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  • 03-03-2010, 03:53 PM
    jjsnakedude
    Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    what would be a good time to breed rats?
  • 03-03-2010, 04:00 PM
    Freakie_frog
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jjsnakedude View Post
    what would be a good time to breed rats?

    When the cost of raising them is cheaper than the cost to buy them.. :D
  • 03-03-2010, 07:25 PM
    Jay_Bunny
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Freakie_frog View Post
    When the cost of raising them is cheaper than the cost to buy them.. :D

    +1

    When my feeding bill went over $100 a month, I knew it was time to try and start breeding them.
  • 03-05-2010, 12:36 AM
    dembonez
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    im my case never lol i can't do live but i would say why not start at 1 snake haha its not like ur never gonna get another ball :P
  • 03-05-2010, 01:21 AM
    tomfromtheshade
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I would breed right from the gate personally. You can always freeze them at the size that you need them. Knowing what they eat and that they aren't f'd up in some way makes it worth while for me personally.
  • 03-05-2010, 10:53 AM
    Russ Lawson
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    It all depends on where you're buying your rats. If you're buying them from a pet store, it's definitely better to raise your own at any size collection. I even supply a local pet store here every once in a while when I have surplus. If you have a small collection, f/t will most likely be cheaper. I know with just my ~50 snakes though, that I would have a hard time being able to afford only buying f/t if I didn't produce my own.
  • 03-05-2010, 12:31 PM
    mr. s
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    For me it'll be never, unless I move.
    I live in, what I am told is, the largest rat free land mass excluding antarctica. It is illegal to bring a rat within my province! Soooo, people can only buy them frozen shipped from elsewhere. Guess this poll is not directed at me eh?
  • 03-05-2010, 12:56 PM
    mainbutter
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Really?? Where in Canada do you live? I thought that they pretty much already inhabited everywhere where they can survive, save a few select remote islands.
  • 03-05-2010, 01:20 PM
    martinarquero
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    when you have burms, tics, and bloods that dont get by with just a rat a week
  • 03-05-2010, 02:27 PM
    Jay_Bunny
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Of course, my sister has only one ball python and she is breeding for her own feeders. She sells extras to a local pet store. It probably only costs her about $10 a month to care for her breeders and she plans on getting more snakes and breeding, so she's building up her rat production now.
  • 03-05-2010, 02:29 PM
    mr. s
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mainbutter View Post
    Really?? Where in Canada do you live? I thought that they pretty much already inhabited everywhere where they can survive, save a few select remote islands.

    I'm talking about a little place called Assspen.... (just kidding, name that movie)

    I live in Alberta. We pride ourselves on the total eradication of rats in the province. They take it SERIOUS, and not like it is a goal of the province, or kind of something they try to deal with when it comes up, I am talking NO rats at all.
    Just in case the black plague comes back I would suggest moving here.
  • 03-05-2010, 03:07 PM
    771subliminal
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mr. s View Post
    I'm talking about a little place called Assspen.... (just kidding, name that movie)

    Dumb and Dumber
  • 03-05-2010, 07:50 PM
    SlitherinSisters
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I have 8 snakes and I'm having troubles keeping up with them. I've got 3 breeder females right now and within the next month or two I'll have 5 breeder females. For me it's worth it to breed myself, and I really enjoy all the baby rats. I'm a rat lover though, I've had pet rats for a long time.
  • 03-07-2010, 12:59 PM
    Jay_Bunny
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Feeding my snakes is the ONLY reason I breed rats *shifty eyes* Baby rats are not cute! Ok, I must confess, I love breeding rats for the baby rats. They are so cute when they hit that stage where they are covered in soft fur, they have little chubby bodies, and their eyes are either not open or just barely open. Love it! I have a litter right now that should be getting its fur in soon.
  • 03-11-2010, 03:02 AM
    steveboos
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny View Post
    Feeding my snakes is the ONLY reason I breed rats *shifty eyes* Baby rats are not cute! Ok, I must confess, I love breeding rats for the baby rats. They are so cute when they hit that stage where they are covered in soft fur, they have little chubby bodies, and their eyes are either not open or just barely open. Love it! I have a litter right now that should be getting its fur in soon.

