Breeding your own food?

jpsteele80 · 04-20-16, 03:19 PM

How many of you do this, I'm finding it getting somewhat expensive to keep buying through a supplier or when they don't have any then going through a pet store which is even more draining on my wallet. Do you find it more cost effective to breed your own stock. I'm heading out to pick up some rat racks this weekend just wanted to make sure it was worth it before doing it. Figured what i don't use myself i could sell to friends.

travesty · 04-20-16, 03:59 PM

I do it but it's not as cheap as ordering bulk online. I like being able to have any size I choose whether its frozen or live. It's definitely not worth it though unless you like keeping rodents as a side hobby.

jpsteele80 · 04-20-16, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travesty

I do it but it's not as cheap as ordering bulk online. I like being able to have any size I choose whether its frozen or live. It's definitely not worth it though unless you like keeping rodents as a side hobby.

But a bag of rat food has to be cheaper that 3 or 4 dollar large rats through bulk online, reason I'm thinking on going this route as well is because i plan on going large scale on snakes and breeding and having a lot of mouths to feed i think it would be worth it in the long run. just my logical thinking but i may be wrong. Plus if you get picky eaters that only want live, frozen doesn't help and i have 1 or 2 of those.

**Aaron_S** · 04-20-16, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpsteele80

But a bag of rat food has to be cheaper that 3 or 4 dollar large rats through bulk online, reason I'm thinking on going this route as well is because i plan on going large scale on snakes and breeding and having a lot of mouths to feed i think it would be worth it in the long run. just my logical thinking but i may be wrong. Plus if you get picky eaters that only want live, frozen doesn't help and i have 1 or 2 of those.

You need to do your math. Figure out the cost of rat food and bedding you'd use every month and divide by the adult rats you plan to have to figure out the cost of each rat for breeding (not including babies raised to adult).

Where breeding your own rodents really seems to pay off is when you're breeding for baby snakes/rat pups and pinks. You aren't paying for those babies to eat as they are nursing so it's only the cost of the parents.

serpentgirl123 · 04-20-16, 04:22 PM

I don't breed my rodents now, but I did in the past (mice and gerbils) and I personally absolutely hated it. It wasn't just taking care of the rodents, the smell (sensitive to smells in general), listening to their noises, protecting them from my cats etc, but also put a lot of kinks in any travel plans. I could easily get away with leaving my snakes home alone for a 1-2weeks, but not so much with the rodents. Strangely my neighbors had no problem checking in on my snakes but not the rodents. Also no more rodent bites lol.

Also I had done a calculation a few years back about the cost of raising rodents vs. buying in bulk (luckily I have species that readily take f/t). And for me, even with shipping, f/t was less costly and no mess/smell/noise, just need more freezer space.

I think it is just something one has to think about carefully, because I have friends who had similar intentions as you. They described it as time consuming with rodent care, keeping up with the litters, and making sure mothers don't eat the young etc. It seems almost never ending and a lot of maintenance work. But for some it is worth the work, just not for me personally.

Good luck in your endeavors!

jpsteele80 · 04-20-16, 04:32 PM

I bread them a while back when i had monitors and it was worth the saving cost of buying bulk as monitors will eat 3 or 4 rats at a time every other day, just haven't done it with snakes yet so don't know the pros and cons of it. I usually dedicate 1 day a week for the snake room and cleaning and they will be in a separate room so i don't care what noises they make just as long as they pop out food lol

serpentgirl123 · 04-20-16, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpsteele80

I bread them a while back when i had monitors and it was worth the saving cost of buying bulk as monitors will eat 3 or 4 rats at a time every other day, just haven't done it with snakes yet so don't know the pros and cons of it. I usually dedicate 1 day a week for the snake room and cleaning and they will be in a separate room so i don't care what noises they make just as long as they pop out food lol

Lol. I hope they pop out food if you go that route. Definitely makes sense to breed your own if you are feeding more than 1 feeder per reptile. I just know, for me, it didn't and I am not feeding weekly with 80% of mine, so that helps. Might not be a bad idea to make a pro/con list? Perhaps.

jpsteele80 · 04-20-16, 04:45 PM

Oh yeah i have a few snakes that eat multiple rats per feeding.

travesty · 04-20-16, 05:45 PM

This website has lots of good info on breeding rats and I made cages inspired by theirs. They are great. They show the math and breeding your own vs bulk costs double but that depends on exactly how many snakes you are feeding. If it's something you'll enjoy I say just go for it.

Small Scale Rat Breeding :: Metal Monkey Exotics

jpsteele80 · 04-20-16, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travesty

This website has lots of good info on breeding rats and I made cages inspired by theirs. They are great. They show the math and breeding your own vs bulk costs double but that depends on exactly how many snakes you are feeding. If it's something you'll enjoy I say just go for it.

Small Scale Rat Breeding :: Metal Monkey Exotics

Thanks very informative article, i think in the beginning it will not be worth it but i think on a grand scale it will eventually pay off, with having multiple babies to feed next year and with it continuing to grow every year, especially the problamatic feeders

**Minkness** · 04-20-16, 06:27 PM

I tried it and hated it!

Smell, noise, mess, and cost were just crazy compared to buying online and stuffing them in the freezer.

I only had a few at a time (2 males and 4 females, but loooots of babies!) And the daily upkeep was just too much for me. Also, for healthy feeders you'll want healthy food, and healthy food will cost you more than a few dollars. And the more rodents you have to feed, the more that cost goes up.

Also, other that food....you will also need bedding, enclosures, other suplies like water bottles, things to chew on, wheels for them (mammas without wheels seem toeat their young out of frustration).

It may be a good alternative for some people, but not for me. I may get a few rats in the far off future, but I may never get another rodent again and be just happy.

Albert Clark · 04-20-16, 10:52 PM

Consider if at all possible, to work towards raising them in a shed and outside of your home. They need adequate ventilation and the more the better. Exhaust fans and plumbing will also be necessary components.

Kokorobosoi · 04-21-16, 12:55 PM

Trust me... I had to move my rats into the house for the winter, and IT WAS NOT PLEASANT.

Rats belong in a shed. Or a garage. With lots of ventilation!!! And unless you have a lot of hungry herps... its not worth it.

I breed a small colony, because I have supply issues with the local breeders, but I also buy frozen in bulk as well. I don't have the space to breed enough for my collection, so I supplement.

Honestly.. frozen weeks are cheaper weeks than my prekilled weeks. Just keep that in mind!!!

macandchz · 04-21-16, 02:03 PM

my ex-son -in -law tried the breed your own route. it was a disaster! but he was a jerk anyway. he ended up with 200 stinky mice in a small bedroom! i'll never forget the smell! he's in jail now so maybe he can find a mouse there and start his own business! he's got lots of time to do it!

pet_snake_78 · 04-21-16, 07:06 PM

The problem with frozen is not all young snakes will accept them. If you have a local breeder who sells cheap, that would be ideal, otherwise the rodent shed could work.