Looking into starting a colony, ?s
I’m looking into starting my own feeder colony as my snake collection grows. And for my picky estates that want live. As the closest place to get live is a 45-50min drive each way. I be got most of the detail figured out on starting breeding rats. But got to thinking. Would it be worth keeping a tub or two of mice in addition to the rats for the hard to start hatchlings that won’t take a rat pinky or fuzzy? Or stick with kit rats for them time being. At the moment I have 8 balls and 2 Sumatran short tails, I have one clutchof 6 in the incubator and another first time female a couple weeks from laying. Next year I’ll have 3, maybe 4 females ready to breed.
I’m thinking of starting with 5 breeding tubs with 4 females each of the rats, then another 5 tub rack for grow outs once their pups are weaned. How does this sound for my level of critters to feed?
Thanks,
Kyle
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Re: Looking into starting a colony, ?s
I'm in a similar boat, but keep colubrids so am breeding mice too in small scale. Planning to have about 4 females breeding in 1 or 2 colonies which will support me and a friend's mouse-eaters. None are being fed live, so I may breed a bunch, cull at the right size to freeze, and pull the Male for a few months, or raise out replacement breeders for a few months and cull off the last breeders since the breeding window on them is shorter.
I paid $20 each for pet level rats bred by a local feeder breeder who sells pets too and boy are they great. My mice are very good for pet store stock, but the rats are downright friendly and super easy to work with.
I did go in on a rack for the rats, will really need a 2nd one to cover all my rat-eaters and growouts, but this is the one we built. Our 2x2s were awful nearby when we built it, so it is majorly overkill and made of 2x4s. Next one I want smaller wood, but this is solid as a rock. Planning to do a mini-rack for the mice too for ease, but currently just use tubs.
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Re: Looking into starting a colony, ?s
Sorry I took so long to thank you two for the info, I thought I’d messaged back.
But I’ve got everything needed for two 6 tier racks. I just have to assemble them. I went with 2x4s I ripped down to 2x2 and am leaving the verticals boards as the full 2x4. I’m gonna use a hose and bucket watering system so I only have to refill a single bucket.
The local (still an hour away) store breeds dumbo and Rex rats. I think I’m gonna get those as my breeding stock. I’m gonna get a male dumbo since I guess it’s a recessive gene and a mixture for the females. I figure I’d might as well get neat animals if I’m gonna raise and breed them.
Kyle
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