Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 2,675

0 members and 2,675 guests
No Members online
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,031
Threads: 248,489
Posts: 2,568,439
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, isismomma
Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran Kroberts10's Avatar
    Join Date
    05-06-2016
    Posts
    389
    Thanks
    41
    Thanked 374 Times in 157 Posts

    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


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran
    Join Date
    10-18-2018
    Location
    Brady, TX
    Posts
    224
    Thanks
    37
    Thanked 264 Times in 129 Posts
    Images: 21
    Hi there,

    I recently went through all of this, there is a good bit going on in this thread that I made for Rats as breeders.

    https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...Breeding-Setup

    A couple things that I will say.

    1) Mice smell worse, overall, than rats do. If you don't have animals that NEED fresh live mice, I'd stick to rats. That's where I got on the decision and have converted all my BPs to rats.

    2) If you do decide to breed feeders, find someone locally to you that breeds pet quality rats that will sell you starter stock. $15-20 each for rats seems like a lot to someone used to buying feeders, but to be totally honest, the temperament differences you don't have to breed out will make your life SO MUCH EASIER.

    3) Building a vertical rack is preferable to floor tubs. What you see in the thread above has been my using what will be grow out tubs for pet placements and larger feeder needs. I do both as not many people have pet quality rats in my area.

    Am happy to help with anything else. I also raise Superworms and Dubias to feed to my rats. They're pets to me, and their babies are food. Sometimes is hard, but the snakes are worth more than the rats.

    Best,

    Paul

  3. #3
    BPnet Veteran pretends2bnormal's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-07-2017
    Posts
    861
    Thanks
    713
    Thanked 1,179 Times in 575 Posts
    Images: 7

    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.

    (Why Tapatalk, why? You always turn my photos sideways...)

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
    Last edited by pretends2bnormal; 04-24-2019 at 10:40 AM.

  4. #4
    BPnet Veteran Kroberts10's Avatar
    Join Date
    05-06-2016
    Posts
    389
    Thanks
    41
    Thanked 374 Times in 157 Posts

    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


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Kroberts10 For This Useful Post:

    pretends2bnormal (06-01-2019)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1