Considering a small rat breeding colony

[hellosugaree]

I'm thinking about starting a small rat breeding colony (the minimum possible size). I only have one snake currently, and I plan on getting one or two more eventually, but nothing too crazy. On this scale, I realize this will probably not be a cost-saving venture. The cost of feed, bedding, materials, and supplies will probably end up costing more than just buying whatever rats I need fresh or frozen. However, I want to do it for the experience and to know that my food source is as well cared for as my snakes. The rats would sort of be pets that feed our other pets.

I plan on feeding one of the formulated lab diets depending on price and availability, and I'm not sure what bedding I will use yet. This probably also depends on price and availability. I am open to suggestions for which kind and where to acquire for those of you that have experience.

As I understand, you need a cage for the mother to give birth in, and a separate cage to move males to prior to birthing (or if you have enough cages with females to keep the male constantly rotating). Finally, you need cages to separate pups from their mothers for weaning (one for each sex if you want to grow them up and not have them breed right away). With the smallest scale possible, I'm looking at 4 tubs or so. Did I miss anything?

I would love to hear/see words of encouragement, discouragement, pictures of your setup, info on places to get supplies or some basic DIY small racks. Who else is doing a small breeding operation?

[exwizard]

First off, I think its great that youre getting into breeding your own rats. This way you know and are 100% sure your rats are healthy and well fed. Also tamer rats make it safer to feed your snakes IF you do decide to feed live. If you go f/k or f/t then theres no doubt but I digress. Anyway, you know beyong a shadow of a doubt that your feeders will be pest free as well. The experience you gain is immeasurable should you decide to go on a bigger scale. From everything Ive read on these forums, the best thread is Korbin's http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/food-...mice-roll.html. This thread is an ongoing discussion primarily among 3 rodent breeders including myself but others have chimed in as well. Its a free exchange of ideas and thoughts about all the little details and trials that go with rat and mouse breeding. I think you will find this thread very informative if you read through every post on every page. All 3 of us have different methods and approaches to this but the goal is the same; to produce more feeders. Check it out.

[hellosugaree]

Originally Posted by exwizard

First off, I think its great that youre getting into breeding your own rats. This way you know and are 100% sure your rats are healthy and well fed. Also tamer rats make it safer to feed your snakes IF you do decide to feed live. If you go f/k or f/t then theres no doubt but I digress. Anyway, you know beyong a shadow of a doubt that your feeders will be pest free as well. The experience you gain is immeasurable should you decide to go on a bigger scale. From everything Ive read on these forums, the best thread is Korbin's http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/food-...mice-roll.html. This thread is an ongoing discussion primarily among 3 rodent breeders including myself but others have chimed in as well. Its a free exchange of ideas and thoughts about all the little details and trials that go with rat and mouse breeding. I think you will find this thread very informative if you read through every post on every page. All 3 of us have different methods and approaches to this but the goal is the same; to produce more feeders. Check it out.

Thanks for the encouraging words and info. I have checked out the thread but have not yet read it cover to cover. As time allows I'll work my way through it for entertainment and education.

[KORBIN5895]

First question is how big is your snake and what size feeders do you need?

[hellosugaree]

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

First question is how big is your snake and what size feeders do you need?

Right now he is 110g, eating appropriately-sized rats as of Saturday (finally found a local rat breeder so got him switched over). It's a coastal carpet so he will eventually presumably eat adults. I will probably have another carpet or two in the near future. The good thing with breeding is you can grow them to whatever size you want and then sac and freeze.

[KORBIN5895]

Well start with one male and female in a 15- 20 gallon tank. I personally don't remove my males from the females. As for grow outs I don't remove them either.

Your first litter should feed your snake a couple of months for sure. I personally would grow them out to a week old then euthanize five or six. Then grow the rest for another 10-15 days before euthanizing. That should be a out two and a half months of food which would be a great start.

[hellosugaree]

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

Well start with one male and female in a 15- 20 gallon tank. I personally don't remove my males from the females. As for grow outs I don't remove them either.

Your first litter should feed your snake a couple of months for sure. I personally would grow them out to a week old then euthanize five or six. Then grow the rest for another 10-15 days before euthanizing. That should be a out two and a half months of food which would be a great start.

Sounds good. I will probably use bins in a small rodent rack system. Tanks are heavy and cumbersome when cleaning. It's a lot easier with the plastic tubs because you can just have extras ready to go with fresh bedding and dump and clean the used ones instead of having to clean out a glass tank.

[exwizard]

Originally Posted by hellosugaree

Sounds good. I will probably use bins in a small rodent rack system. Tanks are heavy and cumbersome when cleaning. It's a lot easier with the plastic tubs because you can just have extras ready to go with fresh bedding and dump and clean the used ones instead of having to clean out a glass tank.

That is probably the most efficient way to breed rats. I would start off with 1.3. I agree with you on this point as well. We used to use glass tanks for the mice and we found that they are exactly like you describe it. Plastic tubs are very easy to clean; just dump the bedding, scrape whats left. Disinfect with rubbing alcohol, apply Kennel Fresh and put new bedding in. All this takes only a few minutes per tub.

[hellosugaree]

Originally Posted by exwizard

That is probably the most efficient way to breed rats. I would start off with 1.3. I agree with you on this point as well. We used to use glass tanks for the mice and we found that they are exactly like you describe it. Plastic tubs are very easy to clean; just dump the bedding, scrape whats left. Disinfect with rubbing alcohol, apply Kennel Fresh and put new bedding in. All this takes only a few minutes per tub.

I am in biomedical research and we have massive rodent colonies. Racks are how they do it in the big times I only wish I could afford one of the pro ones. They have ventilation hooked up to each cage to keep the air clean and cages isolated from one another to prevent disease spread.

[exwizard]

Originally Posted by hellosugaree

I am in biomedical research and we have massive rodent colonies. Racks are how they do it in the big times I only wish I could afford one of the pro ones. They have ventilation hooked up to each cage to keep the air clean and cages isolated from one another to prevent disease spread.

Yeah well my racks are homemade and quality built. They use concrete mixing tubs and wire mesh across the tops. Theres a spot for the water bottles and food and each rack holds 5 tubs. I wouldnt be able to afford a rack like you described either.

[KORBIN5895]

Yes tubs are a great idea for what you plan. Good luck and post up when you get going.

[exwizard]

The tubs we got from Home Depot.

[mykee]

I've been breedeing rats now for ten plus years, and this is what I have found works best for me:

~1 sq. ft. of floor space per rat.
Feed a high quality lab diet: Mazuri 6F or Purina 5012.
Gravity-fed watering system (closed system, so water is always clean).
Alpha or beta chip as bedding.

Rat Rack

[hellosugaree]

Originally Posted by mykee

I've been breedeing rats now for ten plus years, and this is what I have found works best for me:

~1 sq. ft. of floor space per rat.
Feed a high quality lab diet: Mazuri 6F or Purina 5012.
Gravity-fed watering system (closed system, so water is always clean).
Alpha or beta chip as bedding.

Rat Rack

Do you get your food and bedding online, or do you have a local place? I would imagine shipping is prohibitively expensive for food, due to weight. I was definitely planning on using lab block, either of the two you mentioned, depending on what I can find locally.

Thanks for the info

[mykee]

I buy my food from a feed store; $28 for a 50 lb. bag.