what would be the right number of micerats to go with to breed enough to feed one ball python?
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keeping a smal breeding colony question
Amelie
Oct 31, 2003 11:54 AM
Replies (3)
Da Truth
Oct 31, 2003 01:18 PM
are they mice that smell like rats, or rats that smell like mice. The latter really wouldnt be a good thing to get into.
Truth
becgs
Oct 31, 2003 02:49 PM
>>what would be the right number of micerats to go with to breed enough to feed one ball python?
Let the forum know how many mice or rats your ball python eats per week (or month or however you want to do the math) and also say if you feed frozen/thawed or live.... that would make answering the question pretty easy.
For starters, though, one healthy and sexually mature female rat OR mouse (not too old, not too young) can, if kept in a cage with a healthy mature male, produce a litter of between about 7 to 21 pups every 21 - 24 days (gestation is usually around 21 days; although most mice and rats can/will be pregnant again within 24 hours of giving birth, this is not always consistant.) I'd say the average litter tends to be about 10, but of course this average would depend on many variables, including the general health of your rodents, how you're keeping/feeding them, etc.
Most breeders prefer to keep more than one female with each male, but if you cannot feed frozen/thawed this would present an overpopulation problem for you.
I hope this helped, please post again if you have more questions. Also, searching through the forum will give you lots of information as well.
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Rebecca
TSBabe66@hotmail.com
Honored to moderate at Snakefeeders, a great place to buy/sell/trade feeder animals. Come check us out! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/snakefeeders/
JMILLR2101
Oct 31, 2003 08:27 PM
I breed rats and you only need 1 male and 2 females for 1 ball python. Just switch females with the male and you will have rats year round. Just remember 2 things. (1) Your ball will refuse to eat from time to time, which they are known for and (2) rats will have between 6 to 15 babies at a time per female rat. For 1 ball python you might want to buy feeders or try and get it to eat frozen/thawed feeders, otherwise you will have a big problem with over population. Rats are able to breed at 45 days old so watch out!! Most pet stores won't take them because of that very reason, at least in the P.A. area which I live in.
