One Benefit of Pet Store Ignorance

[Dev_DeCoste]

So I stopped by the store today to pick up some more food for my BP. Decided to try a different pet store this time. Luckily they had a MUCH larger rodent selection than PetCo. However the staff is just as clueless. I bought 4 rat pups, walked up and told him I got 4 rat pups- Got to my car and saw he rang me up for 4 mouse fuzzies. Just under $5 total. 1 rat pup at that store is marked at $2.50.

It's cool, I'll take that half off. Not a problem

[Neal]

So I stopped by the store today to pick up some more food for my BP. Decided to try a different pet store this time. Luckily they had a MUCH larger rodent selection than PetCo. However the staff is just as clueless. I bought 4 rat pups, walked up and told him I got 4 rat pups- Got to my car and saw he rang me up for 4 mouse fuzzies. Just under $5 total. 1 rat pup at that store is marked at $2.50.

It's cool, I'll take that half off. Not a problem

Why not get frozen rodents? Rat pups, even with shipping if you get large enough amount is less than that.

[Dev_DeCoste]

Sorry, should have mentioned they were F/T rodents. I would love to just order some rodents and stock up but my BP is still young and will go through many meal upgrades in a short period of time. I can't justify ordering 25-50 of one general size when he'll likely outgrow that size before 25 weeks is up...

On that note, though, I will say I was really interested in going live this time. My local PetCo doesnt have live rodent, but this place did... I wanted to try it but was afraid switching to live would mean live for life lol

[nick654377]

wow that is crazy! I get from a local rat breeder around here and my last order consisted of this... 10 @100-110g, 20 @ 45-55 g, 25 at 15 grams and she charged me $58. she has the cleanest rats around. I just call up and she pre kills and freezes the day before I pick up.

[Neal]

Sorry, should have mentioned they were F/T rodents. I would love to just order some rodents and stock up but my BP is still young and will go through many meal upgrades in a short period of time. I can't justify ordering 25-50 of one general size when he'll likely outgrow that size before 25 weeks is up...

On that note, though, I will say I was really interested in going live this time. My local PetCo doesnt have live rodent, but this place did... I wanted to try it but was afraid switching to live would mean live for life lol

Umm, you could still get stuff to last you for over 6 months. If you're BP is still a baby, then get 50 rat pups and 20 weaned, something around that. Then that should do you until around 600ish grams roughly, or at least close. You could also get like 30 small rats. The rat pups you feed your BP on a 6 day schedule. Then when you start getting close to the end of the 50, probably around 35-38 you'll be able to switch to weaned. Then you can just double rat pup and if your BP takes then keep that up, otherwise you could switch to weaned. Then do 6 day weaned schedule and every 3 feedings feed a rat pup and that'll erase your quantity. Then by the time you get through 20 weaned you'll be on small rats.

That'll still end up cheaper than what you pay now, and if you do I did you'll be set. I got a small 3.5 cubic foot chest freezer and I keep it stocked with small amount of mice, pinkies, fuzzies, hoppers, adult mice. Mainly because my Rufous eat mice. Then I keep rat pinkies, fuzzies, pups, weaned & small. I also sell to other people that deal with snakes in the area. If you have other snake people in the area you can do this as well. It'll help you with your cost as well as it stay cheaper for other people rather then going to petco. Just a suggestion.

[Dev_DeCoste]

I like that idea and I'm all for doing it. Now it's just a matter of convincing the roomies to let me keep a box of rodents in our freezer haha

[Crotalids]

I'm surprised ft rodents are so expensive in the US compared to here.

A frozen pup here, costs about $0.70.

Not sure why it would be so much more expensive there! It is what it is, I guess.

[Raven01]

Sorry, should have mentioned they were F/T rodents. I would love to just order some rodents and stock up but my BP is still young and will go through many meal upgrades in a short period of time. I can't justify ordering 25-50 of one general size when he'll likely outgrow that size before 25 weeks is up...

On that note, though, I will say I was really interested in going live this time. My local PetCo doesnt have live rodent, but this place did... I wanted to try it but was afraid switching to live would mean live for life lol

I kept the extra smaller rats and added them in when snakes were in between sizes.
I just stuck to 10-15% of snakes weight in food and never wasted much that way.
Just shop around for a quality feeder supplier with healthy animals and a good kill/freezing set-up.

[Neal]

I like that idea and I'm all for doing it. Now it's just a matter of convincing the roomies to let me keep a box of rodents in our freezer haha

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Haier-3.5-...-White/5751095

Takes up a small area and you don't have to keep it with the food.

I'm surprised ft rodents are so expensive in the US compared to here.

A frozen pup here, costs about $0.70.

Not sure why it would be so much more expensive there! It is what it is, I guess.

Frozen rat pups here are $0.25ish but what's expensive is the shipping. If I lived to where I could drive and pick them up then it would be like $0.55-60 cents. The shipping is generally $40-50 because of the cost of dry ice and shipping with the weight of frozen stuff.

[dgring]

I'm surprised ft rodents are so expensive in the US compared to here.

A frozen pup here, costs about $0.70.

Not sure why it would be so much more expensive there! It is what it is, I guess.

Where do you live? I'm in london (uk) and I can get a frozen rat pup for about £0.60. But one thing to remember crotalids is that in the US they have dollars not pounds or something else which is worth less so $0.70 is worth about £0.42 in the UK so it is hard comparing