So, we've decided to start breeding to feed our snake. It just seems more cost effective. Plus, we love animals and my boyfriend is especially fond of rodents. I posted yesterday on the mice forum and have since done some more research that I feel breeding is doable. Now the question is, do we breed mice or rats? I only have the one snake, so we probably would only get 1 or 2 of each sex. Well, we'd start off with one of each and then keep one of each from the first litter to raise to full maturity and breed them too. Most of the time the males and females are going to be kept separate so they don't breed too often.

Right now Parker is a littler over 1 year old. He is 28 inches long and is eating 3 hopper mice a week (and still hunting). His belly and hunting habits suggest to me that he's ready for the next size up. He is really picky and sometimes he doesn't eat and it's such a waste of money to buy the rats pre-frozen when hes in a refusing mood. So originally we were thinking mice. But I guess it's only a matter of time before we are going to need rats anyway. I know full grown rats will be years away though. So I read that a pinkie rat is basically the size of a fuzzy mouse, and a fuzzy rat is about the size of a hopper and can get to as big as a weaned mouse. So basically, I'm assuming he's either going to eat a weaned mouse, or a fuzzy rat. I just don't know which to breed.

Right now we only have one tank, its a 10 gallon we found at a consignments store that came with a hide and wheel and we got it for $10! Couldn't pass that up!! I planned to get a 5.5 gallon for the males and breed/nurse in the 10 gallon. I'm thinking a 5.5 gallon for 2 adult rats may be too small, so I'm considering a 2nd 10 gallon if we go for rats. We do plan to euthanize and freeze the weaned mice or fuzzy rats as soon as they reach the age. And from what I gather, neither of those are ages when they reach sexual maturity so it will be ok to leave them with mom, and eventually moms until its time to kill them. But I guess it's also a matter of is a 10 gallon ok to house up 12-24 rats for 2 weeks while they grow, plus the adults. Decisions, decisions.

Any advice and/or suggestions would be very much appreciated.