Newb to rat breeding, a few questions.

[Ryan Chin]

Hello all, I am planning on trying my hand at rat breeding for food for my collection of snakes, I need 10 per week. From reading the stickie the ideal number is 12 female rats to do that, I'm not really to sure how they get that number. From what I've read on breeding rats it is best to separate all pregnant females meaning I would need 12 tubs just for females on my little rack to do that? I have a small rack that I'm using which has 2 tub levels but I think I can add between 2-3 more levels if needed. Is there any way I can pull off breeding to get the numbers I need with my tub limitation? Lets assume 4-5 tubs.

Can I do less than a 2.12, I have read metalmonkeys site on breeding rats at minimum of 2.2, would this be possible to run and produce enough feeders eventually to sustain my collection?

[Tfpets]

I breed mine in a small mixing tub rack. 4 tubs. I keep them in groups of 1.5. I don't separate pregnant females. I get tons of babies!

[irishanaconda]

Basically if u separate, u get less pinks getting stomped on and mothers fighting over who takes care of the babies. U should still produce a ton if u leave them in the tubs and go 1.4 but when there wean able id sperate then males from females. Everyone does things different but from my experience i would have 1, 6 slot tub and would be running 1.4 in the top 4 and saving the bottom 2 for a male and female grow out bin. Id say a good average is to think a female will have a litter a month (give or take) so on a low end average lets say 8 litters of 6 pinks (this is a low average) a month. 48 babies a month but depending on the size of ur snakes ur gonna have to wait 2 months before they have some good size to feed to adults but once they get going ur set. Rotate out ur females every year or so and ur males maybe every year and a half

[carlson]

As of now I've been leaving females in once I build my rack I may start seperating prego girls into tanks just to give them a break. I have one girl who if dad is removed she will eat the babies so those two stay together all time and give a litter a month