How much do you pay for live mice?

I was just wondering if I am paying too much or if I am just cheap. My local pet store charges me $3 for an adult mouse (I haven't weighed one but they look kinda small to me), but lately he has been out of adult mice and selling me little ones (I weighed them they are about 15grams) for $2.50. I only have the one BP who weighs in at 167 grams so its not breaking the bank yet, but I was just curious.

My local pet store charges me 8.50 for 4 large mice. Three dollars a mouse seem pretty high to me i would seek other places to get your mice.

WOW...that is high. Around here they range from $1.25-1.50 for adults.

I kinda thought so, sadly it is the only pet store around. I guess I'm gonna have to consider breeding some mice on a low scale, or trying f/t (though for some reason that really creeps me out, I can't stand to touch a dead mouse)

If you don't want to touch a dead mouse just get some cheap disposable gloves in like a 100 pack and feed with tongs. I've found f/t to be much easier to deal with (and makes for less trips to the store) Not to mention they are way cheaper.

Yea, i've been getting ripped off too then. I was getting charged like almost $3 for a hopper, glad I switched to F/T, now I Just need to buy a bulk.

I know it may seem a little strange, but its not really the touching of a dead mouse. They really just creep me out. I can see a mouse run across the floor (we got mice once after a local abandend building got torn down) and think well crap we have mice, but to see the little thing dead in a trap and I turn green.

But I will get over it if I have to. I didn't think that I would be able to handle mice at all for my sons snake, but after the first couple of feedings I'm okay with them. We have only had this snake for about 2 months so I am doing ok so far. I will try F/T, but I have to either order them or drive an hour to the next town.

$2.50 a month for misc costs........

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...NewDigs027.jpg

Start out with 1 male and two females (cost me $3), go to walmart or whatever and get a rubbermaid snaptight 15qt for $4 and a water bottle for $1.87. Food is about $5 for a 2-3 month supply. I have over 20 healthy mice in my little colony now. I just upgraded to a 30 qt container (gen pop) for $7 and the ones in the picture are for pregnant females and their babies. Breeding your own is just too easy and cheap NOT to do, especially if your snake requires a certain size mouse like my little king did.

I can't wait until someone opens the freezer and sees that I'm keeping Micicles. My family and friends already think I am crazy for letting my son have a snake.

At shows I pay like....40 cents a mouse....

Granted they are a little on the small side.

a 1 month supply of rats plus 5 mice for 8 snakes $24, not too bad. waiting for my ASF's to start breeding

$1.50 for an adult mouse from the local reptile specialty shop, a bit less for younger/smaller mice, and more for rats based on their size as well. I've found that the cheapest option is to buy bulk frozen from somewhere like themousefactory.com, even after you factor in shipping costs. The most expensive option based on my personal situation is buying live/frozen from "big box" pet stores like PETsMART and PetCo.

99 cents per adult when I buy 5 or more (always). I've been feeding off my asf colony lately though, thinking about getting rid of the colony all together since it's actually slighly cheaper but a hell of alot more work.

well you dont really have to breed yourself if you don't want to. there are plenty of online stores that sell F/T and stuff for very reasonable prices so you don't have to drive anywhere or continue to get ripped by the pet store near you. I would breed but it stinks so much that i wouldn't be able to take it! my friend did it for a while and that showed me that i can't do that if i plan to live in the same house!

BeastMaster is definitely right... Breeding is simple and cheap. But like the previous post states, mice STINK!!! If your snake has no problem with FT then by all means, buy frozen mice in bulk. If you can track down someone to sell ya ASFs, you might want to make an investment of one male and one female. I started breeding when I had 2 snakes and it's been super easy and super cheap! (Compared to paying 2.50 for a 10g mouse!)

Yea I have to say $2.50 a mouse is a rip off... I get large mice for $1 each and young adult rats for $2, medium for $3, large for $4, etc. at a reptile/aquarium store. It's a lot cheaper to buy frozens in lots off rodentpro, if your snake will eat them. Have to agree with cshouston, Petsmart and Petco will rip you off with their live and frozen. Used to work at both

That is pretty damn awesome. How far away do you keep your mouse colony from your snakes? I would think the constant smell of food would make them agressive or insane. The constant smell of McDonalds would make me go crazy and kill myself.

My King snake Albert lives in the penthouse suit above the mice condo's :rofl: He was a timid eater and now has an awesome feeding response :taz:. Still chill as a king will be at his age when I reach in to handle him. Rattles his tail a little bit but it's normal, he doesn't try to bite me or anything.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...NewDigs025.jpg

12 dollars...per mouse.
I gave up and am now breeding them.

I have a friend that breeds. He charges .50 a piece for mice any size. For my two live eaters.

My local pet store is a petco... and they charge about 3 bucks a mouse.

Petsmart charges 5 bucks a mouse and won't sell to you if they know you have a snake.

If you only have the one snake I'd go with the mousicles. Buying f/t is very economical because you can buy a lot and they will last you a long time. Invest in a vacuum sealing system, one of the cheap ones like the ziplock pump (4.50 for the starter kit, and you can reuse the bags if you're careful) or the reynolds kit ($14 but it's battery operated so I like it, it's what I have). That way you can re-seal the mice every time and they will be 'fresh' longer. Basically you've got to factor how many your snake will eat in a month so you know about how many you should buy, usually no more than 6-7months worth. Then find out how much it will cost to ship that many mice and figure cost per mouse, it's usually way cheaper.... especially if you've been paying 3bucks a pop.

