Breeding Feeder Mice For Your BP

[rperry03]

Ive been breeding asf's for a few months now and in the next month with about five litters and a new hopper colony I started a week ago there will be enough to start using instead of going to the store. I have been feeding my Kenyan a fuzzy every week and the Bp's have enjoyed a hopper or two.

I started doing this because a few stores around me will go in cycles where one week they will have some and the next week they won't or not the right size.

I have used just about every food I can find out there and right now Im using a 50lb bag of rabbit food for 12.99 from tractor supply. 3 of them just had litters of 10-12 and none of the babies have been eaten this time around so I think it's the right amount of nutrition.

Oh I almost forgot. Im not the most sensitive person walking this earth but it is very easy to start thinking of them as pets

[gold217]

Ive been breeding asf's for a few months now and in the next month with about five litters and a new hopper colony I started a week ago there will be enough to start using instead of going to the store. I have been feeding my Kenyan a fuzzy every week and the Bp's have enjoyed a hopper or two.

I started doing this because a few stores around me will go in cycles where one week they will have some and the next week they won't or not the right size.

I have used just about every food I can find out there and right now Im using a 50lb bag of rabbit food for 12.99 from tractor supply. 3 of them just had litters of 10-12 and none of the babies have been eaten this time around so I think it's the right amount of nutrition.

Oh I almost forgot. Im not the most sensitive person walking this earth but it is very easy to start thinking of them as pets

Sorry, I think I'll always see them as annoying obnoxious rodents but thanks for the advice!

[spitzu]

Oh I almost forgot. Im not the most sensitive person walking this earth but it is very easy to start thinking of them as pets

Give it a few more bites.

[Slytherin]

I've bred feeder mice twice and it's definitely something you need to upkeep daily as far as cleanliness goes. As people have said, yes, mice do stink and their bedding will contribute to it over the days (depending what bedding you use), so if you have the free time in your daily life to do this... you're going to have to clean their husbandry constantly and keep up with it. Out of breeding your own feeders I would say this is the most time consuming, because they are constantly making a mess of their feces, making a mess of their food, etc. If you're on top of cleaning, there shouldn't be a problem at all regarding smell and uncleanliness.

I kept them in a standard tub I found at Walmart (I don't remember the dimensions but it was wide enough to give them some roaming room, and high enough so it wasn't claustrophobic for them). Hooked their water bottle to the side, kept a fresh dish of food for them to munch on, a little mouse igloo to sleep in, and a wheel to keep them active. Had two females and one male to start (since it was my first time), and they were fairly simple to take care of.

It's also an upkeep to keep them happy and healthy. They're going to need a constant supply of food and fresh water, as well as an area of the household/garage where there is no disturbances (just for the sake of not stressing the pregnant females out; I'm not sure if constant disturbances stress them, but I kept them in a quiet area so they're content).

True, it's easy to get attached to your first litter once they're born, but during my time of breeding it certainly saved me some bucks from running to the exotic pet store to pick some up for $1-$2 a pop. It's definitely a learning experience for every snake owner to try, so I would say give it a shot and see how it works for you. I would do your research on it first just to get all the necessary supplies, and there's a wealth of information on here you can gather to do it if you really want to pursue it.

[brian abrams]

I've been breeding rats & mice in my basement for about 3 years now. I currently have 5 Cay Caulker Boas, mostly semi-adults. The smallest is the male, at around 1000 grams. I also have & adult Balll Pythons, the smallest again is a male, weighing in at around 900 grams. My snakes eat mostly all rats. The only reason I keep the mice colony being is in case I get a clutch of eggs (I have 4 right now in the incubator). It is a lot of work, but if I didn't breed my own feeders it would sot me a fortune! As far as breeding goes, it's a piece of cake! All you need is a glass tank with a screen top, food, and a water bottle. You don't need that many mice to start. I also use a nursing tank, for the pregnant females. If left in the colony, the babies can get eaten. A male and 3-4 females will work. It is a lot or work, but You'll never have to run to the petstore again! I buy the substrate in LARGE paper bags. I use Mazuri Rodent Pro. A 50 lb bag is $28. I didn't realize you can use rabbit food at half the price. That would save me a lot. Your biggest problem will be getting rid of the excess mice!

[ogdentrece]

It's also an upkeep to keep them happy and healthy. They're going to need a constant supply of food and fresh water, as well as an area of the household/garage where there is no disturbances (just for the sake of not stressing the pregnant females out; I'm not sure if constant disturbances stress them, but I kept them in a quiet area so they're content).

My breeding them was a pure accident, and I keep them in a non airconditioned corridor at the back of the house, so temperatures are about 85F daily. Theres also construction going on and it does get pretty noisy in the days. Nights are dark and undisturbed. But they still bred anyway and didn't even eat the babies. So I guess if those disturbances become a routine and they do get downtime from it I figure they could adapt to it.

[onna_shinigami]

I actually started breeding my own mice due to the small corn and milk snakes we have. I started with 7 mice around October and from that 7 I have 190 in the deep freezer and probably sold over 100. Though I still have about 16 that I've kept as breeders but I also take a male and move him back and forth between 2 groups of females if I don't need a steady supply of pinks. I get bedding from Tractor Supply and get the Mazuri 9F or 6F from the local feed store. Food lasts about 2 months and bedding is usually a month a bag, as of the last set up I had. I changed tubs and did another type and it lasts about 2 weeks instead of a week.

[rperry03]

What did you decide on, are you still going to wait?
Around here I pay anywhere from $3-5 for a rat. Local breeders are further away, slightly less and try to buy from them first rather than a store.
I've been bitten a few times, but they were just the females warning to stay away from their babies so it didn't draw blood.
Waiting patiently for some asf's to get bigger to start feeding off on a daily basis. Almost wish I had gone with fancy but choose the asf's due to everyone saying the smell was not as bad.

[koloo921]

I breed mice, rats, and asf's. They are housed in my laundry room in the basement. I don't over crowd my tubs and they are cleaned once a week. They don't require a lot of care when set up properly.

[shorty54]

I breed mice and rats. The mice stink worse than the rats. But, I change the mice bedding weekly. If I didn't have small colubrids. I'd just breed rats. Since baby bp's can eat pinky rats. Just my . In the long run you will save money, or at least I have!