Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a peruvian rainbow that eats large mice or equivalent sized rats. I don't want to spend so much time and effort on raising mice to adult size. I don't know much about how the rat deal would work out. I am looking into getting a pair of rabbits and stealing the newborn kits for snake food. Has anyone tried this before?

Yeah, for Burms, Retics etc. Rats have more offspring and more often! Not to mention, they take up less room! Why not feed rats?

I guess I am just thinking out loud... on the forum. I like the idea of rabbits because they have a higher protein content, they can be kept outside, I have experience with them, the kids would like them more.... I think they would also make a much tastier burrito than a rat.

Just throw some hot sauce on it and you'll never know the difference

Paul D

Hmmm, I don't remember the last burrito being so crunchy???
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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 (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Beautiful PRB!!!!

I don't think rabbit pinks would be bad for your PRB but may not be best either. Problems with raising rabbits is I don't think the breed that often and you'd have to closely watch the litter to pull them all at the right size and have to freeze most anyways. And the PRB might have messy stools - no straw in the brick. I also remember reading somewhere you have to introduce and remove the male in a short span, ie they don't do well kept together.

I breed mice for hoppers to feed my babies and breed rats of all sizes for everything else. Rats are pretty easy to breed and can be kept together.

Mice - I keep them in colonies to maximize production, I always need hoppers - lots every week. If I'm over one week I can freeze for later or let them go another week to get a bit larger.

Rats - I introduce and separate females to give birth to more closely control the production rate. Introduce 13 females this week and 3 1.2 weeks later you have 13 litters of babies. Actually more like 11.
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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 (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I don't know alot about rabbits but I do know they don't won't get pregnant till they completely weaned a litter. They also need more space and food. Rabbit pinks are really not that big either, about the same size as a rat fuzzy if I remember correctly. Though this would depend on the type of rabbit species too. I also don't think they really have large litters either, compared to rats.

It would be far easier to just get a trio of rats and keep them outside...if you don't have extreme temperatures. A rat can have anywhere between 8-15 babies and it really only takes about 8 weeks to get adult sized rats. Also, easy to feed them as you can use any quality rodent/rat lab chow to feed them. The kids can enjoy interacting with the adult rats as well, they are rather personable and intelligent. My adults are pretty tame, considering I really don't interact with them alot but they are not nippy at all.

Just make sure you buy a group of rats that have been socialized with people, and it isn't hard to keep them tame and bring them out of the cage. They also are pretty good at not peeing or pooping when out of their cage, as long as they are not out too long. Males will dribble all the time...its how they scent mark...so use a towel with males.
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PHLdyPayne