Snake Food

[Mrl249]

After successfully breeding rats for about 6 months... we decided to take the plunge!!

Before :



After today:


Yesterday we had 6 females/2 males. After the great deal we found today we now have 20 female breeders and 6 male breeders. That's not including the 19 or 20 fuzzies-hoppers.

We take care of our rats EXTREMELY well here. (As with the snakes ) I believe a healthy/happy rat makes a healthy/ happy snake They are each given a bath once a week, fed high quality food, given healthy treats, and maintained at a proper temperature 24/7.

I can't tell you how many breeders (not saying everyone) I've seen that keep them outside in the barn/shack. All dirty, smelly, sweaty, and full of feces and urine.
Then they have their babies in the same tubs!! Yuck!!

Sorry ha, maybe I'm just to over cautious!


Thanks for reading!

[4Ballz]

Awesome. I like that support piece as well. LOL, a lot like my "and in the beginning...."



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Blue dots rats, red mice. I was just looking up prices for what I'll be needing. The cage rolls are like $50 for 50' and 100 for 100'. So, once I get some extra cash, or when I get back to work, I'll build mine. I have 60 babies born within the last 5-6 days, so I will be exploding with rats!

[Mrl249]

Awesome. I like that support piece as well. LOL, a lot like my "and in the beginning...."



- - - Updated - - -

Blue dots rats, red mice. I was just looking up prices for what I'll be needing. The cage rolls are like $50 for 50' and 100 for 100'. So, once I get some extra cash, or when I get back to work, I'll build mine. I have 60 babies born within the last 5-6 days, so I will be exploding with rats!

Thank you. I remember your post! I was wondering what those dots were. How many breeders (rats) do you have ?

[4Ballz]

I currently have 11 females, and 3 males (6 have given birth). I think the same for mice. Everyone is on rotation.

When I build my rat rack. I will have females with males on the right (breeding), then the ones on the left will be moms and their babies. Once weaned I will put the babies in their own tubs, and put the moms back in the right rack. Hopefully I can time it right.

Thanks for sharing your new room. My rats are in the storage room, which is also the furnace room. Lots of fresh air coming in for them, and a window for natural light. I'm using flax bedding right now. Odour isn't as crazy as aspen. So far so good.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Three more racks on the other side, 4 females per tub and 10 males for rotation (going to hold back 4 more males)
Looking good, ironicaly my shed is a tuff shed barn LOL insulated and a/c.
I dont know about bathing rats though

[Mrl249]

Three more racks on the other side, 4 females per tub and 10 males for rotation (going to hold back 4 more males)
Looking good, ironicaly my shed is a tuff shed barn LOL insulated and a/c.
I dont know about bathing rats though

WOW thats insane. Ha I don't sit there and hand bathe every single one or anything. I just put certain groups in a certain type of bucket with soap really easy ha. What bedding are you using?

[Mrl249]

I currently have 11 females, and 3 males (6 have given birth). I think the same for mice. Everyone is on rotation.

When I build my rat rack. I will have females with males on the right (breeding), then the ones on the left will be moms and their babies. Once weaned I will put the babies in their own tubs, and put the moms back in the right rack. Hopefully I can time it right.

Thanks for sharing your new room. My rats are in the storage room, which is also the furnace room. Lots of fresh air coming in for them, and a window for natural light. I'm using flax bedding right now. Odour isn't as crazy as aspen. So far so good.

That's awesome! You have a lot on your hands. Isnt it a pain in the *butt* (just for you slim ) to wash out the aquariums!!! Ive hated it all these months. Im still on aspen though, im real close to a feed store i wonder if they have that flax bedding, id like to give it a try.
I still haven't learned or figured out a good rotation to do :/ any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[PitOnTheProwl]

McCoys Pine bedding in the white bag

[Sama]

When I do rotations the buck is usually in with a group of girls for 2 or 3 weeks, then on to the next group. Females typically get pregnant the first week if not the boy can catch them in the next week or 2, then they are about 2ish weeks to deliver. About 4-5 weeks later you wean the babies, give moms between 2 weeks or a month off to bulk up again, depending on how young/old they are or if they lost a lot of weight, then rotate the male or another one back in. So roughly 2 weeks breeding, 2 weeks to deliver, about 5 weeks to wean then 2 weeks off. Add 4 weeks til they deliver again and its about 2 1/2 months between litters once they get established. Sounds like a long time but for most of that time she is either pregnant or nursing and each female typically has between 8-14 babies.

Right now I have limited space until I can pick up my rat rack later this month and fewer females then needed for space reasons. I have three groups of trios and the males are in with the girls full time, unless someone starts looking thin. Right now with the males in full time the litters are between 6 and 8 weeks apart. The males are very helpful with the little ones and will give mom breaks occasionally, few things are as cute as a baby rat bouncing on daddy's head!

Anyway, that is just my set up.