Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was considering raising a feeder animal (probably mice, but rats may work better I'm not sure) for well... food!

Athough not for a reptile (I don't seem to think their will be a liver feeders section in the exotics) The mice would be for a raw whole food diet for a ferret (possibly two but I am just going to do the calculations for one ferret atm)

I figure that an adult male ferret would need anywhere from 18-45 (probably closer to the lower side and If I they were females... even lower) So I am going to say, for the sake of calculation, they would need about one adult mouse per day. Of course their diet could/or/would be supplemented with chicken and other meat foods so I will probably not need quite as much.

How large of a colony (and what sort of setup) would I need to supply me with approximatly one adult mouse a day?

Thanks. If I was too vaige about anything let me know.

Mice may or maynot be the best feeder for this purpose (as I am not feeding a reptile) If you have any suggestions as to what feeder animal type would be best for this application let me know!

I am trying to run through the different animals used as feeders in my head. Mice, rats, Cavies, rabbits, various bird types... I am going to do a little research on size/gestation periods ect to see if I can find somthing that would work more effeciently.

thanks again

I would say a 1.1 colony of mice (one male and one female). I personally have a 1.2 (one male, two female) and I plan to feed 3 young/small snakes weekly, and give the rest to an older, but larger snake weekly. And with snakes, you really can't get something in the meat department for them.
as a set up, either one large critter carrier or a 10gal tank with a lid should be fine. If you can get a breeding rack for mice, even better! You would obviously need something that you can give them food and water. I'm gonna be taking some pics of my set up so I can show you what I'm talking about.
and I personally use hamster/mice wheels so that the mice have a higher protein contant in their body than fat. Running makes you fitter than eating all day right? that's my logic, but a wheel's really not needed though...
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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Rex- "normal" orange fire)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Glutany- German Giant Mix)
0.1.0 Okeetee Corn (Okatee)
1.1.0 Spotted Python (Hotdog and Shoelace)

oh and i went on apex's site and they no got 'em listed anymore. but freedom breeder does. I'm sure you can also find some for cheap or good price in the classified ads of kingsnake.

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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Rex- "normal" orange fire)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Glutany- German Giant Mix)
0.1.0 Okeetee Corn (Okatee)
1.1.0 Spotted Python (Hotdog and Shoelace)

You are going to need to have a few set up's of 1.3 mice. You are also going to have to have a 'grow up holding tub' as well where you are going to have to seperate the males and females so they dont fight. You are going to have to feed the ferret grown up mice to get full nutritional benefit. I have seen some people feed chicken to ferrets as well. As far as mice go i think you are going to need a rack to keep up with the diet of a ferret.

What do you keep in the blue critter keeper? and How do you supply water in one of those?

that's where I put my male if I end up having a few more mice than I can handle. Keep him alive and save him for later lol. And as for water, I HAD (dog thought it was a chew toy) a water bottle that I could actually hang from the lid, almost like christmas orniates, and he could drink that way. The food I kinda just plopped in there.
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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Rex- "normal" orange fire)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Glutany- German Giant Mix)
0.1.0 Okeetee Corn (Okatee)
1.1.0 Spotted Python (Hotdog and Shoelace)

Well personally for the size items you want I would be suggest you go with rats or rabbits. And rats is way easier to produce since rabbits take nests and separate cages and SPACE.

I supplement my ferrets with mixed rodents that I have extras of. Mice....they can easily eat one a day and still clear out the kibble in their dish. I have thought if I feed them only raw animal protein it would take about 3-6 mice a day or a rat plus or a small rabbit for the two of them. I am too lazy just now to feed only prey for them even though it is way healthier for them.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny