Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a few stores begging me to provide them with rats. I currently have just enough for my own snakes. What I am looking for is simple. How many breeding females will it take to average 200-250 babies per week. That is the minimum the stores would need. I need to build racks this weekend and am figuring on 20 tubs with 4 females each, making 80 breeding females. Anyone currently produce that much? Help?

>>I have a few stores begging me to provide them with rats. I currently have just enough for my own snakes. What I am looking for is simple. How many breeding females will it take to average 200-250 babies per week. That is the minimum the stores would need. I need to build racks this weekend and am figuring on 20 tubs with 4 females each, making 80 breeding females. Anyone currently produce that much? Help?

I haven't produced that number rats ever but did have mice in that number at one time. Back when I was a teen I didn't keep careful records, so I don't have exact info. I will say, don't forget to account for breed back time, renewing females by growing up pups and a variety in size(will you be selling only smalls? or will you want some of each size?).So, another rack for growing some up, and growing replacement does. If you want 200 pups per week that would average to probably 20 bred females popping EACH WEEK. So you may be able to time litters moving males around those 80 but I would want more if it were me. Say 100 does. Fill in the cracks and cover lapses.
Do let us know how it works out!
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I honestly thought about that too, I just dont want to have too many, but I guess they are easy to get rid of, always alot of needy herpers out there. Thanks

>>I honestly thought about that too, I just dont want to have too many, but I guess they are easy to get rid of, always alot of needy herpers out there. Thanks

I figure I would just freeze 'em if I had a ton extra.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I use 6 groups of 32 females for a total of 192 and that gets 200 consistently. I have a breeding rack with 3 of the groups and a mom rack with the birthing mothers. I rotate them every 3 weeks so that every week one of the groups gets moved. I was using a 4 week cycle, but they kept dropping in the breeding bins. I also double up in the mom rack because often (at least one a week) one of the mothers dies during the birthing process or just kills over and the other mom will nurse the whole group until I can get the pups redistributed between all the moms. I will say that they require their own seperate room, expensive feed (and a lot of it), and large racks. I have invested $4000 so far.

Good luck.
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