Frozen rat purchase help

So I usually order off of big cheese rodent but they have been sold out of the sizes I get forever it seems, and I’m tried of paying the petco prices. What other companies do you guys recommend when buying in bulk?

Perfect Prey.

They are my backup to Big Cheese.

Cold Blooded Cafe

The quality of their rodents have been better than any other company I've ordered from

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Originally Posted by CRH3012

Cold Blooded Cafe

The quality of their rodents have been better than any other company I've ordered from

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I second this


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My review of Cold Blooded Café

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...d-Blooded-Cafe

I use Perfect Prey as well.

Time to hit facebook an craigs list. Find some local rodent breeders for when you can't order them on the net.

Good luck!

I usually use Rodent Pro. Have never had an issue with them. I usually make two orders a year. Just did a few months ago and it was the same as usual. Arrived nicely packed and completely frozen.

I've tried using Big Cheese but never could find them with all the sizesi order at the same time. I have not had that issue with Rodent Pro.

I used to have a local supply but they stopped selling. That was really nice.

Lots of good choices mentioned here, some of which I've ordered from. I'll just add that I am a huge fan of Layne Labs - they are my go-to and have never failed me even in the midst of the COVID restrictions and shipping hassles. I've always been able to get what I needed (I have to order a variety of sizes) and the shipments are in perfect condition and arrive within a few days.

Big Cheese is my preferred supplier. If they're out of the sizes I need I'll give them a call and they'll let me know when my sizes are available. It's usually a week or so later. Perfect Prey is my primary back up. Their prices are a little higher than BC but they're high quality. Layne Labs is excellent too. Their inventory and shipping costs are quite a bit higher than all the others I've mentioned. I've been hearing really good things about Cold Blooded Cafe lately. I just wish they had different prey types besides rats and mice.

Perfect Prey.

Awesome thanks guys!

I like Big Cheese. I found their prices to be better, per rodent. Plus, they now have a flat rate for shipping, which the didn’t use to have. I just ordered 2 packs of weaned rats. They came vacuum sealed, and in great condition. Just fed my BP the first time from that order this past Sunday.


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Thank you again!

I like Rodent Barn (https://therodentbarn.com). Really great quality! A little slow to ship to be honest, but ultimately has always been OK and I like supporting a smaller seller who supplies a great product.

I just got an order from Big Cheese because I thought I'd give them a try and was honestly kinda disappointed. Also purchased once from Layne Labs and got a ton of underweight rats (although they did credit me for the purchase, so at least they made it right).

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Originally Posted by tempo36

I like Rodent Barn (https://therodentbarn.com). Really great quality! A little slow to ship to be honest, but ultimately has always been OK and I like supporting a smaller seller who supplies a great product.

I just got an order from Big Cheese because I thought I'd give them a try and was honestly kinda disappointed. Also purchased once from Layne Labs and got a ton of underweight rats (although they did credit me for the purchase, so at least they made it right).

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I'm curious, where is the Rodent Barn located? (what state?) This is the first I've heard of them, & it helps to know a bit more (it's usually better to buy from sources nearby when possible).

They're in Bozeman, Montana...which is a big win for us here in Seattle. A ground shipment from Bozeman only takes a couple days. My recent trial of getting a shipment of rats from Texas took 9 days (with delays, but even if it had been on time they projected 5 days)

I ran across Rodent Barn because, as you might recall, my introduction to ball pythons was a pain in the tail with a young hatchling refusing to eat and hitting the 60g mark. I ended up working quite a bit with not only this forum, but also a snake breeder/seller in Montana who coached me along quite a bit. She used to be the manager at Rodent Barn and passed the info along to me. I have been tremendously pleased with them.

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Originally Posted by tempo36

They're in Bozeman, Montana...which is a big win for us here in Seattle. A ground shipment from Bozeman only takes a couple days. My recent trial of getting a shipment of rats from Texas took 9 days (with delays, but even if it had been on time they projected 5 days)

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Excellent point when picking a vendor - find a reputable one geographically close to you to minimize shipping times, especially in hot weather, to help ensure the rats are still frozen when you get them.

Just curious if anyone knows where CBC is located and if they offer local pick up? i'm reaching out to them but figured i'd ask here as well. They're shipping out of Indianapolis, IN. So i assume they're close to there. If they attend shows/do local pick up I very well may give their rodents a shot.

Rodent Pro has never failed me yet.
I like them

I would like to try LAYNE but how do you guys get around or justify the listed /prohibitive shipping????

I am loooking to spend around $100 on rats and the shipping is like $50 on top of that. Any tips on getting better shipping rate so I can try to justify giving them a try??

Thanks

How to get around the expense of shipping on ice so your order stays safely frozen? 2 ways I can think of:

Split an order with someone else near you, so the shipping will be split between you, OR, move closer to Layne labs & pick up your order in person. ;) (Assuming they allow that- I don't know for sure that they do, only that some companies do?)

