Starting small breeding colony???

[suzuki4life]

Yep.



but in the peak of the year, I can't keep up with demand. So apparently I need more.

[het.pied]

well you are entitled to your opinion....




even when its wrong

In reality, if you set your racks up properly, it doesn't take that much to produce big numbers.

In a 1.4 "harem" setup.....you should produce 10 offspring per week average per tub....

The average rack is normally 6 tubs high. So a rack should produce 60 offspring per week. That's only 20 racks to produce 1200.

i dont see how it is wrong when i have never had a female produce less then 12 offspring, and that is the bare minimum, unless she is getting to the point of being retired....

[suzuki4life]

i dont see how it is wrong when i have never had a female produce less then 12 offspring, and that is the bare minimum, unless she is getting to the point of being retired....

and how many litters how you actually experienced with your entire colony of 21 rats?


That is the problem with much of the advice I see on these boards. Someone who has 20 rats, has 40 litters over half a year and now they are giving advice. This is like a new car owner giving mechanical advice because they slept in a Holiday Inn. Yes you had good luck, now continue having it for another 10 years and report back.

[Michelle.C]

well you are entitled to your opinion....




even when its wrong

Uhm, what? Because someone disagrees with your "perfect" methods, they are automatically wrong? What happened to the respect? Because honestly, imo, that is a HUGE lack of respect.

and how many litters how you actually experienced with your entire colony of 21 rats?


That is the problem with much of the advice I see on these boards. Someone who has 20 rats, has 40 litters over half a year and now they are giving advice. This is like a new car owner giving mechanical advice because they slept in a Holiday Inn. Yes you had good luck, now continue having it for another 10 years and report back.

I have no idea about their experience, but quite honestly, yours either.

Personally, I have been breeding rats for ten plus years. I managed a facility that was producing nearly 20k rats alone, every week. Given, they did harem breedings, but most females only had 4-9 young every litter. I've seen, assisted and done both "styles" of breeding myself (and many more methods). I think it's whatever works for you, works for you.

I also never went as low as to call you wrong, nor did the other poster. I simply stated that I didn't agree with your methods and wouldn't recommend them PERSONALLY. For some breeders, I'd imagine it does work. I'd also imagine that certain breeders could care less about the feeder animals and don't really care if they are doing things that might harm the animal. And that's fine too. I can see the perspective that to most feeder breeders, they are pest and only considered food items. But I do not see them this way.

I mean, you also play it off like you aren't a large breeder in one post and then in this one, you are acting like you are a large professional breeder. But, I'm going to do the right thing and stop hijacking this thread. The OP has both sides, he will decide himself.

[suzuki4life]

Uhm, what? Because someone disagrees with your "perfect" methods, they are automatically wrong? What happened to the respect? Because honestly, imo, that is a HUGE lack of respect.



I have no idea about their experience, but quite honestly, yours either.

Personally, I have been breeding rats for ten plus years. I managed a facility that was producing nearly 20k rats alone, every week. Given, they did harem breedings, but most females only had 4-9 young every litter. I've seen, assisted and done both "styles" of breeding myself (and many more methods). I think it's whatever works for you, works for you.

I also never went as low as to call you wrong, nor did the other poster. I simply stated that I didn't agree with your methods and wouldn't recommend them PERSONALLY. For some breeders, I'd imagine it does work. I'd also imagine that certain breeders could care less about the feeder animals and don't really care if they are doing things that might harm the animal. And that's fine too. I can see the perspective that to most feeder breeders, they are pest and only considered food items. But I do not see them this way.

I mean, you also play it off like you aren't a large breeder in one post and then in this one, you are acting like you are a large professional breeder. But, I'm going to do the right thing and stop hijacking this thread. The OP has both sides, he will decide himself.

20k rats a week is a good sized breeder. I do not produce anywhere near 20k weekly.

You need to reread the post and take into account the little laughing faces....they mean things...like um "joking".

Anything else?

[Michelle.C]

20k rats a week is a good sized breeder. I do not produce anywhere near 20k weekly.

You need to reread the post and take into account the little laughing faces....they mean things...like um "joking".

Anything else?

If I took it the wrong way, then my deepest apologies. Often things are taken the wrong way on a forum.