availability reptile supplies and stores in my area (rant)

[norm]

wow, since when did looking for a cheaper alternative become "not being able to afford to feed a pet". It's hard for me to say what you should try, i think in your situation i might consider breeding. For me, I wait around for the shows and buy a ton at the show because they are at online bulk prices with no shipping and even if you have throw half out in 6 months, it's cheaper than any other method. I can't say I feel your pain because I have at least 10 shops in town that sell live and multiple reptile stores that compete against each other, and I still wait around for the shows to buy mice.

[reaxion07]

I'm in your situation also, surprisingly (I live in Orange County, CA - too bad BP's don't get big enough to eat snooty Chihuaha's and other foo-foo designer dogs /endrant). For me, it's not really that the frozen rats from Petco are expensive (Petsmart in my area is a little more, and you get less), it's that they are more expensive and I'm assuming lower quality. I don't know where the rats I'm getting are from, and how they were raised or what they were fed. I looked into some of the online suppliers listed here, but you have to buy in bulk. I only have one BP. I also went to the two exotic stores out here - one doesn't carry feeders, and the other stopped selling frozen. They did offer to break the neck of the live rats they sell...

[sweetcheeks]

well I live in a studio apartment with barely any room that is why we are sticking to frozen until he stops eating them. If i had the room, id definately breed, when i was a kid i bred hamsters not much different i dont guess lol

But we took the plunge today and ordered online, my nephew needed some too for his new bp, so we split the shipping charges.... and i guess they they get freezer burned, im still saving money i suppose....

so i cant lose this way really, it just makes more sense

my half of the shipment is 41.00 bucks for 50
at petsmart i would need to buy 12 packs of 4 to make 50 that would equal 150.00

[Tosha_Mc]

I'm in your situation also, surprisingly (I live in Orange County, CA - too bad BP's don't get big enough to eat snooty Chihuaha's and other foo-foo designer dogs /endrant).

As a fellow OCer I can relate -- we are surrounded by yapping Chihuahuas Makes me wish I had a burm

As for the OP -- I saw this on TV the other day and it might be worth a shot - this way you may be able to keep your bulk rodents fresher for longer:

http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldsk...ac/en/home.asp

[sweetcheeks]

hehe i guess you wont be going to the movies to watch beverly hills chihuahua then will you

i thought about that... id actually like a foodsaver but its a little too pricey right now for me, i just went out and bought a ton of dog grooming supplies to groom my dogs at home to try and save money that way too, im so worried about this economy going to pot, i gotta try something. They have been sending my husband home from work early too, so while as we do bring in more money than most, it still sucks when you have bills that need paid and none left for extras

[reaxion07]

As a fellow OCer I can relate -- we are surrounded by yapping Chihuahuas Makes me wish I had a burm

As for the OP -- I saw this on TV the other day and it might be worth a shot - this way you may be able to keep your bulk rodents fresher for longer:

http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldsk...ac/en/home.asp

Do you feed frozen? If so, where do you get your feeders? Where in Orange County are you? I live in Irvine.

[SecurityStacey]

hehe i guess you wont be going to the movies to watch beverly hills chihuahua then will you

i thought about that... id actually like a foodsaver but its a little too pricey right now for me, i just went out and bought a ton of dog grooming supplies to groom my dogs at home to try and save money that way too, im so worried about this economy going to pot, i gotta try something. They have been sending my husband home from work early too, so while as we do bring in more money than most, it still sucks when you have bills that need paid and none left for extras

The reynolds thing is only like 10 bucks for the starter pack - the handivac and a couple bags and then only a few bucks for more bags. And I think you can keep reusing the bags - so you could keep the mice in the same bag and just revac it each time. My dad has one - it works pretty well.

[sweetcheeks]

cool i was looking into that, but the ones i seen was like 30 bucks.... then like 15 for more bags
of course if i pack 5 in a pack, then i only need 10 bags