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breeding rats

Posted By:

Snakesrus

ok people I have 10 fancy rats and 16 african soft furs ( with another 6 females coming ) I have 4 males and 6 females and 7 males and 9 females just wondering how much everyone else has and how often they are breeding I have 25 snakes to feed and I know I need move rats to breed probably 50 but any suggestions on how many I would actually need ? and how many to house I noticed that they mate more with 1.1 ratio but that is alot of males :S


Points:	100
Topics:	Feeding , Knowledge Base
Tags:	ASF, Breeding, Feeders, Rats
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Accepted Answer

6/18/2009 9:37:03 PM

shellboa

We keep 1.2 for regular rats and 1.3 for ASF's in our current set up. Plan on upgrading the "house" size for reg.rats and going to 1.3 on them as well. I have 35 ten gallon tanks of RR and that is enough to feed my entire collection of over 125. I only have 3 colonies of ASF's because I only have 2 that eat them and freeze the rest as they grow. They seem to have big litters but a higher rate of cannibalism.

I would recommend staggering your colonies to start so they stay continously productive. Put the males with the females about 4 days apart.

I also know some one who only keeps 5 males for fifteen colonies and rotates the males through.

Assisted Answer

6/19/2009 11:12:53 AM

Buzz

I breed mice and ASF's... I find it easier on the ASF's to do a 1:3 ratio(my mice are a much higher ratio 1:8). I tryed larger colonies of ASF"s but it just got real taxing with clean up plus they tend to have a lot more babies per critter and the cages I have were getting crowded. I also have 12 colonies total (ASF's and mice together). I feed 7 of mine own, 25 a week to the local pet shop and 2 friends that buy from me. Basically they pay for themselves. Last month I produced 290 babies(combined). The average has been 243 over the last 3 months with last month spiking 290. This month is already started slow on the 16th I only had 109 but I am expecting 3 colonies of mice to burst with at least 3 females in each giving birth. Sorry got to rambling.....

As shellboa recommended stager your colonies. It does help with with continous production.

Here is a formula I use, and there is no scientific method to come up with this, **This just works for me, It may not work for you**For every 2 snakes I have to feed I have one "established colony". I define "established colony" as a colony that is producing at least every 3 weeks and has been for at least a month. Always have some backup (frozen ect..) Colonies sometime go through gaps or have smaller litters than normal.

The best way is to try several different ways to see which one works best for you. It takes time and patients. Good luck>

Member Comment

1/17/2011 1:42:55 AM

abi21491

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Member Comment

2/26/2013 12:53:10 PM

CritterColony

With both mice and rats, I keep my males in with my females at all times unless there are problems, I never keep more than 3 females per male. Reason for this being that back when I had 3 colonys and only one male sometimes the girls would get freaked out even attacking the male when he tried to do his deed. I feel that if they know the male well, they will be more accepting of him when it comes to be that time. You also have another warm body in there for the babies. My males have usually been very good at being baby sitters.

As for the ASF, I do not mess with my ASF at all other than feeding, cleaning and pulling out babies, I have found that the less I mess with them the more they produce.

I hope this helps, just keep in mind that each rodent is different, your males may react to babies differently than mine have.

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