    Oh i love this stage! I just love little fuzzy rats that love everything, cause i've seen some MEAN MEAN rats before ( my first breeder females :taz::mad:).
  • 03-11-2010, 04:13 AM
    kenze
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Whats the ratio of "lets say 3 ball python" you guy start with?

    1.2 or 2.4 or more rats????
  • 03-11-2010, 12:49 PM
    Jay_Bunny
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    When I first started breeding rats I was told it was good to have at least one breeding female per snake, so in the case of having 3 snakes I would say 3-5 breeding females. You will probably end up with extras but these are easily frozen for later use or sold.
  • 03-11-2010, 02:10 PM
    SlitherinSisters
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kenze View Post
    Whats the ratio of "lets say 3 ball python" you guy start with?

    1.2 or 2.4 or more rats????

    If you have three balls, 1.2 or 1.3 would be fine. If you think about it, that's about 20-30 babies every 2~ months. If you have small bps, and you have too many rat babies, you can freeze the rat pups before their eyes/ears open. Thus your overpopulation is solved.

    On average I have 25 rats at any given time and only 6 of them are breeders/future breeders.
  • 03-11-2010, 06:52 PM
    Raverthug
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I did a thread like this not too long ago. Most people said they started breeding at around 8-10 snakes
  • 03-12-2010, 11:45 AM
    SlitherinSisters
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Raverthug View Post
    I did a thread like this not too long ago. Most people said they started breeding at around 8-10 snakes

    It all depends on what you want to do and what you think is worth breeding rats for. I've been breeding since I had 3 snakes and never had a issue with too many rats. It wasn't that much more expensive to feed/keep rats than buying f/t. Now that I'm up to 8 bps I'm spending a lot less money feeding/keeping all the rats than buying f/t.
  • 03-15-2010, 05:50 PM
    WingedWolfPsion
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    When to breed rats? When you first acquire a snake that refuse to eat FT.

    The cost of buying FT from Rodent Pro and raising rats yourself on lab block is pretty much exactly the same. Remember, you must figure in not only the cost of feed, but also the cost of lots and lots of pine bedding.

    Labor isn't factored in--you do that for 'free'. And lots of it. You will spend more time caring for rats than you do for the snakes, alas. I have 2 racks full of rats and mice, and I hate them. If I could get every snake I own to eat FT, I would do so. But it's so much easier to start hatchlings on live...so I have to raise the rats. >.<

    It's not that rats aren't cute, it's just that they're so horribly messy.
  • 03-15-2010, 06:04 PM
    Jay_Bunny
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    My "colony" is tiny right now. I only have a few breeders and I'm raising up a few as future breeders. I spend about 10 minutes a day cleaning and feeding, so I expect that to increase as I add more breeding groups.
  • 04-05-2010, 12:11 AM
    JEWSKIN
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I have 38 rats currently and about 30 mice darn jcp won't take rats even rat pups that have been in with mice darn him lol anywho better than spending money on the rats from pet shops plus I help people out who are going through a tough time and can barely feed themselves but don't wanna give up their snakes....sigh I'm too nice sometimes
  • 04-05-2010, 01:56 AM
    tomfromtheshade
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JEWSKIN View Post
    I have 38 rats currently and about 30 mice darn jcp won't take rats even rat pups that have been in with mice darn him lol anywho better than spending money on the rats from pet shops plus I help people out who are going through a tough time and can barely feed themselves but don't wanna give up their snakes....sigh I'm too nice sometimes

    38 rats? I'm going to have 96 Dumbo females going by the end of the summer. I don't even want to get into regular feeders LOL.

