Alright, so I'm being offered

60 dwarf hamsters for 45 bucks.
I own three snow corns and obviously don't need that many to keep them going. My question is this, I still plan on picking up some ASF's, but how are Dwarf Hamsters nutritionally speaking for Corns? Is this something I should go for(he ended up offering me 3 males and 7 females for 10 bucks).
Thanks,
Zach.

I would check out RodentPro's list of nutritional values, found here.

That being said, I would worry about your corns deciding that they only want dwarf hamsters. I know it happens with ball pythons all the time. If that should happen, it would get pretty darn expensive to feed your snakes....

And sorta , where are you getting your ASFs? I've been thinking about starting a small colony...

Originally Posted by Hallie

That being said, I would worry about your corns deciding that they only want dwarf hamsters. I know it happens with ball pythons all the time. If that should happen, it would get pretty darn expensive to feed your snakes....

Well, I plan on breeding them and If I had to buy a few extra breeders here and there, I think I could probably manage it.

And sorta , where are you getting your ASFs? I've been thinking about starting a small colony...

Craigslist is the best place I've found. I also found a breeder in Columbus. I've got 2.2 set up from the Columbus breeder. It's just sort of a luck thing on CL, but I've seen numerous for sale on there from different people.

Also, the one thing I like better about Dwarf Hamsters > ASF is simply that if my snakes do get addicted, it seems like it would be easier to find more Dwarf Hamsters for them than to find another ASF breeder who could lend me a few.

Originally Posted by BuckeyeSnake

Well, I plan on breeding them and If I had to buy a few extra breeders here and there, I think I could probably manage it.

Craigslist is the best place I've found. I also found a breeder in Columbus. I've got 2.2 set up from the Columbus breeder. It's just sort of a luck thing on CL, but I've seen numerous for sale on there from different people.

That just seems like way too much work, and for only a few snakes, it is probably costing you more to take care of the feeders than it would be to just buy in bulk. Have you considered buying from somewhere like RodentPro (I know they go to the Columbus shows)? I have 3 pet rats and two small colonies of mice (one 1.3, the other 1.4; more for 'pets' than for food, although I do feed off most of the babies that aren't 'intersting' colors) and they cost almost as much to maintain (and don't produce enough to sustain even just my baby snakes, plus take up time that could be better spent with the reptiles) in 3 months as ordering food for my entire collection from RodentPro. Now, because they are pets, I don't mind one bit, but if they were strictly feeders, it would be inconvenient for me. I'd rather just spend $250 for 3 or 4 months worth of rodents and not have to do any work other than repackaging for convenience.

And unfortunately, Craigslist near me is terrible...nothing, ever. I've even looked in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Akron. Nada. Oh well, I'll find some eventually.

Originally Posted by Hallie

That just seems like way too much work, and for only a few snakes, it is probably costing you more to take care of the feeders than it would be to just buy in bulk. Have you considered buying from somewhere like RodentPro (I know they go to the Columbus shows)? I have 3 pet rats and two small colonies of mice (one 1.3, the other 1.4; more for 'pets' than for food, although I do feed off most of the babies that aren't 'intersting' colors) and they cost almost as much to maintain (and don't produce enough to sustain even just my baby snakes, plus take up time that could be better spent with the reptiles) in 3 months as ordering food for my entire collection from RodentPro. Now, because they are pets, I don't mind one bit, but if they were strictly feeders, it would be inconvenient for me. I'd rather just spend $250 for 3 or 4 months worth of rodents and not have to do any work other than repackaging for convenience.

And unfortunately, Craigslist near me is terrible...nothing, ever. I've even looked in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Akron. Nada. Oh well, I'll find some eventually.

I know of a breeder in Columbus if that isn't too far. There's a guy up in Toledo selling some as well(that's probably way too far). If you'd like the link to the breeder, just let me know. She's got some that are about 10 days old(selling at 4 weeks).

And, It's not so much for profit gain that I breed the babies, it just keeps me entertained. And, like you, I like to see what colors/markings I can get from my mice. I'll probably sell a few as well here and there on CL.

Columbus is just a little far (about 3 1/2 hours). The other cities I listed are just under 2 hours away (2 1/2 for Akron), which isn't really all that far, plus I'm in Pgh and near Cleveland quite a bit. I'll keep looking.

If it were me, I'd probably keep breeding the mice. Mice are nice (even though they are smelly), all of mine are really friendly and I have some neat spotty ones. I, however, would not get the hamsters. That makes for a lot of rodents, taking up extra space that you could use for other things (cough...more corns....cough), and using up valuable time. Also, they look to be a fattier food source, I'd worry about getting obese corns. (I rarely even feed mine rats of any kind, only my females during breeding season, and my sickly pewter guy who just can't seem to keep weight on.)

Well, I'd like to plan on keeping both the Mice and Hamsters. Plus a couple ASFs(mixing up the diet accordingly). The first day my one mouse seemed like he wanted to breed with the females, but since I haven't noticed any sort of foreplay or anything.
(FWIW, I've got two colonies set up 1.2 in both)


I hope they're going to breed, but from what I've read about Pet Store mice, you're not always so lucky. Had them 3 weeks now with no sign of pregnancy yet.

And, If I ever get too overrun, I know a ferret who wouldn't mind eating a few feeder mice as well.

I rarely see signs of pregnancy in my mice, until about 4 days before they pop. For those few days, they look like they swallowed a golf ball. I also don't get babies every 3-4 weeks. Mine always take at least 5 between litters... Oh well, if they were breeding faster than that I'd be overrun!!

Alright, so the man with the hamsters fell through. He ended up living 2 hours away and I wasn't willing to drive that far for Dwarf Hamsters. But, I got to talking to the ASF breeder here in Columbus again and I guess she's got some older ASFs, untame, that she's willing to sell me(2.2) and would also throw in two female gerbils if I wanted them for 12 bucks.

I think I'm going to take her up on this and try to get my ASF's going now. What's everyone's take on pinkie Gerbils? Healthy?