Castrophy Need Ideas quick!!!!!!

So I buy my live feeders form my local herp haunt. Well last week their Mouse supplier lost power and with the heat he lost 9000 mice and want be in production for like another 6 weeks. No biggie my guys are big enough that they will take rat pups and weenlings and small rats.:D come on growth. Well Friday I walk in to buy rats and I get the great news. The rat suppliers AC burned out and he lost 2000 rats and he won't be getting back in breeding at all. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: .They have no one else to supply them for rats at all. I just started breeding myself and have only had one litter and have one other on the way. I spent the last two days building a rack so I can kick up the porduction. I have enough to keep me in rats for like 3 maybe 4 weeks. But after that I'm Screwed!!!!! Nonof mine eat F/T and I got two that will only eat live mice :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

I am open to suggestions here. If some one has in GA-AL-LA has some breeder rats they would sell me even preggers ones I'd drive to get them.and just about pay what they ask.I'm that stuck.

shoot me a pm. i'm in savannah, ga and i can hook you up with several breeders, and maybe some feeders, depending on what i have if/when we meet up.

I would take a day off of work, get 2 or 3 rat racks built...then drive to all the pet stores that you know in a 100 mile radius of you and buy all the female rats that they have.

It won't get crackin for a few weeks depending on the size of the new rats, but once they hit their stride, you'll be OK....Good Luck

Ed...isn't Mice Direct in Georgia? If so you might give them a call and see about getting a large order of live. They might be able to hook you up with older females that are closer to breeding age.


Just a thought.

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

Ed...isn't Mice Direct in Georgia? If so you might give them a call and see about getting a large order of live. They might be able to hook you up with older females that are closer to breeding age.


Just a thought.

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They are I'll give that a try.

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

Ed...isn't Mice Direct in Georgia? If so you might give them a call and see about getting a large order of live. They might be able to hook you up with older females that are closer to breeding age.


Just a thought.

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Yea I got one litter at 5 weeks old and one about two weeks out and I'm hoping another one on the way. But with 17 snakes I would need a litter a week. Thats like having 20-25 females and I just don't have it yet

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

Yea I got one litter at 5 weeks old and one about two weeks out and I'm hoping another one on the way. But with 17 snakes I would need a litter a week. Thats like having 20-25 females and I just don't have it yet

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I checked out there site and they said they will sell live if you pick them up...so if you can make it over to them it sounds like they should be able to help you out.

Also you estimate might be light (unless you think that each litter will be giving you near 20 offspring) I have 16 tubs of 2-3 female rats each. I have 23 mouths to feed and need the complete tubs litters (2-3) to feed them all. I count on 10-12 per litter (anything more is great but for an estimate I am conservative)

Keep us posted.

Just a note - another member here recently picked up 25 female mice for me from Mice Direct (I didn't want to have any stinky males to house) and they were in tip top condition, and I'm down to five now. Much nicer than any I've gotten at my local pet store for feeders.


I breed rats, but not mice, so I have to pick up mice.

I don't have a lot of excess rats, but I can probably hook you up with a few males and females if you'd like. I'm in Marietta, GA and they're all black hooded, but my litters average 14+.

Here's a thought Ed...
Chances are you won't be the only person that goes there to pick up feeder mice and rats. I bet this store is going to be losing a lot of money due to no rat/mice sales, so they'll be in a rush to find a new supplier. Maybe if you use what you have (order some f/t just for assurance), they may have new suppliers in a month.

Well heres an update I got three blue hooded females from Petsmart today. I got 5 females before that so that makes 8 females and one of our members has offered to seel me some of their breeding stock females to give me a nice kick in the butt to get me swinging full tilt

Watch those blue hooded females, Ed.


I got three from Petsmart, one died after a month of vet visits to treat her for an RI. Another died during labor. The third had a litter of 14, only 8 survived.

My black hoodeds, blue self, beige hooded and brown hooded all have had large litter with no health problems.

I don't know if there's some weakness with blue hoodeds, but thought I'd let you know so you can watch them.

. :rockon: :rockon: :rockon:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Watch those blue hooded females, Ed.


I got three from Petsmart, one died after a month of vet visits to treat her for an RI. Another died during labor. The third had a litter of 14, only 8 survived.

My black hoodeds, blue self, beige hooded and brown hooded all have had large litter with no health problems.

I don't know if there's some weakness with blue hoodeds, but thought I'd let you know so you can watch them.

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just fyi, i also have a blue hooded from petsmart that may have come from the same supplier as the ones robin got. mine is doing great. her first litter was extremely small, but her second litter, which numbered 14, are all healthy and are close to being weaned.
i'm definitely being more watchful over her than the others just because of what happened with robin's blues, but so far so good.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Watch those blue hooded females, Ed.
I got three from Petsmart, one died after a month of vet visits to treat her for an RI. Another died during labor. The third had a litter of 14, only 8 survived. .
I don't know if there's some weakness with blue hoodeds, but thought I'd let you know so you can watch them.

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Oh great!! I just put 3 blue hooded females that I raised up into the breeding rotation this weekend!!

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Originally Posted by monk90222

Oh great!! I just put 3 blue hooded females that I raised up into the breeding rotation this weekend!!

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I'm sure they'll do fine. :)

I just found it odd that out of all my females, the blue hoodeds were the only ones with problems.

The only blue rat we've ever had in the colony was a male, gorgeous powder blue American Blue rat. Not only was he infertile but his temperment was extremely unstable to the point that we had to put him down. I'm not saying Blues are bad, heck I love them and am trying to add some to my own breeding efforts.

I think they became so popular as pet rats that they can be far too inbred or bred without any regard for the health and temperment of the parents or whether the female line produces good big litters. Just keep an eye on them and see how they go for you.

Now my blue self, on the other hand, has been one of my best mothers with large healthy litters.


I've only had problems with the blue hoodeds.

Thanks guys keep the info coming. The more I learn quick the quicker I can be a more effective rat breeder.

Crap.. if you were in my area, I could give you some ratties..!

my blue hooded so far has been great--healthy, sweet personality, great mom, good sized second litter (after her first small litter). i count myself lucky, and although tempted i do not plan to add anymore petsmart rats to my colony--she was the one and only--i finally gave in because i sooo wanted a blue rattie! actually, i do not plan to add any other store bought rats to my colony--if in the future i need some new stock for genetic purposes i will try to get some from other breeders and not pet stores (better, healthier animals and i'll know the parentage).

my best female breeder was a brown hooded who is now retired. i kept two of her hooded daughters which are just as wonderful as she was (big litters, great moms) and just kept back two of their daughters to raise up too. observe your females and hold back girls from the very best moms and you'll build yourself an awesome colony!

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Originally Posted by mlededee

my blue hooded so far has been great--healthy, sweet personality, great mom, good sized second litter (after her first small litter). i count myself lucky, and although tempted i do not plan to add anymore petsmart rats to my colony--she was the one and only--i finally gave in because i sooo wanted a blue rattie! actually, i do not plan to add any other store bought rats to my colony--if in the future i need some new stock for genetic purposes i will try to get some from other breeders and not pet stores (better, healthier animals and i'll know the parentage).

my best female breeder was a brown hooded who is now retired. i kept two of her hooded daughters which are just as wonderful as she was (big litters, great moms) and just kept back two of their daughters to raise up too. observe your females and hold back girls from the very best moms and you'll build yourself an awesome colony!

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Well these were the only females they had so I figured snag them while I could. We'll se how things go :D