No more breeding.

I have decided to stop breeding rats. I have enjoyed while it lasted. I breed them in my garage and I only have on rack. When all the bins were full and even before the smell drove me crazy. It started to come into my house even though I kept the garage door cracked. And on the hot days OMG it was crazy. I cleaned the bins every 5-7 seven days but they still stink. My fiance's friend came over or house and notice the smell and new it was from rodents. That is when I put down about 60 rats and put them in the freezer. I have just a few babies left and 3.5 breeders left that will get fed off or put down this weekend. How can you all stand the smells I have used woody pet and vanilla (wich works very well) but still can not deal with them.
Then when you had 15-20 sub adults in a bin at one time and you have to clean that bin the rats are everywhere. I have learned it is tedious work raising rats for my snakes. Going back to buying frozen once the freezer is empty again.

Good luck every one that can stand doing it for the hobby, but I am out for the count.

Well, it does take work, smell and time to raise rats, it's certainly not for everyone.

Sorry to hear the rats didn't work out, but it sounds like you will be a lot happier (and smell free!) :P

I hear you and recently made the same decision. Part of the reason behind that decision was my gf is moving in and her condition for moving in was that the rats/mice (along with their smell) be gone. But honestly the smell, labor, and lack of fun in the breeding process had lost it's appeal for me much earlier.

Breeding your own feeders is definately not for everyone and there are tricks to make it easier. I traded the breeders and excess pups to a local reptile store for credit.

For those interested - I'll be posting 2 rat racks on here soon.

I feel your pain Cane. Everyone complains about the smell of mice, but I would rather smell mice than rats ANY day.

I suspect breeding rodents is alot like getting married... We all start out in love, but fewer than half who try can actually make a go of it.

Look at the bright side, you still get to keep all your stuff and there's no custody battle.

i got smell problem before but placing 2 giant exhaust fan solve that problem.

I would suspect that the garage was hot, so no doubt about the unbearable smell. My rats are down in the basement, it's usually a nice 65 degrees and the smell isn't bad at all.

cooler does seem better. also, i recently visited a friend who's got some racks that are wire top and bottom.... every other day he pulls out the bins one at a time, and mists them down, rats and all. the floor is a plastic basin that runs water into a 3'' drain pipe, and connects to the septic line. he uses no medum, just wire, food hamper, and water.

it was really cool to see, gave me ideas on how to do similar on a smaller scale!

Tell your friend he's an idiot.. Keeping them on wire 24/7 to raise their babies and everything is just too cruel to even imagine.

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Tell your friend he's an idiot.. Keeping them on wire 24/7 to raise their babies and everything is just too cruel to even imagine.

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I sooooo agree with you.

It was great at first when I had 2.4. I started last year in Sept and it was cool. from sept to now those guys produces almost 100 rats wich is more than I expected. My ladies always had big litters 14+. But i will not miss them. But the worst part is the smell got into my leather suits (motorcyle roadrace leathers).