# Breeding rats for feeders (profitably)



## jack_rep (Sep 11, 2008)

Is it possible? 

Looking at whole sale suppliers of rats doing them at around 68p for a rat weener, how is that possible? The profit margins must be ridiculously low?


----------



## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Yes its very possible. However to make a living from it a lot resort to inhumanely sized housing and cheap food which a lot of the time does not fullfil and rat or mouses needs.


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

the more breeding rats you have the cheaper it becomes.........buying food in larger bulk etc.I produce on averge 120 rats a month and 150+ mice,cost of about £20 a month with food and bedding


----------



## jack_rep (Sep 11, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> Yes its very possible. However to make a living from it a lot resort to inhumanely sized housing and cheap food which a lot of the time does not fullfil and rat or mouses needs.


yeah i think thats the sticking point. Its getting a balance which you are comfortable with between the rodents needs and making the whole thing economical.



sunnyskeg said:


> the more breeding rats you have the cheaper it becomes.........buying food in larger bulk etc.I produce on averge 120 rats a month and 150+ mice,cost of about £20 a month with food and bedding


do you mind me asking who is your supplier of food and bedding?


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

we get our food from a local animal food merchants,its one of those places where everything is stacked on pallets


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

It is a lot of ard work keeping on top of cleaning feeding and watering. The best way would be buying the lab style cages this makes life easier for the feeding etc...


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

i keep trios in 142 ltr boxes from ikea,all the litter stays inside and very easy to clean.IMO lab cages are a little on the small side


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

they are big enough for trios and well within the guidlines....


----------



## lobley (Jan 26, 2008)

i breed my own and feel that cheap rats online cant be very healthy and these go into your snakes

with breeding your own you no what you are feeding to your snakes

some that i have ordered online look like they have been 12 rounds with mike tyson


even went in with cheesy biscuits tonight for them


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

thats why I breed mine too............. the reason I started was I was fed up with ordering 200 small weaners and getting 20.....


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

Majestic Morphs said:


> they are big enough for trios and well within the guidlines....


they say the same about cages they keep battery hens in:whistling2:
not saying your wrong ,but imo there 2 small


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

if your doing it on a larger scale they are more than adequate........


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

i keep my males in with the females,so thats 3 adults and 20-30 babies running around ,thats why i use 142 ltr boxes


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

how many boxes do you have??


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

6 with trios in 4 i use for growing on


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

how much room do they take up??


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

quite a bit ,but i have the room, but i understand some people aint as lucky and cant spare that amount


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

boxes are 890 mm x 590mm and 400mm high


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

I have a few rodents and I have quite a bit of space but to make it commercially viable I cant use the same size tubs as you.......


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

i do understand that,the kids do the watering and feeding so they are like semi pets as it were.Mice iv started to keep in 72ltr boxes 8 females with 1 male


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

how many do u produce on average a month?


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

about 25000 rats 12000 mice 1000 multis 400 gerbils per month


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

huge amounts then,do you breed guinea pigs? food wise do you use lab blocks?


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

no dont have guinea pigs... We get dog food made with a little less protein than the normal dog food


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

just had a look at pics of rat world...........you own it?


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

yeah for my sins lol.... the pics show 1 block of 10x 40ft containers and we are now in the middle of setting up another block of 10....


----------



## sunnyskeg (Jul 3, 2008)

and is it worth it?


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

yes........ its a fair few quid to set it up & you need the right people in place to help with all the work but I think its worth while plus I get all the food I need for free...


----------



## jack_rep (Sep 11, 2008)

Majestic Morphs said:


> yes........ its a fair few quid to set it up & you need the right people in place to help with all the work but I think its worth while plus I get all the food I need for free...


Bloody hell thats one hell of a set up. 

Genius though using them shipping containers. How did you come up with that idea?


----------



## Majestic Morphs (Apr 8, 2008)

I visited a few rodent breeders around the country and they all seemed to do it in barns there was always a strong smell of amonia in the barns and I didnt want that for our rodents, also in the barns cages were back to back and if any rodents had a disease there would be a good chance it could wipe out alot of your stock..

In the containers as you can see in the pics there is a bank of cages each side extract fan in the back and grilles in the front we clean every cage out every week and this takes the smell totally away... If your ever in Essex and want a look around drop me a pm.....


----------



## jack_rep (Sep 11, 2008)

Majestic Morphs said:


> I visited a few rodent breeders around the country and they all seemed to do it in barns there was always a strong smell of amonia in the barns and I didnt want that for our rodents, also in the barns cages were back to back and if any rodents had a disease there would be a good chance it could wipe out alot of your stock..
> 
> In the containers as you can see in the pics there is a bank of cages each side extract fan in the back and grilles in the front we clean every cage out every week and this takes the smell totally away... If your ever in Essex and want a look around drop me a pm.....


Might take you up on that actually if im ever down there. Might steal an idea or two : victory:


----------

