I've been considering it for awhile and I'm about ready to take the plunge. I was hoping to see if anyone had any tips. I'm planning on having two 1:3 tubs to start with, since I only have eight snakes and have never bred rodents before. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew right off the bat.

A couple random questions:

Where are the best places to find breeding stock? I'm considering buying a couple from a family-run pet store near my house (not a big chain place), but is it better to get from expos?

Are there particular types/colors/etc of rats that would be best to have? I read something that said it was best to try and get different colors to differentiate litters, but it didn't specify males or females. Would it even matter if I was cycling males through and not doing harem breeding?