Best snake collection size to breed Rats?

[WingedWolfPsion]

When to breed rats? When you first acquire a snake that refuse to eat FT.

The cost of buying FT from Rodent Pro and raising rats yourself on lab block is pretty much exactly the same. Remember, you must figure in not only the cost of feed, but also the cost of lots and lots of pine bedding.

Labor isn't factored in--you do that for 'free'. And lots of it. You will spend more time caring for rats than you do for the snakes, alas. I have 2 racks full of rats and mice, and I hate them. If I could get every snake I own to eat FT, I would do so. But it's so much easier to start hatchlings on live...so I have to raise the rats. >.<

It's not that rats aren't cute, it's just that they're so horribly messy.

[Jay_Bunny]

My "colony" is tiny right now. I only have a few breeders and I'm raising up a few as future breeders. I spend about 10 minutes a day cleaning and feeding, so I expect that to increase as I add more breeding groups.

[JEWSKIN]

I have 38 rats currently and about 30 mice darn jcp won't take rats even rat pups that have been in with mice darn him lol anywho better than spending money on the rats from pet shops plus I help people out who are going through a tough time and can barely feed themselves but don't wanna give up their snakes....sigh I'm too nice sometimes

[tomfromtheshade]

I have 38 rats currently and about 30 mice darn jcp won't take rats even rat pups that have been in with mice darn him lol anywho better than spending money on the rats from pet shops plus I help people out who are going through a tough time and can barely feed themselves but don't wanna give up their snakes....sigh I'm too nice sometimes

38 rats? I'm going to have 96 Dumbo females going by the end of the summer. I don't even want to get into regular feeders LOL.

I give a lot of mine away too. I understand where you're coming from with having friends that can't afford to feed their snakes right now.

[JEWSKIN]

it's not even friends it's people contacting me or me contacting them in hopes to keep the snakes from horrid hands

[mommanessy247]

i plan on starting my mouse breeding project next month so i will have feeder mice ready to go when i get my snake in august. i will only have the 1 snake but the mice at my local pet store cost $7.99 ea. (thats $39.95 for mice for 1 month x 12 months-thats $479.40 for mice for a year! way too much in my opinion). breeding just seems the better, easier & more cost effective way to go.

[mommanessy247]

oh & forgot to mention the rats at my pet store cost $11.99 ea ( thats $59.95 per month-thats $719.40 for a year)...major ouch.

[4theSNAKElady]

I think it also depends on what kind of snakes you have too. For someone breeding corns, even newborn rats will be too big for those tiny hatchlings.

[4theSNAKElady]

i plan on starting my mouse breeding i will only have the 1 snake but the mice at my local pet store cost $7.99 ea. (thats $39.95 for mice for 1 month x 12 months-thats $479.40 for mice for a year! way too much in my opinion). breeding just seems the better, easier & more cost effective way to go.

$8 for a mouse ??!!! That's CRAZY!!!!! Man, for $8 those leetle buggers better be poopin' golden turds!!!!!

[ted1025]

I am also pondering this question as my collection grows...

What would be the best way to estimate the cost of breeding rats to see if it's cheaper then buying them?

I know you would have to buy them housing and auto water equip(should I choose that) but that is just an initial investment that won't be factored into the monthly expense.

But after that, you need beeding and food. I think that's it, am I missing anything? So how much beeding and food would you need per month??