Questions From Interested Beginner

[Aza]

I'm thinking about starting a small breeding colony of rats. Currently I have one ball python (about 4 feet eating 2 medium rats/wk+1/2) and a rtb (about 3 1/2 feet eating 5 mice/wk-yeah I know, ridiculous). I am planning on getting another ball in a couple months (probably under 6 months old) and possibly a young blood. I have been reading about feeder set ups and am working with semi-limited space (my bedroom and a closet). I was wondering if starting with 1.2 rats would be a good idea. I'm going to buy them as babies and wait until they are matured to about 4 months. I was wondering how I could get the offspring to the size that would feed the ball and future bigger snakes. (timeframe and possible set up)? Any input would be appreciated and since it is 2:14 in the morning where I am, I'm sure I will have follow up questions my head is clearer.
Thanks everyone! Later

-billy

[Shelby]

1.2 rats is a fine setup. You can read the feeder FAQs that are at the top of the forum if you haven't already, that'll answer a lot of questions for you.

If you still have questions after the FAQ, ask away!

[Laooda]

But be careful.... My male & Female (Vergil & Lindsey) Abyss... movie... Hippie, his rat... I've had a pet rat ever sinse... So, now you know my thought process. ANYWAY!!! When I let the pups get past fuzz size.. (My BP size) They get SSSSOOOO CCCUUUTTTEEE!!!! I haft to get a friend to come get them. Like when I get feeders, I always grab the skitishest (is that a word?) ones cause I don't feel as bad... I LOVE my rats. AND I LOVE my snakes... must drink more coffee... Except for my BP all my guys eat med. and up... So wow I'm a lil' off this morning! lol GOOD LUCK!

[Aza]

lol mmm coffee, need some right now...anyways...i've read the stickies/faqs as well many posts last night on the topic and i just wasn't exactly sure of how to break them off and raise them while still keeping breeding size females and males. i know the surplus i will sell to a pet store/ give to any herp lover that needs 'em in the area, so i'm not worrying to much about having way too many, just about the sizes of each cage. i will have an extra 40 breeder since i'm moving Aza into a tub finally. also i'll have the cash for maybe 2 small wire cages (bigapple ones i think). any tips on how i can use those (40br, 2 small wire) effectively/ how you yourself would use them? lol and about keeping them as pets, usually when i feed live i just am straight business and Aza is the cutest one but one time i fell for a mouse i was feeding Eden, thankfully i snapped out of it and my girlfriend told me just to get it over with. Probably will end up keeping a couple or treating the main breeders as special...but gotta love nature.

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

And you can always freeze them at a certain size you need so they don't outgrow your snakes needs, that is of course if you feed f/t

[Aza]

yeah, i was keeping that as an option as well. some of the pinkies and younger ones i'd sell. thanks though for bringing that up, kind of kept it out of mind because i'm short on space and i'd have to get a new mini freezer, my roomie wouldn't be down for frozen rats next to hot pockets, lol.