I cycle breed all my females and have a constant supply of all sizes of feeders. I find my decline in offspring occurs at around 6 - 8 litters (ish). Don't have detailed records on me but at 4 weeks preggo and 4 weeks until weaned that's 13 months (56 weeks) of production at 7 average litters each. Actually is less than that as over half of my feeders are consumed prior to weaning. So even at 1/2 consumed as pinks, that's still 28 weeks of being preggo and another 14 weeks raising up babies or 42 weeks (almost 10 months) of active production from a female.





I do agree that properly fed rodents will produce at an astounding rate. I cycle breed only to closely control my production rates to eliminate bubbles and gaps in my supply. Yeah, 'm likely large enough now to just tub breed but old dawg / new trick



BTW, I'm not at 30 sumpin years of producing rodents, only 20









>>I first want to say that I respect your thoughts but after thirty mumble mumble years of doing this I am gonna add some of mine.

>>

>>You girls are gonna go infertile about 6 or 7 months down the road and have half as many litters with all that sitting around getting fat and watching tv. Justy ratty facts. Are your raising feeders or pets?

>>

>>Do I believe they have any opinion about their being bred constantly or not?.....no. They are rats, not people.

>>

>>If you are feeding correctly you will have healthy well conditioned breeders regardless. I cull off my breeders as Jumbos...they are monsters, not boney thin worn out shells.

>>

>>Rats, like most of the earth's creatures, will reproduce to whatever extent their resources allow. Lemmings, think lemmings, and check out their life cycles. Why do they overpopulate? Resources . You are supplying your beasties food and water....it is always nirvana for them so of course they are gonna breed constantly. If they were undernourished they will reabsorb or eat pups.....change your diet, something is wrong with it.

>>

>>I talked to a Mazuri supplier/salesman once....said I found on their foods my rats tended to cannabalize. He said feed more cat kibble mixed in. HELLO! Why am I buying your food then? Now this was years ago and things change. But I still feed by feel and tweak diets for each enclosure. Dog kibble, cat kibble, sunflower seed, stale breakfast cereal...Just how it works for me.

>>-----

>>Sonya

>>

>>I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.

>>Happy Bunny
-----
Thanks,





Dave Colling



www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com







0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)

0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)



LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):

36.51 BRB

29.42 BCI

And those are only the breeders



lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

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