frozen food

piketpik · 12-04-07, 10:39 AM

Hello there,

I was wondering where to get the frozen food.
At Petco, adult mice (min 19g) are $1.79.
rodentpro prices are $0.39 for weanlings anf $0.44 for adults.

Have you ever ordered frozen food online?

Is it worthwile to order bulk (50 pieces min) quantities knowing that:
- I have only one BP
- It needs grow as it grows
- I might have to switch to rats later

I read that a 1 year BP will wait arround 900 g (about 9 time its actual weight). Will I have time to use all of the mice before it needs to eat rats ?

Thanks for your help

Harold

wcreptiles · 12-04-07, 12:33 PM

The only problem is minimum shipping will be about $27 to $35 for your order of 50 mice or rats, which is about an additional $0.60 per food item. If that's still less that the cost of purchasing at your local Pet store, then go for it. Your frozen rodents will only last around a year at most if you keep them vacuum packed, I pitch them at 9 months. So don't buy too many.

I just purchased about $300 worth of frozen rats from The Mouse Factory and shipping was around $75, that was from Texas to Ohio.

wcreptiles · 12-04-07, 12:41 PM

Rats vs. Mice

I have Ball Pythons I hatched that have never seen a mouse. I started them on F/T rat pinks and and moved them in size up as they grew, so your BP is ready to switch any time. But you have to feed what is readily available to you.

gonesnakee · 12-04-07, 02:16 PM

Try switching sooner than later. The sooner the better

BPs that grow up on mice don't tend to switch over. I have adult BPs that take 10-12 adult mice at a time instead of taking a rat or 2. Cost more & is more of a pain in the butt as well too. If you can start them right from the get go on Rats as mentioned above do so, Mark

wcreptiles · 12-04-07, 05:01 PM

Wow. If I had to feed 10 or 12 mice at a time I'd have to sell the snake, couldn't afford it. I don't raise my own rodents so I have to rely on the stores.

I have a BP I switched over from mice to rats and he didn't miss a beat, didn't care. Unfortuantely the reason he was eating mice is because he is eating live and it was hard/impossible for me to buy small rat pups. Now I can buy small rats for him. I can't seem to convert him to F/T.

I just converted his Dad, a BP that has had live since 2000, that's seven years, over 4 in my possesion. He has had 6 F/T rats in a row, I think/hope he's converted. But that's another story.

But I do agree switch to rats as soon as you can, one rat vs. many mice is easy on the pocket book and much easier to manage on feeding day.

piketpik · 12-05-07, 08:34 AM

Thanks to all

I checked in Petco and Petsmart (the latter being way more expensive), but no young rats (I think I need 20g ish max).

Will look arround, but I will have to keep feeding mice until I find the proper size rats.

mykee · 12-06-07, 12:11 PM

Get your ball on rats now and forget about ordering mice completely. Mice are ok for their first meal or two, then rats all the way.

piketpik · 12-06-07, 04:37 PM

OK so what would be the best compromise?
Would hoppers rat (24 g) be too big ?

Any one has experience with rodentpro or other online suppliers ?

piketpik · 12-09-07, 01:55 AM

I was also wondering:
- what size rat will be best for now?
- what size rat will be best in 6 month from now?

Cos the more you order the more it gets cost effective.
Would it be a problem to 'skip' a size?

piketpik · 01-11-08, 11:20 AM

Just received my order from themousefactory.
All was fine, over-night delivery, all was still well wrapped with plenty of ice.

Will switch to rats next week