Reptile & Amphibian Forums

If you can get live rats at the following rates (delivered), is it worth breeding your own?

Rat pups - .90
Small - 1.25
Med - 1.95
Large - 2.45

Has anyone done a cost per rat investigation? Supplies, time, etc.

Also, I found some temp suggestions but in Florida, we can hit 95 degrees in the summer. I'm guessing this is too hot for rats? What would be the maximum high you would want to use?
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Jay A. Martin

>>If you can get live rats at the following rates (delivered), is it worth breeding your own?
>>
>>Rat pups - .90
>>Small - 1.25
>>Med - 1.95
>>Large - 2.45
>>
>>Has anyone done a cost per rat investigation? Supplies, time, etc.
>>
>>Also, I found some temp suggestions but in Florida, we can hit 95 degrees in the summer. I'm guessing this is too hot for rats? What would be the maximum high you would want to use?
>>-----
>>Jay A. Martin

I haven't done a cost thing and I hope to this year. I am starting with a compilation.
Around here a friend of mine sells his rats for
$1, $2 and $3 dollars and mice for 50cents. I don't know if he has done a cost check either but I think, like many of us it is a way to defray hobby costs. To make money with 'pets' you sell supplies. That is where the money is in pet businesses. The animals draw in people and you sell them dishes, heaters and food.
The best parts for me about raising my own is quality control, and always having stuff I need in stock. And I help out some friends feeding their pets too. Especially the ones who don't want to keep bugs in the house!
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Sonya

Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with the software.

Defray costs.

I would love to do that. But if I only save $10 a week for 2 hours of my time, it's hardly worth it. I'm just trying to see where my cutoff would be.

With my summer temps, I may not be able to do it anyway.
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Jay A. Martin

>>Defray costs.
>>
>>I would love to do that. But if I only save $10 a week for 2 hours of my time, it's hardly worth it. I'm just trying to see where my cutoff would be.
>>
>>With my summer temps, I may not be able to do it anyway.
>>-----
>>Jay A. Martin

Yeah, I don't mind the time and my kids help a lot. It is as much raising the kids as the beasts. That and I sell my 'extra' rats into a pet market at $3 each at 5 weeks. So that helps too. (hairless and dumbos)

Temp highs will kill rodents. I would consider low 80's a maximum temp for mice and rats.
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Sonya

Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with the software.

actually if you want large litters 65-70 degress is just about as perfect as you can get. I see people breeding them having litters of 20 at about 55-65 degress in the winter.

Well I pay about 3 dollars for a 6 pound bag of food for the rats, so thats $6/12 LBs of food.I just use pine shavings and shredded paper for bedding and thats 5 dollars for a HUGE bag of litter.

This is every 2 months. The food feeds all the babies for that long to. so I can have about 40 feeder rats (in 2 months, and I'm just starting) for about 11 dollars. At the size of my choice, and I know what goes into them.

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1.1 Ball Python, 0.1 motley amel corn, 0.1 western hognose

Where do you get shavings that cheap? I pay $5 a bag about the size of 1 gal bucket (compressed) that only lasts about a week.

65-75 is out for me. Central FL is too hot. I may just breed like crazy part of the year and freeze.

Thanks all!
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Jay A. Martin

>>Where do you get shavings that cheap? I pay $5 a bag about the size of 1 gal bucket (compressed) that only lasts about a week.
>>
>>65-75 is out for me. Central FL is too hot. I may just breed like crazy part of the year and freeze.
>>
>>Thanks all!
>>-----
>>Jay A. Martin

I get bales of shavings that are 3.25cu ft compressed and 9.75cu ft loose...for $4.15 each. Try looking at a horse supply/feed store/ tractor supply. Though here the Tractor Supply Co has the cheapo bales that are NOT that big for the same as our local Blue Seal dealer for the above price.
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Sonya

Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with the software.

>>actually if you want large litters 65-70 degress is just about as perfect as you can get. I see people breeding them having litters of 20 at about 55-65 degress in the winter.
>>
>>Well I pay about 3 dollars for a 6 pound bag of food for the rats, so thats $6/12 LBs of food.I just use pine shavings and shredded paper for bedding and thats 5 dollars for a HUGE bag of litter.
>>
>>This is every 2 months. The food feeds all the babies for that long to. so I can have about 40 feeder rats (in 2 months, and I'm just starting) for about 11 dollars. At the size of my choice, and I know what goes into them.

Yeah, but mine are in my herp room at 75-85 degrees and make litters that big year round. So I haven't seen a noticeable difference from when they were 10 degrees cooler.
Over 85 and you start cooking them.
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Sonya

Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with the software.

I don't know where in FL. you live but G & G rodent farm is in Palatca (sp?), I think. They might be even cheaper.

Sorry I don't have a cost breakdown for you. You don't have to breed all year around though. I raise 2 or 3 times what I need and freeze them. When the freezer is full, I give the breeders to a rescue group or someone else. Then I have rats when ever I want them with no work.

I didn't do this on purpose, but it worked out great. It doesn't take much more work or time to clean 3 or 4 tubs as to clean 1. I've got about 2 1/2 or 3 month supply in the freezer. BTW, while 95F to 100F, aren't great for breeding rats, it won't kill them as long as they have access to water and ventilation. I live in Los Angeles. Last year it was over 100F several times.

DeMak

I produce about 400 rats per month usually more
I produce about 700 mice counting pinkies that I sell
I use 1 big bag of pine 10.5 cu ft. per week x4x$5 $20 per month
I use about 5 bags of (50lbs) kent rodent diet $10.44 including tax5= 52.20
Total cost per month 72.20
I sell extra rats for $1 or more x 400= $400
I sell pinks for about .40 and mice for about .60 so figure .50
.50x 700 $350
$400
$350
- $72.20
- $20.00
_________________
657.80

I only wish I actually sold that many instead of feeding most of them off, But if I had to buy my feeders it would be more then double the cost of my sell prices. Is it worth it? I have auto watering systems and racks so I spend about 3hrs. a week with rodents. Yes for me it is worth it. Beleive I am not worth $300 per hour LOL. Also, I never really figured this out before so thanks for the thread, it almost makes me happy to go clean cages tomorrow before the game. Craig Kade

I have decided that I can breed about 6 months out of the year, so I'll give it a try. I just bought a 5 piece storage container set and converted it for use with rats.

Where do you get the rodent food and shavings? I don't have either that cheap around me.
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Jay A. Martin

Be careful with your storage containers, make sure the rats can not find a spot to chew. I get my bedding from a local petstore and my feed from a grainary. I use kent brand rodent diet. Links are in my post a couple spots down