    I give a lot of mine away too. I understand where you're coming from with having friends that can't afford to feed their snakes right now.
  • 04-05-2010, 05:10 AM
    JEWSKIN
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    it's not even friends it's people contacting me or me contacting them in hopes to keep the snakes from horrid hands
  • 04-12-2010, 07:24 AM
    mommanessy247
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    i plan on starting my mouse breeding project next month so i will have feeder mice ready to go when i get my snake in august. i will only have the 1 snake but the mice at my local pet store cost $7.99 ea. (thats $39.95 for mice for 1 month x 12 months-thats $479.40 for mice for a year! way too much in my opinion). breeding just seems the better, easier & more cost effective way to go.
  • 04-12-2010, 07:27 AM
    mommanessy247
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    oh & forgot to mention the rats at my pet store cost $11.99 ea ( thats $59.95 per month-thats $719.40 for a year)...major ouch.
  • 04-14-2010, 10:47 AM
    4theSNAKElady
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I think it also depends on what kind of snakes you have too. For someone breeding corns, even newborn rats will be too big for those tiny hatchlings.
  • 04-14-2010, 10:49 AM
    4theSNAKElady
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mommanessy247 View Post
    i plan on starting my mouse breeding i will only have the 1 snake but the mice at my local pet store cost $7.99 ea. (thats $39.95 for mice for 1 month x 12 months-thats $479.40 for mice for a year! way too much in my opinion). breeding just seems the better, easier & more cost effective way to go.

    $8 for a mouse ??!!! That's CRAZY!!!!! Man, for $8 those leetle buggers better be poopin' golden turds!!!!!
  • 04-21-2010, 01:14 PM
    ted1025
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I am also pondering this question as my collection grows...

    What would be the best way to estimate the cost of breeding rats to see if it's cheaper then buying them?

    I know you would have to buy them housing and auto water equip(should I choose that) but that is just an initial investment that won't be factored into the monthly expense.

    But after that, you need beeding and food. I think that's it, am I missing anything? So how much beeding and food would you need per month??
  • 04-21-2010, 03:26 PM
    jben
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    as for bedding and food it depends on what you have. i have a 1.3 colony and i still have about 3/4 bale of pine that i bought almost two monts ago and i cleaned them weekly also as of right now a 25lb bag of mazuri lasts me 2 months. i paid $5 for the pine and $17 for the food.
  • 04-27-2010, 02:55 AM
    Greez1986
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I like the idea of raising my own rats and plan on putting together a nice breeding setup when I get the time in a month or so. I figure I can freeze some of them for emergency situations and sell/give away any extras that aren't being eaten. It also gives me the piece of mind of knowing where the feeders came from and what kind of live they have lived. Maybe I have been in fish keeping to long but I know I am very picky about what my Piranhas eat and where those feeders come from, breeding your own is a better option then guessing if they were properly taken care of and ate right. :gj::gj::gj:
  • 04-27-2010, 09:41 AM
    Tobias
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I have heard that temperature and light can cause stress on rats which decreases their breeding potential. What temperature range is appropriate for a colony? 50-90°? 60-90°? I just built an 8-shelf breeding rack and the Edstrom automatic water system is to be delivered tomorrow. These guys are going to be in my patio storage closet! Lol.. I know, I know. Far from ideal, but I have to work with what space I have and I really don't want my place to smell like an ammonia factory..

    I'll post pictures and a link to the design later today hopefully.. I think it should be quite an efficient system..
  • 04-29-2010, 08:55 AM
    FatBoy
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I once saw a calculation that someone on here came up with that suggested how many breeder females you need per snake to keep feeders availaible. I have searched but can't find it. Any help?
  • 04-29-2010, 09:04 AM
    Freakie_frog
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    We keep an average of 3-4 female rats for every snake we have to feed. Including babys and hatchlings.

    This way you have one female in every stage of feeder production for every snake.
    1-breeding
    1-nursing/birthing
    1-resting
    1-growing up to replace retired breeders.
  • 04-29-2010, 04:14 PM
    jben
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by FatBoy View Post
    I once saw a calculation that someone on here came up with that suggested how many breeder females you need per snake to keep feeders availaible. I have searched but can't find it. Any help?

    here you go,
    http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=52894
  • 04-29-2010, 08:26 PM
    FatBoy
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jben View Post

    Thanks man.
  • 04-30-2010, 07:57 AM
    ted1025
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    So if I read that correctly, he has a male with a female for one week and the job gets done?? and then he moves him to the next female...
  • 04-30-2010, 08:27 AM
    jben
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    that's correct.
  • 05-09-2010, 11:16 AM
    trikesorz
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mommanessy247 View Post
    i plan on starting my mouse breeding project next month so i will have feeder mice ready to go when i get my snake in august. i will only have the 1 snake but the mice at my local pet store cost $7.99 ea. (thats $39.95 for mice for 1 month x 12 months-thats $479.40 for mice for a year! way too much in my opinion). breeding just seems the better, easier & more cost effective way to go.

