Breeding mice/rats? Advice...

[traceylee]

I'm seriously thinking of maybe starting to breed my own mice and rats.
I can't imagine it would be too hard; but how do some of you have them set up?
What would be the best way to start with something like this?
I have seen the thread in the DIY section on using the soda steam gas bottles to euthanize which looks like the way for go for that part at least....
But what about housing etc?!
I have tried to search it, but nothing came up :shock:

Maybe my computer was just stupidly slow in bringing up results; I turned to Uncle Google after posting this and gee, look at that - the first result is a post from here....

Would still appreciate thoughts etc though

 

[saximus]

Simplest (but definitely not cheapest) is to get proper tubs. Herp shop sells them or you can get second hand ones on here a lot of the time. They make everything so much easier. Easy access to the rodents and easy food and water replenishment.

As for thoughts, a lot of people will tell you it's not worth the cost, time and effort etc if it's only for a small number of snakes but I only have a single colony of rats and a single colony of mice so it doesn't take up much time at all and if you can enjoy it it just becomes another fun part of the hobby.

 

[traceylee]

Saximus, it's actually your post from June 2010 that I have just read

I'm not too fussed on costs to begin with. I do only have the two snakes (at the moment - Womas.... I want more womas....), so figure I would not need many; but I do have a couple of friends who have said they would buy them off me to feed theirs if I breed them. Plus I would have to give a couple away (not that that would put much of a dent in the numbers!) to my niece every now and then who is mad on all animals

 

[sagara_cp_2006]

I used to breed my own my mice and simply used 1 large fish tank with a glass lid to cover the whole thing (of course). I also had some of the larger plastic fish tanks that youcan get from pet stores. I however gave up doing it as it was too hard to keep them properly cleaned at all times. However, in retrospect I was not ready to breed them properly. Hope this helps a little.

 

[saximus]

Haha wow I've learnt a lot since those days. Food and bedding costs are minimal now and I'm starting to "play" with genetics because I've down graded to only the one colony of rats. Selling them can really help (even pet shops will buy them as pets if there aren't many reptile owners around you). If you handle them from a young age they can become really friendly and they have a lot of personality (good for the niece).

 

[traceylee]

I never even thought of pet shops you know!

Hubby has suggested it a few times, but I kept saying that I didn't think it's worth it for two snakes, but now that I have other people looking also, I can get my head around it a bit more. Pet shop prices are just insane.

Do you buy any chance have any pics of your set up?

 

[saximus]

I don't sorry but it's not much to look at. It's just a couple of the large breeder tubs in my shed.
If you are really keen before you get into it maybe make sure you can source cubes for food and bales of wood shavings for bedding. Otherwise it will get annoying always having to buy food and bedding every week or so

 

[traceylee]

Will do; thanks!
I'm heading down to the pet shop this afternoon, so I'll see what they have in stock. I'm pretty sure they sell shavings in bulk though.

 

[saximus]

Don't bother with pet shops. Have a look for stock feed places in your area

 

[Sibbo]

Traceylee,

if you have no luck buying bulk from your local pet shop, try "Ourimbah Produce", probably be a lot cheaper.

Sibbo

 

[traceylee]

Traceylee,

if you have no luck buying bulk from your local pet shop, try "Ourimbah Produce", probably be a lot cheaper.

Sibbo

Thanks Sibbo - I am only in Wyoming so that's not far from me at all. I'll check it out.

 

[stimigex]

To be realistic about it, it is not worth the time and expense for only a handful of snakes.
What you are better off doing is buying rodents in bulk from a large scale breeder. It will work out cheaper and not as demanding on your time.
Rodents do not take heat at all and anything over 28dg their litters drop off/less fertility and once past the 30-32dg barrier they can die quickly.

 

[JAS101]

by far its the best thing i could have ever done is breed rodents , what i dont need i sell [ i sold 90 8 week old mice today ] to a guy i know who , so that pays for the rodents food bill for the next couple of months with a bit left over for other things unrelated to rodents .
i use 50lt tubs from bunnings in racks/shelfs . for ther food i made food baskets that hang from the tub lids , for water i use the drinkers that u buy from petstock .

 

[traceylee]

If I were to start off with just one colony; is it 1 male; 2 females?
How many different tubs would be needed?
And do they, or do they not require heating/lighting? I've read online somewhere that they need heating; but the above post suggests not necessarily...

 

[saximus]

You could just got for a pair for just a couple of snakes. I would then suggest three tubs. One for preggers mum, one for dad and a third for any babies you want to grow up.
They definitely require cooling in summer. All I did this year was sit the breeding tubs inside bigger tubs that were half filled with water. So they are kind of in like a floating island. With that and a fan going, it can be mid 30s in the shed and the tubs are still 20s. In winter they can keep themselves warm but some protection from the elements is good if for no other reason than for their welfare

 

[traceylee]

Thanks heaps Saximus.
I'm not too concerned about the heat - I'm thinking of putting them in the laundry; in summer we have the ducted air on pretty much 24/7 at around 23-24.
How soon/often do you separate yours?

 

[saximus]

Since I'm not worried about efficiency I usually just leave the babies for at least five or six weeks. That gives the male time to get really toey too. It's like rat porn when you out them back together after that long

 

[-Katana-]

I just priced frozen rats at the local pet shop and they wanted $38 for 5 medium rats.

No freakin' way!
So I went and brought 6 day old meat chickens for $15 for the lot.

As soon as we get a bit of cooler weather I'm upping my numbers of breeders and stocking my freezers.
I rather have too many rats in storage rather than run out like I have now.