Simple solution if you find yourself with to many rats.. get more snakes LOL Honest answer for just one ball python breeding rats is gonna be more time / money than it is worth. Buying f/t will be less smelly and less costly. If you still want to breed rats then I assume you want to treat them more as pets than as breeders (I don't consider them breeders if you are only pushing out 3 -5 litters per year). If you want them as pets then keeping them by themselves (in their own small tub with no other rats to socialize with) is a good way to end up with rats with attitude problems...bitey, skittish, etc