I see that rodent pro offers free shipping so was wondering if Layne has shipping incentives every so often or not? Thanks

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Originally Posted by SS snakes

Just curious if anyone knows where CBC is located and if they offer local pick up? i'm reaching out to them but figured i'd ask here as well. They're shipping out of Indianapolis, IN. So i assume they're close to there. If they attend shows/do local pick up I very well may give their rodents a shot.

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I don't know if they permit local pickup but the Indiana Secretary of State web site has them based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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Originally Posted by BPJD

I see that rodent pro offers free shipping so was wondering if Layne has shipping incentives every so often or not? Thanks

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Layne Labs was rather pricey to me and I’m not sure about their shipping incentives. I know Rodent Pro isn’t the greatest quality but they’re not the worst. I take advantage of the Rodent Pro “hot deals” and their free shipping. The savings can amount to a substantial return.

Who is above Rodent pro Quality and doesn't charge $50 so that someone buying 50rats and spending 100 doesn't turn into 150/175. I wanted to try Layne as I have read mixed reviews on RPro.

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Originally Posted by BPJD

Who is above Rodent pro Quality and doesn't charge $50 so that someone buying 50rats and spending 100 doesn't turn into 150/175. I wanted to try Layne as I have read mixed reviews on RPro.

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I just placed a nearly $400 order that will get me through the year for 7 snakes (~180 feeders I think) with perfectprey.com and shipping was around $50. Shipping is based on weight for the most part so it will be less if you order smaller quantities. Big Cheese Rodents has a flat rate of $29 shipping per box as well. Shipping prices in general have gone up dramatically in the last two years and it's unlikely you'll find anything cheaper than all the suppliers mentioned

Right, big cheese has better quality than Rodent Pro and big cheese has a flat rate shipping of 29.00 . Plus Big Cheese vacuum packs the rodents, they are fresher.

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Right, big cheese has better quality than Rodent Pro and big cheese has a flat rate shipping of 29.00 . Plus Big Cheese vacuum packs the rodents, they are fresher.

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The "freshness" issue is really important. Wasn't it Rodent Pro that had a problem a few years back with having received a big block of frozen feeders that they had to thaw enough to separate & re-package them for their own sales, with the resulting loss of quality, that for some recipients, was quite "obvious"? I hope Rodent Pro has since fixed their methods & more recently I've seen reviews saying people are pleased with their orders from them, but since I don't buy rodents at all (I raise my own) I can only go by what others share here.

Ok this is good info, so it's widely accepted that BigCheese quality is above RP???

Thanks. I had an order with BCheese teed up last night but couldn't pull the trigger as I wanted to read more about them. I understand shipping costs. Just when it's a minimum of 50 to 60 shipping charges, it changes the metrics on a 100$$ order. Thanks i will purse the big cheese now

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Originally Posted by BPJD

Ok this is good info, so it's widely accepted that BigCheese quality is above RP???

Thanks. I had an order with BCheese teed up last night but couldn't pull the trigger as I wanted to read more about them. I understand shipping costs. Just when it's a minimum of 50 to 60 shipping charges, it changes the metrics on a 100$$ order. Thanks i will purse the big cheese now

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I don't "keep score" but it seems some here are happy with Rodent Pro, while others have been less than happy- it might be that issue with RP was only in the past- I cannot say?

I will say that when raising rodents it can be very difficult to judge their productivity- they can give you too little (often in summer when you need them most) or too many (often in winter, when you don't, lol). What happened with RP (-?) in the past is that it might (-?) have only been a one-time thing where they out-sourced rodents to fill their orders. Or maybe that's how they always operate- I cannot say- but that's something I'd want to know, if I were ordering rodents.

I've recently noticed that all seem happy with Big Cheese, if that helps? Ditto for Perfect Prey. The one closer to you is probably the best option, in case of shipping delays (especially in summer- right now I don't think thawing is as much of an issue). ;)

Which of the companies, if any, individually packages them or vac packs them individually ANY?

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Originally Posted by BPJD

Which of the companies, if any, individually packages them or vac packs them individually ANY?

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You might get a better response if you post this question as a new, separate question- especially for those who've already responded in this thread.

Or, just contact the companies you're most interested in & ask them- ;)

Which of the companies, if any, individually packages them or vac packs them individually ANY?

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Originally Posted by BPJD

Which of the companies, if any, individually packages them or vac packs them individually ANY?

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I meant to suggest that you start a new thread, with the title indicating what information you're looking for-

Then again, I'd personally just check the websites for the ones I was interested in- most of them tell you how they package.

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Originally Posted by BPJD

Which of the companies, if any, individually packages them or vac packs them individually ANY?

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Every individual rodent? Pretty sure none of them. Buy a food saver and vac seal individually if you need that.


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