supplements etc.

[Inknsteel]

It's not practical to breed rats for one or two snakes. The rats will outgrow your bp before you have a chance to feed them all off. You could breed, gas and freeze when they reach the appropriate size, but you're going to produce quite a bit more food than you'll need and will end up with a freezer full of rats eventually.

[Wicked Constrictors]

If you have the time way not, you can put the rats down freeze them and if you get too much you can always sell some. I breed rats and enjoy it.

[KTyne]

I would go ahead and do it. Just have one or two breeding females for now. You don't always have to be breeding the Female so if you are starting to end up with too many Rats that you can't feed fast enough then stop putting the Male in with the Female and you'll stop getting babies.

[Inknsteel]

If the OP is striving to keep costs down, I'm sorry but breeding rats is not cost efficient for one single ball python. You have to take into account the cost of the rat bedding, the cost of food to feed your breeding colony every day, plus the initial startup costs of breeding, including the breeder rats themselves, whatever type of enclosure(s) you will need, food bowls and water bottles, etc. Also, factor in the cost of the supplies to humanely euthanize the surplus rats.

I enjoy breeding my rats too, but I also have 18 snakes to feed and buy rat block in bulk, so it's much more cost efficient than buying live rats at $4-5 a pop from my local pet store.

[Spirit_Scale]

Well I guess that settles it---no breeding rats for me just quite yet.
I just wish there were better CDN prices for frozen feeders

Its brutal because its going to start costing me about 15-20 dollars a month to feed solely him. 20 dollars is a week of meat for me and a month of food for my geckos. $20 gets me about 2-3 months of homemade whole-ingredient parrot food. In comparison...
There's gotta be a better way somewhere.

[I-KandyReptiles]

I'm going to be different, and say if you want, start breeding.

It'll probably cost over $20 a month for supplies though. I have 5 snakes, and am breeding mice and ASFs. If you ENJOY rats/mice, then it'll be a lot easier. I love my breeders and while it's probably not economical for me, I do it because I enjoy it as well.

Racks would be best, as multiple cages can be a pain. I only have 1 rack.

It was $7 a tub, $20 for a roll of 1/4" mesh, and the big water bottles were $7 each. Dad works at a lumber yard so wood was cheap



I also have multiple cage/tank set ups until my other racks are built.

Here's my ASF tank:


All my creatures get hog feed ($30 for a BIG bag), veggies and fruit and the occasional wax worms.

I clean my ASFs weekly and my mice every 3-4 days as all are currently in my room.

You can find huge bags of Aspen at walmart for about $10.

[Andrew21]

Pine bedding near me is 6 dollars for 4 cubic feet. That's is a lot of pine. I use pork grower as feed. That is 12 dollars for 50 pounds. So 24 dollars for about 3+ months of supplies. I'm breeding mice though. They don't eat as much. But I also have 8 breeders + a given amount of feeders. So that might equal the amount of feed it takes for a few rats. My friend is breeding rats and they wouldn't eat the pork grower. If you like rats in general, like as pets or whatever, then I say deffinately do it. If you'll see it as a chore then don't. I starting breeding when I had a single corn. Remember start up cost of the rack and tubs and water system.

[twoyrbrat]

Just jumped into the " Snake Den", and have my one and only 0.1.0 - Normal BP now for just three short weeks. WHAT A BLESSING! I should have done this 20 years ago, but here I am now. I will consider breeding rats once I have a total of three snakes. The second purchase will be a pastel or Bumble Bee. I have raised rats before but on a PET type basis. I had one in 2007 and she was the darling of the household. She had to be put down due to Mammary Cancer which took her at only 1 1/2 years old. Now the concept is breeding for both pets and for feeders. The issue of killing my pre - kill food does not bother me. I have been around exotics since 95 from furred to feathers. Now I am playing with the idea of seriously studying the husbandry of Snakes in particular. Ball Pythons have been my favorite since I can remember.

Suzy Stone
Chico, CA