I think you are off to a great start. 5 tubs would be sufficient for the amount of snakes you have currently. I would use a 1.4 set up.
You will only really need about 12 wean or small rats a week, so be careful with over producing and getting overrun. You have to stagger your breedings to have two litters a week, I would keep only 2 males and about 10 females total. Leave one male in each of the top 2 tubs, then cycle females through weekly (when you clean) until they are visibly preggo. Then put the preggo girls in another tub to let them have their litter and not get preggo right away.
After a few mos of production, you have to think about holding back some girls for future breeders. Choose girls from mothers that had big litters and were giid mothers.
To establish my colony, I found a rat breeder that was willing to sell me a bunch of live small female rats. I then went to area pet stores and picked up some fancy male rats. I do that for genetic diversity. Also I buy smalls so I can have them on lab grade Mazuri food for a while before they breed for me.
Good luck and I hope my ramblings help.
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