# Is it worth breeding rats for 9 snakes?



## markhill

I'm thinking of breeding my own rats cos i'm p*ssed off with paying huge delivery fees and I cant get a reliable source from any local shops.

I have an 05 Royal, and 06 Royal and an 07 Royal with 4 08/09's coming this year.
I also have an 08 Blood Python and an 06 BCI.
I'm also going to be breeding my Royals this coming season so will have hatchlings to feed until they're sold on.

Is it worth breeding my own for only a few snakes? 

I dont want them inside either so can I breed them in my brick shed? There's power in the shed so I could put a heater of some sort in there if need be, would they need heating if they had enough bedding?


----------



## Tops

They can live outside fine so long as they dont get too hot/cold and die.

They do stink though and are a pain in the ass to clean out.

I think its worthwhile to breed your own food though. Once your set up it doesnt cost alot to keep them in food and bedding and its a constant food supply. Especially if your getting hatchlings.

You wouldnt need more than 1.2 or 1.3 wth that many but if you want to feed them to the older snakes you will have to grow them on which takes more space etc.

I used to buy in the larger rats and use the breeding group for weaners/pups/fluffs.


----------



## daz666

as above i do breed my own rats an mice but i think its only good 4 the feeding of hatchlings to grow the rats on it just isnt worth it 4 9 snakes.:2thumb:


----------



## Tops

daz666 said:


> as above i do breed my own rats an mice but i think its only good 4 the feeding of hatchlings to grow the rats on it just isnt worth it 4 9 snakes.:2thumb:


That said, royals are on various sized weaners for quite a long period of their lives.

I never bothered growing any beyond the largeish weaner stage.


----------



## brian

Hi there we have just started to breed ours a few reasons why main reason is we bought a albino royal who is on live but will get her on to fresh killed at the moment we have 16 females and 4 males ( 4 groups) and about 15 weaners and a 10 fluffs and a load of pinkys and all growing like weeds but look at this for the main reason.........

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/general-herp-chat/266611-fresh-killed-frozen.html

I found it expensive to set up ie 4 big multy level cages 8 x large water bottles loads of large hides the list is quite long £250 ish pluss rats but they do require a standard of life as thay arent food the off spring are...


----------



## kuvats

*rats*

Hello 
If your having a hard time getting rats from your local pets stores ask if they willing to buy your surplus that way you have the supply you need and have a small amount of money from your excess. Just an idea.
George


----------



## freekygeeky

randomly, i have 5 sankes, and breeding mice has worked out worth while  (onyl been doing it a little while.)


----------



## kaimarion

How much would it cost(food, bedding ect) per month to keep 1.3 mice?


----------



## sunnyskeg

we have 12 breeding females rats 4 male rats.Mice we have 16 breeding females and 4 males costs us round about £4 a week for food ,but we buy it bulk and make our own mixes :2thumb:


----------



## BigBadBaz

Sorry for being nieve, but how do you kill the young rats? When I was a fish farmer we used a water container with a wire from the mains attached to it (in water) with a switch on the lid, close the lid, 240 volts shoots through the water and they are history. Seemed most human way. but not sure about the rats/mice!!


----------



## freekygeeky

kaimarion said:


> How much would it cost(food, bedding ect) per month to keep 1.3 mice?


bedding for me is free - shredded paper and bog rolls and carbard boxes etc etc

food is all tesco cerals, dog cat hamster buisscuits etc etc
so very cheap.


----------



## sunnyskeg

BigBadBaz said:


> Sorry for being nieve, but how do you kill the young rats? When I was a fish farmer we used a water container with a wire from the mains attached to it (in water) with a switch on the lid, close the lid, 240 volts shoots through the water and they are history. Seemed most human way. but not sure about the rats/mice!!


co2, kind and quick .Might be human for fish but very cruel way to despatch your rodents


----------



## Reptilover

Tops said:


> They can live outside fine so long as they dont get too hot/cold and die.
> 
> They do stink though and are a pain in the ass to clean out.
> 
> I think its worthwhile to breed your own food though. Once your set up it doesnt cost alot to keep them in food and bedding and its a constant food supply. Especially if your getting hatchlings.
> 
> You wouldnt need more than 1.2 or 1.3 wth that many but if you want to feed them to the older snakes you will have to grow them on which takes more space etc.
> 
> I used to buy in the larger rats and use the breeding group for weaners/pups/fluffs.


