Cost effectiveness of raising feeders

[hobbyist]

Yesterday I paid $6 for a rat for a new BP I just received
So I have a question for all of you more experienced with reptiles and raising feeders.
I have 3 BPs right now, and will keep the hatchlings they breed next year. I am considering breeding feeders, and want to know the cost of this before I start. There are many helpful threads in ASF, RATS, MICE, and OTHER FEEDERS, but I didn't find a specific answer to this question:
How much does it cost per rat (normal or ASF) per month? And how many babies can I expect of feeding size per cost of feeding the rats? I believe I read they eat .83 lb of food a month each, and at $28 for 50lb bag, I think 4 females and 1 male would cost
5 rats * .83 lbs= 4.15 lbs
4.15 lbs* $0.56/lb =$2.32/ month to keep 5 rats.
If gestation is 21 days, and about litter of 7 (or 10 for ASF), assuming 2 rats become preg, it should be 14-20 babies every month, and I don't know how fast they grow up!!
So here is where I need some help from the pro's. I want to euthanize and freeze them between weanlings and medium size, so does this take a month? two?
if one month: 20 rats ~$9.28 + $2.32(breeders) = $0.60 to raise each rat ready as a feeder! compared to $4 at local pet store.
If two months: 20 rats ~ $23.2 (including breeders) =$1.16 to raise each rat to feeding size.

please- this is all speculative math: I wanted to see how much it really cost per rat, and how long it takes for baby rats to grow to weanling size, and how long to medium size? Do they eat more in this time? Does it take longer for ASF to grow to the same size? I would rather keep them because of the smell-- how long does it take an ASF to grow up?

I'm not at all worried about being overrun- because I am feeding the others F/T and it sounds really appeasing to have an unending storehouse of cheap frozen food for them. Plus I could separate the colony if it becomes too much still. I have all the materials, so start-up costs are not a factor, and I read somewhere that you can use shredded newspaper as a substrate, if you are willing to change it out more often.

Thank you all so much for your help.

[JD Constriction]

It's definitely cheaper in terms of sheer cost to breed your own feeders (assuming they consistently reproduce)....the problem, atleast for me, is TIME...and how much your time is worth.

The more rodents you breed the more of your time it takes to keep them going. Cleaning rat bins regularly, changing out waters, rotating boys/girls, pulling babies, running to buy food, freezing feeders, etc.

I spend probably 4 hours per week minimum on ~30 breeder rats and ~30 breeder mice. Some weeks it's just easier to buy F/T from a rodent supplier but other times it is well worth it

I'd say start with a small colony and see how you like it....if it fits just expand

Hope that helps.

[AndrewGeibel]

One of our members here did a great comparison on cost and such and for the life of me I cannot remember who. I know there was also a schedule of what it takes to breed to have rats consistently. I'm sure someone will post it up. I currently have 3 snakes and breed my own rats. I can tell you right now that I do not save money. It costs me more. However I enjoy breeding the rats and I know that my snakes get the healthiest feeders I can give them.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

My cost this year (Bedding + Food) $466.54 which allowed me to produce 1320 feeders ($0.35/feeder)

This does not include the fix cost for the racks.

[Clear]

My cost this year (Bedding + Food) $466.54 which allowed me to produce 1320 feeders ($0.35/feeder)

This does not include the fix cost for the racks.

For an estimate on a rack, I spent $5 per tub and I have 7 tub racks. Its $2 per 2x2 that does one tub and $1 per strip that does 1.5 tubs , mesh costed around $12 to do one rack. Thats around $65 per rack for me without water bottles.

[AndrewGeibel]

My cost this year (Bedding + Food) $466.54 which allowed me to produce 1320 feeders ($0.35/feeder)

This does not include the fix cost for the racks.

Good point on the racks. I think I spent about 80 dollars on mine. I still would really like to install a watering system. I think that would be around another 50.

[littleindiangirl]

Yesterday I paid $6 for a rat for a new BP I just received
So I have a question for all of you more experienced with reptiles and raising feeders.
I have 3 BPs right now, and will keep the hatchlings they breed next year. I am considering breeding feeders, and want to know the cost of this before I start. There are many helpful threads in ASF, RATS, MICE, and OTHER FEEDERS, but I didn't find a specific answer to this question:

How much does it cost per rat (normal or ASF) per month?
And how many babies can I expect of feeding size per cost of feeding the rats?

I believe I read they eat .83 lb of food a month each, and at $28 for 50lb bag, I think 4 females and 1 male would cost
5 rats * .83 lbs= 4.15 lbs
4.15 lbs* $0.56/lb =$2.32/ month to keep 5 rats.They eat approx .83 lbs a week, not month. Or 5 g/100 g body weight daily.

If gestation is 21 days, and about litter of 7 (or 10 for ASF), assuming 2 rats become preg, it should be 14-20 babies every month, and I don't know how fast they grow up!!

