Thinking about breeding

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

My current schedule gets them 2 weeks in a tub with the 4 girls, then at the end of that 2 weeks the male might get 1 or 2 weeks vacation.
After I clear the tub of all the babies I give the girls in that tub a month off before they see another male again.

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I need to get some more racks set up. Having only 6 tubs isnt keeping up with as many snakes I have to feed. Ive been having to buy rats at $60 - $70 a week. This weather here has really slowed them down on breeding! Ive only had about 6-7 litters here in the last 3 months and they were small ones.

I am not a fan of back to back breeding so soon as the females are pregnant they are removed (when females are pregnant while nursing it takes it' toll pretty quick, shorter life span as a breeder and smaller babies.)

I like to have my females in individual birthing tub until the babies are 7 days old (less loss) after that it's communal nursing until they are weaned.

I run 1.2 or 1.3 male remains in their own tubs and females rotate 1 female is added to the tub each week and pregnant females are removed each week to.

I produce a few thousands feeder a year, works for me.

Given the number of rats you are planning on and the number of BP to be fed, I would get 1 male and add a new female in each week and remove the females when obviously pregnant that would allow you to produce consistently each week (remember that the cycle, birthing to nursing to weaning is 6 to 7 weeks) - Doing so you should produce 6 to 12 rats a week for each week.

So how many bins/tubs should I plan on? I don't have a ton of room. I like the idea of rotating a new female in each week or having two bins with 1.3 in each and the grow out tubs.

How many bins/runs for grow outs?


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Any idea how many bins I should keep for grow outs? I was thinking at least two more weaned and larger maybe a third for future breeders? I just don't have a ton of room.

Also what size bin to house four adult rats?


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