My fave online dealer was themousefactory.com

I used to by online but I'm breeding because I was buying a lot and they we'ren't lasting a long time. I went from one snake to four and the shipping cost was doubling the price of the mice. Plus I like raising the little suckers. :D If done right mice don't smell too bad. But it can be a lot of work so...

Yup!!! you are paying Too much I pay $1.50 for mine.

im paying 2 dollars (canadian) per mouse and at the tune of 3 or more a week its getting a little costly, so now im just waiting for my ASF's to start breeding.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by demonicchild

12 dollars...per mouse.
I gave up and am now breeding them.

---

thats insane!!! good move to breed your own. I pay 1.60 per live mouse, I hope to breed mice or asf's soon, once the basement gets cleared out. the smell of mice kills hubby, I just hope asf's are better for him. :rolleye2:

My local petstorechainshop (funny word) charges me 1,49 € for feeder and 1,50 € for fancy mouse, the difference between both is age and size and you can "choose" the fancy ones, the fancy mouse being younger and the feeders being retired breeders or "damaged" fancy mouse. I bought my breeders there and my best buck had a sliced ear, but is a satin coated guy and great dad.

My ASF male has a sliced ear it help sexing the easy:)

Petco here charges 1.39 or 1.59 can't remember. I have one live eater, the rest is F/T ordered in bulk.

I sell my mice to local pet stores, Yes petco too lol.
this is the pricing i sell to them and to friends who need live feeders or need me to euthanize them.

Live/Frozen

Mice

live Sm pinks .50/ Frozen .35
live lg pinks .60/ Frozen .45
live fuzzies .70/ Frozen .55
live hoppers .80/ Frozen .60
live Sm adult .90/ Frozen .65
live adults 1.00/ Frozen .70

ASF prices

live Sm pinks $1.00/ Frozen $.50
live lg pinks $1.50/ Frozen $.75
live fuzzies $2.00/ Frozen $1.00
live hoppers $2.00/ Frozen $1.00
live Sm adult $2.50/ Frozen $1.25
live adults $3.00/ Frozen $1.50


sm adults aka Weanlings

Hope this helps

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spaniard

Petco here charges 1.39 or 1.59 can't remember. I have one live eater, the rest is F/T ordered in bulk.

---

not every petco charges that. Majority are charging 2.39-2.99 each mouse. Better to find local breeders and become friends to get good deals.

I pay $0.60 for adult mice from my local show. If I miss a show I have to drive to a mom and pops reptile store and pay $1.20 which kills me, since I need 35 mice and 12-15 small rats a week.

I've seen a bunch of people post here about getting ripped off at big chain stores.

I don't follow the logic though.

They have an item at a specific price. You can purchase at that price or not, it's up to you. It may be higher than you like and it may be more than you pay now, but is it really a rip off?

They wouldn't be that price at a big chain store unless they were selling for that price. Hence, not everyone, by a wide margin, thinks those prices are "ripping them off."

We're snake keepers, we know rodent breeders. That doesn't make anyone into a bad guy just for charging people who don't know what we do more money.

Ever use a company auto mechanic? Or, do you know a guy who does the same but works for less? The company guy isn't a rip off, he may be a thief, but his prices are clearly posted and you get to make the choice whether or not to pay them.

Then again, maybe charging higher prices to those who don't know where to go for lower prices is ripping people off.

If it is, then a lot of folks are doing it, not just big chain stores.

Oh well, just wonderin'.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BeastMaster

$2.50 a month for misc costs........

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...NewDigs027.jpg

Start out with 1 male and two females (cost me $3), go to walmart or whatever and get a rubbermaid snaptight 15qt for $4 and a water bottle for $1.87. Food is about $5 for a 2-3 month supply. I have over 20 healthy mice in my little colony now. I just upgraded to a 30 qt container (gen pop) for $7 and the ones in the picture are for pregnant females and their babies. Breeding your own is just too easy and cheap NOT to do, especially if your snake requires a certain size mouse like my little king did.

---

Personally, knowing how much ammonia (a strong colorless poisonous gas) rats and ASF's give off, I can't see drilling a few holes being enough ventilation for mice either.

Just buy a roll of 1/4" hardware cloth and put it on the lid (several sticky's and DIY on this site) and KNOW you are providing enough ventilation.

Luckily, mice can be separated by sex and reintroduced later (unlike ASFs), so you don't need to have a CO2 chamber on hand all the time because they just keep producing more and more, however, it's a good idea to learn how to humanly euthanize rodents via CO2 before you begin to breed. You will likely need to put them down at some point, or sell live, which it can be difficult to sell off extra live if there is no market.

My two cents.

I pay 1.50 for mice, sometimes $3 at the nearest store. Then rats cost more. $3-$5 each. I buy them at the pet store and feed right away because I dont want to keep them. I pay average about $10 a week to feed 2 small bp. You know sometimes they don't eat just one. Sucks for me huh?

local stores on mice are atleast 2.50,we pay 45 cent though a feeder breeder,but we breed rats,at 5cu ft bag of aspen being 12 bucks,and 40 pounds of food for 14,a LOT cheaper