Posted by:
pyromaniac
at Wed Nov 16 19:00:02 2011 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by pyromaniac ]
My surplus mice pay for the upkeep of my snakes. Selling the surplus mice covers the rodent feed and litter. When I first got started with mice and snakes I had an expense concerning equipment, but have since bartered for nice glass tanks for the snakes and have all the other tubs and equipment I need for the mice. So the main expense is the mouse feed and litter, which as I said is covered by selling surplus mice. The water and electricity would have to be generated anyway, and the snakes don't use much, as they are all colubrids who mostly all brumate. Running the incubator uses a bit more juice in the spring, and turning all the UTHs on again adds a bit. But I have only 32 snakes, most co-habitating in big cages, so not having to use a lot of individual heaters.
The biggest expense is my labor to care for the rather substantial mouse colony. Because this is a labor of love, and also pays not only for itself but for all the snakes' upkeep as well, I am coming out ahead on this hobby. Another side benefit is the copious amounts of premium compost the mice generate.
Alas, I have not sold any baby snakes yet, although I do have one buyer who wants a pair of baby pyros (but his wife just had a baby so this may not happen! LOL!)
Sorry I don't have actual numbers to post, but as I start the new year with a stable static condition concerning feed costs I will be able to break it down to the penny. For awhile this last year times got pretty lean and the mice income was feeding us, too.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.
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RE: How Much Do You Spend... - pyromaniac, Wed Nov 16 19:00:02 2011