Rabbits vs. Rats

I have a few snakes that can handle small (1-2 pounds) rabbits now and a few more critters (boas, olive and scrub) that could definitely eat them later down the road. I'm just trying to weigh the benefits of feeding a 1-1.5 lb rabbit vs. feeding (2) large rats. I just priced the rabbits on Layne Labs and they're $12 each. It would cost me $215 with shipping fees included for (10) 1-2 pound rabbits. I can get (20) large rats (180g-279g) for $3.25 each or $96.19 total with shipping costs included. Just wondering for those that do feed smaller rabbits what the are the advantages over feeding rats? Also, does anyone have any other trusted rabbit suppliers?

I feed rabbits to a lot of my snakes now (just started this year) - boas, corns, some of the ball pythons and sometimes ATBs (obviously for the small snakes, they get kits which are basically like crawlers, low hair. for those I tend to switch between mice/rats/rabbits).

Rabbits are leaner than rats. I find they seem to 'use' more of it, less poop than when fed a rat which is sometimes a little fatty. When switching I've noticed their poo is sometimes a bit more foul but that goes away pretty quick.
I can't help with supplier, I go in with my bf's dad (as he buys a lot for the retics) and it's a place here in UT that breeds for human meat consumption, they don't sell/ship to others as far as I know.
Good luck though, if you can find a better supplier, they are dollar for pound quite a bit cheaper. Try finding a meat breeder. Sometimes show breeders will sell culls and such as well.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Try finding a meat breeder. Sometimes show breeders will sell culls and such as well.

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I'm going to second this. Stills and culls (chickens, rabbits, pigs, lambs, goats...) from local farmers/meat producers end up being snake food, and the farmers are happy to get cash for what otherwise would have gone to the rendering plant, assuming it wasn't thrown onto the back 40 for the coyotes.

Rabbits are going to have a lot less fat than those jumbo rats. I feed both to my boas but with the rabbits, as April said, they go farther. My boas eat a rabbit a month so those 10 rabbits is like 5 months worth of food. And like mentioned, if you can find a local breeder, it will be cheaper but might be as convenient as ordering from your smart phone and coming home to box and throwing it in the freezer.