I disagree, using tubs/realy usefull boxs you can make cleaning out easy. Once a week change the woodshavings but tippings it into the bin, then refill with fresh ones and every 4 weeks disinfect the box with rodent friendly disinfectant. I'd rarther do that than sive through sand to remove bits of crap - however i have to do both. 

Yeh i think it would be worth while breeding your own rats. Might not work out cheaper though to be honest when you think about bedding price, food price unless you buy in extremely large bulk which is not needed for 9 snakes. So it depends realy on how good your acomadation for the rats will be, if you're going to get ferraplast cages it going to work out alot dearer than lets say a tub from BNQ.

RL.


----------



## markhill

Thanks everyone

I've got 2 fish tanks that are 24x12x20 inches (ldh) would they do for smaller rats and I've got an octagonal fish tank that is 3 feet across and roughly 2 foot high, would that be ok for adults?


----------



## fenwoman

markhill said:


> Thanks everyone
> 
> I've got 2 fish tanks that are 24x12x20 inches (ldh) would they do for smaller rats and I've got an octagonal fish tank that is 3 feet across and roughly 2 foot high, would that be ok for adults?


 nooo. Fish tanks are for fish. There isn't enough air flow for rats which sweat, get damp and either die or get breathing problems. Even if they are just food, they need proper care and accommodation.


----------



## Reptilover

fenwoman said:


> nooo. Fish tanks are for fish. There isn't enough air flow for rats which sweat, get damp and either die or get breathing problems. Even if they are just food, they need proper care and accommodation.


Agreed, even when usng tubs makes sure ventilation is a top priority, get some chicken wire sort of stuff and cut out a large hole and still it on. However with fish tanks you ca'nt do this so maybe not the best to do it, when you look at the rats in pets at home they always look poorly - lack of ventilation could and most probly *would* be a factor to that.

Rat cages or tubs with lots of ventilation are the best type of housing for rats especially when keeping more than two. 

However people on this forum use fish tanks for other things such as snakes - meaning _"Fish tanks are for fish" _is sort of a wrong statement. I included use fish tanks for other things. Sorry for been a a**** wipe :lol2:

and Good Luck :2thumb:


----------



## fenwoman

Reptilover said:


> Agreed, even when usng tubs makes sure ventilation is a top priority, get some chicken wire sort of stuff and cut out a large hole and still it on. However with fish tanks you ca'nt do this so maybe not the best to do it, when you look at the rats in pets at home they always look poorly - lack of ventilation could and most probly *would* be a factor to that.
> 
> Rat cages or tubs with lots of ventilation are the best type of housing for rats especially when keeping more than two.
> 
> However people on this forum use fish tanks for other things such as snakes - meaning _"Fish tanks are for fish" _is sort of a wrong statement. I included use fish tanks for other things. Sorry for been a a**** wipe :lol2:
> 
> and Good Luck :2thumb:


 I use old fish tanks as propogators for seedlings, like mini greenhouses. I might also use one for something like a terrapin if I had one or possible some land hermit crabs. 
I was trying to get a point over to the OP that they are simply totally unsuitable for rats. And you weren't a bit of toilet paper lol. I wasn't offended at all.


----------



## markhill

Ok, thats fine. I just thought as I had them I could put them to some use.

never mind.


----------



## ayrton

How many female rats do I need to get 20 pups a week:2thumb:


----------



## rats-r-us

ayrton said:


> How many female rats do I need to get 20 pups a week:2thumb:


 Around 20 for that every week.


----------



## ayrton

Thanx


----------



## rats-r-us

ayrton said:


> How many female rats do I need to get 20 pups a week:2thumb:


You have to also remember your time set up costs feed etc.

Good luck

Regards
Terry


----------



## ayrton

Ye mate I used to breed mice and i just got a trio and didn't know how many more I would need I have some rubs and that for them
And than for the help mate


----------

