feeders question

[cyrus888]

can any one tell me from their exeprience which one breeds faster, mice or rats?

[sapphire_moon]

they are "almost" the same, I think one is 23 days, and one is 21 days, but both can go up to 24 days before giving birth. And they are both weaned at 3 wks old. Though, not sure when mice are sexually mature, but rats sexually mature at 5wks old.

Nutritionaly rats are better (unless you have a really small snake that needs mice). Stink less (so I've heard), and are just smarter animals than mice.

[Jayson]

I find that rats reproduce faster and rats are also much better parents. Mice are high stress and more prone to cannibalism (sp)?(which i think is the reason for the slower reproduction)

yes the gestation periods seem to be about the same, but rats are a much better investment unless you need the really small pinks.

[cyrus888]

thanx for the help. any good suggestion for cheap way to house my rats?

[Lisa]

Build a rack. Much cheaper then cages.

[sapphire_moon]

or I just posted a pic of my rat "cage". if you can find a rubbermaid or sterelite tub that has SMOOTH insides, then you can do what I did, and alot of other people.

You could also build a rack. But if you are only going to have a couple of 1.2-1.3 groups then a couple of those cages like I have would be fine.

[cyrus888]

thanx every one