# Most nutritious alternative to Multimanmates



## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Feed my Royal Python multimanmates, but sometimes they're not so easy to get or the only places that have them charge £15+ for postage. I intend to stick with multimanmates as much as possible, but wondering what the best alternative is? My Royal is 16 months old and I'm looking at food of 40g - 50g weight. 

Cheers 😊


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Rats I would suspect.
Have you thought about breeding your own? If I remember rightly they are much easier to breed than mice or rats and don't smell as much either.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

ian14 said:


> Rats I would suspect.
> Have you thought about breeding your own? If I remember rightly they are much easier to breed than mice or rats and don't smell as much either.


Unfortunately, breeding my own wouldn't be practical and throw in the fact we have 4 cats..........😂🤣


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Elly66 said:


> Unfortunately, breeding my own wouldn't be practical and throw in the fact we have 4 cats..........😂🤣


Aah. Yes, that could be interesting!
The only other thing I can think of is of you have a local reptile shop, or any pet shop that stocks frozen rodents, and see if they can order some multis in. 
Or, if you have to go to a supplier charging £15 for delivery, order several months worth, if youbhave the freezer space.
When I had a big snake collection I usually ordered frozen food about 3 times a year, to make the orders as economical as possible.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

ian14 said:


> Aah. Yes, that could be interesting!
> The only other thing I can think of is of you have a local reptile shop, or any pet shop that stocks frozen rodents, and see if they can order some multis in.
> Or, if you have to go to a supplier charging £15 for delivery, order several months worth, if youbhave the freezer space.
> When I had a big snake collection I usually ordered frozen food about 3 times a year, to make the orders as economical as possible.


 Yes, think it will be a case of buying more to make it worth the postage. As he's still gowing, I was trying to avoid that, but will just buy 2 different sizes.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Elly66 said:


> Yes, think it will be a case of buying more to make it worth the postage. As he's still gowing, I was trying to avoid that, but will just buy 2 different sizes.


I try to buy enough food to last around four / five months to save on delivery costs. With 10 snakes most on 14 day feeds it averages a 10 pack of weaner rats or mice per snake between orders, so tan average order is 50 weaner rats, 5 large quail and 5 ex breeder rats, 40 med mice, and 20 ex breeder mice per order. But you need to have the freezer space to be able to do a bulk purchase.

Personally I found Multies over rated - I've even had royals turn their noses up at them, preferring a weaner rat. One thing I would love to try a royal on is a young quail... my boa loves them, and they have more protein and less fat than rats.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Malc said:


> I try to buy enough food to last around four / five months to save on delivery costs. With 10 snakes most on 14 day feeds it averages a 10 pack of weaner rats or mice per snake between orders, so tan average order is 50 weaner rats, 5 large quail and 5 ex breeder rats, 40 med mice, and 20 ex breeder mice per order. But you need to have the freezer space to be able to do a bulk purchase.
> 
> Personally I found Multies over rated - I've even had royals turn their noses up at them, preferring a weaner rat. One thing I would love to try a royal on is a young quail... my boa loves them, and they have more protein and less fat than rats.


I ended up using multimanmates due to Fluffy refusing to eat. One local place sells single mice/rats/chick's etc, so might grab a couple of different ones to see how it goes. None of my local places will stock multimanmates, not enough sell??


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Elly66 said:


> I ended up using multimanmates due to Fluffy refusing to eat. One local place sells single mice/rats/chick's etc, so might grab a couple of different ones to see how it goes. None of my local places will stock multimanmates, not enough sell??


This somewhat contradict the trend of how multis are promoted. With royals being (probably) the most common snake sold, if multis were the "ideal" food given all the fussy feeding royals out there you would expect any pet shop that sells frozen food to stock them more than mice or rats. Most pet shops that stock frozen rodents get them from either monkfields or more likely Peregrine, but could always go to the smaller providers that we all use, so it's not an issue with the supply chain. 

Years back I got a stubborn male royal back on food by offering a small Russian hampster (defrosted) which did the trick, a costly exercise as it then became hooked on them and took ages to switch back to weaner rats, which at the time I had a free supply of.


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

The best diet for a Royal is Rats. 

Regarding multis; pretty much any reptile shop can get them as they are available from wholesalers. Have you asked if they can order them in for you? 

Some places to buy multis online



https://www.ridgewayfrozen.co.uk/product-category/frozen-food/multimammates/







__





Raw rodents for reptiles | Kiezebrink UK


Rodents, such as guinea pigs, gerbils, and hamsters are full of proteins and minerals. Delivered frozen at your door. Next day delivery if you order before 11:30! | Kiezebrink UK



www.kiezebrink.co.uk













Frozen Multi's


We specialise in the supply frozen and live foods for Reptiles, Birds of prey and other exotic animals. Delivered direct to your door.




www.tsmpetsupplies.com


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

LiasisUK said:


> The best diet for a Royal is Rats.
> 
> Regarding multis; pretty much any reptile shop can get them as they are available from wholesalers. Have you asked if they can order them in for you?
> 
> ...


I've asked locally and as only ordered when asked, prices weren't great, plus they were having trouble getting them. I have found another local supplier, so will ask them. I usually order online from Northampton Reptile Centre. 

Kiezbrink want a 5kg order - I only have 2 snakes, 1 is still growing and can't afford over £300 in one go 😬

TSM has no multimanmates in stock.

Ridgeway looks a bit better.

My main thought is to try a different feed that I can easily access locally, hence asking what's best.


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

I would try and convert the Royal over to Rats, that will be your best bet. They're a much better prey size and very very easily obtainable.


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