Here is just some hit and miss info. Many people have different conditions and food that can change the final results....but here are some facts from our system.



We typically have a rat weaned within 21 days....about 35-40 grams in size. This only cost you food to feed mom. A medium to large rat can consume 4-5 pellets per day maybe more.



Our average litter size is about 15. I would use 10-12 to be more conservative. You can always freeze the extra. One adult breeding female equals about 10-12 rats per month.....(general forcast)



1 male for 4-5 females as a breeding group. Some people keep the females in with the breeding group to raise her young. We seperate the females out into their own container before they drop.....she raises them until weaned in this seperate container. We then toss her back in with the breeding group when her young become weaned.



Again, speaking very generally.......in a years time your ball could take in 45-55 meals. If you feed frozen...logistically...rat breeding is much more simple. If you feed live then you have to have rats in a size window that is appropriate for the size snake your feeding. Your rat breeding doesn't always work in harmony with when you want to feed your snakes. So you end up with rats too big or to small when you want to feed. We over produce on rats just for this reason......we always have the live size we need when we need it. Everything else gets tossed in the freezer to be sold.



We have about 100 adults in our breeding group that costs about $200...$225 per month in food and bedding. We actually 100% cover the cost of our rat breeding with our frozen sales.......it's break even. My rats cost me nothing in the end. We are currently feeding around 70 balls of various ages.



Just a few scattered thoughts.....hope it's helpful.
-----
Jim Perron

Python Passion Reptiles

pythonpassion@hotmail.com

www.pythonpassionreptiles.com

[ Hide Replies ]

• rat breeding info - gone_balls_crazy, Wed May 26 14:54:55 2004
• RE: rat breeding info - zues, Wed May 26 15:31:25 2004
• Some Tid-bits - jim_perron, Wed May 26 16:10:09 2004
• RE: Some Tid-bits - gone_balls_crazy, Wed May 26 16:45:58 2004
• RE::you forgot........... - jyohe, Wed May 26 21:28:35 2004