So here is where I need some help from the pro's.

I want to euthanize and freeze them between weanlings and medium size, so does this take a month? two?

if one month: 20 rats ~$9.28 + $2.32(breeders) = $0.60 to raise each rat ready as a feeder! compared to $4 at local pet store.
If two months: 20 rats ~ $23.2 (including breeders) =$1.16 to raise each rat to feeding size.

please- this is all speculative math: I wanted to see how much it really cost per rat, and how long it takes for baby rats to grow to weanling size, and how long to medium size? Do they eat more in this time? Does it take longer for ASF to grow to the same size? I would rather keep them because of the smell-- how long does it take an ASF to grow up?

I'm not at all worried about being overrun- because I am feeding the others F/T and it sounds really appeasing to have an unending storehouse of cheap frozen food for them. Plus I could separate the colony if it becomes too much still. I have all the materials, so start-up costs are not a factor, and I read somewhere that you can use shredded newspaper as a substrate, if you are willing to change it out more often.

Thank you all so much for your help.

You can more than likely get away with two females and two males if you can feed FT and only have the 3 BP's.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...=809521#809521

If in case you've read that already, can you perhaps reform your questions a bit clearer? I dont quite understand what you are really all asking.

[hobbyist]

Thanks John! Im definitely going to start out with a small colony and see how it takes off.

You can more than likely get away with two females and two males if you can feed FT and only have the 3 BP's.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...=809521#809521

If in case you've read that already, can you perhaps reform your questions a bit clearer? I dont quite understand what you are really all asking.

Connie, thanks for that link! I've read it before, but not too carefully. With them eating .83 lbs per week (not month... oops), it still seems to be cheaper than buying every week, especially with the pinkies I could feed my other snakes at the time being.
Also, quoting your thread,

To breed = $146
I assumed 12 breeder females (to produce 10 feeders per week) and 2 males * $4 = $56 + Monthly Food/Bedding = $15 * 6 month = $90 (and you have to buy/build housing for all of them = $??)

so it looks to me like the feeding cost for 14 rats is $15 a month-- not too shabby.

To rephrase my other questions:
-What is the maturation rate of ASF vs. regular rats (to full grown ASF, or medium rat size)
-why should you or should you not use shredded newspaper as a substrate?
-How much does it cost per rat (normal or ASF) per month? And how many babies can I expect of feeding size per cost of feeding the rats?

Thanks

[littleindiangirl]

Thanks John! Im definitely going to start out with a small colony and see how it takes off.




Connie, thanks for that link! I've read it before, but not too carefully. With them eating .83 lbs per week (not month... oops), it still seems to be cheaper than buying every week, especially with the pinkies I could feed my other snakes at the time being.
Also, quoting your thread,



so it looks to me like the feeding cost for 14 rats is $15 a month-- not too shabby.

To rephrase my other questions:
-What is the maturation rate of ASF vs. regular rats (to full grown ASF, or medium rat size)
-why should you or should you not use shredded newspaper as a substrate?
-How much does it cost per rat (normal or ASF) per month?

Thanks

I assumed 12 breeder females (to produce 10 feeders per week) and 2 males * $4 = $56 + Monthly Food/Bedding = $15 * 6 month = $90 (and you have to buy/build housing for all of them = $??)

1. Well that 15$ a month is for 14 rats, who produce in total 10 feeders a week. (that assumes one female has a litter a week).

4 weeks in a month * 10 rats per week = 40 feeders a month.

So divide $15 (cost of food and bedding /month) by those 40 feeders (per month) =
$0.36 to produce one feeder. (vice versa, costs 15$ for 40 feeders)


2.
ASF's:
When weaned at 21 days will take at least a month for males to be what I consider a meal (roughly 60 grams). Females will take almost 2 months to reach that size.

Domestic rats:
When weaned at 21 days will weigh anywhere from 60-80 grams.


3.Shredded newspaper is fun for rats and mice as a treat, but isn't terribly absorbent and will stink quickly. Wood shavings soak up moisture better, leading to less smell.

[littleindiangirl]

Whoops! That 15$ a month wasn't from my numbers, it was from Lord Jackel. So lets start from the top again.

Food: Mazuri 6F
.83 lbs /rat * 14 rats = 11.62lbs of food per month.

Approx $.50 /lb * 11.62 lbs /mo = $5.81 Food per month

Bedding: Equine fresh
Just know this, roughly 15 tub changes per bag of equine fresh.

24 tub changes /mo * 2 bags = $12 equine fresh

Plus your aspen, which have no clue anymore so we'll say $11 /bag...

$28.81 /month to raise 40 feeder rats.

Not to mention, the baby rats start eating food as soon as they can, so you to take into account that you'll be going through quite a bit more food than is planned.

So I would round it up to $40 dollars a month to raise 40 rats, which is approx $1 dollar each.

It'd be cheaper for you to buy a year supply online.