    The rats your buying arn't meant to be feeders are they?

    I've considered breeding my own feeders but I think it would cost to much and be to much work to breed mice for three snakes.
  • 05-12-2010, 01:43 PM
    Jadonh
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    Thats a good question. I have 34 snakes, 2 babies on the way, more eggs on the way, a Caiman, and a Nile monitor and I still but what I need for now, but I have been getting ready with the help of raverthug.. to build a rack and start breeding our own rats, costs me about 80 a month plus a 10 dollar rabbit for my large snake, so I assume it is time....
  • 09-30-2010, 04:46 PM
    ZiggyTheBall
    breeding
    me personally i would starting breeding as soon as possible !! it doesn't matter how many snakes u have it will cut the cost down that u spend monthly, which those funds can go towards something else you kno
  • 09-30-2010, 10:27 PM
    SnakeKB
    Ive got 5 snakes and breed rats and soft furs for them. If i get too many ill kill and freeze them or start selling them off. Even if i make just enough to cover the rat food and bedding, its still a big saving in not buying rats to feed.
  • 09-30-2010, 10:51 PM
    iCandiBallPythons
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    When snake food is higher than your grocery bill:gj:
  • 10-09-2010, 10:12 AM
    snakeman13
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I started breeding rats at 8 snakes. started with 6 1.4 groups(asf). The cost of raising them was cheaper then buying, but still cost close to $1 to raise to adult.
    Now I have 75 Ball Pythons,I have 24 1.5 breeder asf groups and 14 1.2 Hooded breeders. I changed to hog feed 16%, my cost now to raise to aduls is about 12/14 cents. This includes all the bedding as well. If I include my time it goes to $.20 a rat. A hell of alot cheaper.:gj:
  • 12-30-2010, 01:50 PM
    Shadera
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    I started breeding my own with 3 snakes, and have expanded as my collection has grown. Sure there are times when I'd love to just ditch the rats and spend that time with the snakes, but overall I do not regret it one bit. For me the question was never really cost, and I honestly can't tell you exactly what it costs for me to raise a feeder, but knowing that I have quality rodents going into my snakes bellies is what it's all about for me.

    I do keep a few FT rats in the freezer.
  • 07-30-2011, 12:18 AM
    horsecrazy
    Re: Best snake collection size to breed Rats?
    :taz: I have been breeding rats for 2 years now i have sold more rats then i new what to do with i made probably 150 dollars in 2 years or more because i sell them so cheap.

    But i only have two big boas 1 female that could be eating rabbits but she isn't ready for them. and my male who just got healthy again. I am about to get 4 more big boa's 3 females and 1 male.

    I used to have 4 rat racks built which only cost us 500 dollars the way we did it. but we took two down to put in guinea pig cages i have started to breed guinea pigs because my female will eat anything i put in her face and hopefully my male will eat a baby guinea pig. but who knows he might if he is hugnry enough.



    But I like knowing where my rats come from i don't breed mice any more nasty little b****s they bite but they never ate their babies though they gave me 40 babie's each litter but they started to get out of their cage so i had no choice but to get rid of them. I don't like to breed nothing but rats and guinea pigs because they are the right size for baby boa's and whatever snake i get.

    I put like 1.4 each and i leave them in for about 3 to 4 days and instantly pregnant and about 23 days i would have babie's my male's get the job done i have to breeder males that do the job but once they get old and they did their job like i liked them to then i would keep them and let the pass on and i would barry them in the back yard very deep where animals can't get to them that quick.

    But i sold most of my breeders off and now i only have 20 babie's that were just born like 5 days ago 10 of them were born 3 days ago they are new borns. But i started to breed with just one ball python.

    but i have been breeding for two years and have been useing different types of bedding and i have found the best type that works great. it is would pellets it is the wood stove pellets that burn in the stove or pellets you put in with the horses for cleaning.

    i have been trying to find the mazuri 6f but they don't sell it here in my city i don't know where you could find it except the mazuri place but they want freaken 18 dollars for the bag and then they want 70 something to ship it out to you just for one bag.
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