Quote Originally Posted by catzeye21138 View Post
I probably shouldn't be vouching for rodents on a reptile forum, but I have kept guinea pigs for the better part of two decades.

Can you not substitute a jumbo rat?

Guinea pigs have a 68-72 day gestation, and often only have 1-4 pups. (They only have two teats, yo.) They need recoup time, as well, so they can only have a couple litters a year. They should not be bred until 3 months (for health and safety reasons), and if they haven't been bred before they turn 8 months old, their pubic bones fuse and it becomes impossible to pass any pups through the birthing canal.

On top of being very slow reproducers breeding is very risky for the females, and the pups. About 20% of guinea pig pregnancies result in a death of either the sow, or one or all of the babies; and that is under ideal conditions. They have tons of complications, along with that including pregnancy toxemia in the sow, or inner ear issues in the babies.

Having bred for show animals myself in the past, I guess I just don't understand breeding and using them for snake prey when there are alternatives like rats who reproduce at an alarmingly faster rate, and have a smaller chance of mortality.

Okay. Bring on the hate; I am ready for it.

edit: Plus in comparison guinea pigs are expensive as hell.
I don't think that you will be getting any flack for this but I am confused a bit by your post. I'm not personally aquatinted with any of the posters, but if they have a steady supply of guinea pigs then why not feed them? The birthing stuff you talk about is the guinea pig breeders problem, not the snake owners. But yes you could feed jumbo rats. I guess you just feed whatever is convenient for you and healthy for the snakes. Also I don't know about the nutritional value of a GP vs a rat. That may have something g to do with it.