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Buying vs Breeding?

E

Em Wright

The Ice Queen
I've been debating getting a pair of mice for breeding, but I'm curious to know if that would be cheaper vs just buying frozen mice. To purchase offline is really very expensive with shipping costs (though the price of the actual mice isn't at all bad IMO) and PetSmart sells a package of 6 pinks for $11 (when you add the tax). There's an aquarium shop in town that sells frozen pinks for about $30 for 25 mice, but it's a good 5-10 miles away from where I live (and with gas prices...) so am I really saving anything?

What I want to know is about how much does it cost to maintain one or two breeding pairs every month? Would the cost difference balance out, be more expensive, or cheaper?

I'll likely do a little bit of research for myself, but I'm curious to hear from people who do it themselves. :)

Thanks in advance.
 
I am also wondering about this, as I have not yet gotten myself a snake, and am trying to figure out a relative monthly cost, as far as food goes. If anyone has any experience switching from frozen feeders to breeding theirs live or vice versa, it would be great to hear some experienced opinions!

(Of course I'm not sure I could bear feeding my snake a live pinky... I'd probably get too attached to the little guys...:awcrap: But I'd still like to know!)
 
Can't tell you what it costs for 1 or 2 pairs...1 or 2 pairs won't get me too far. ;) But here are the costs associated with my 5 trios of ASFs.

One Time Initial Costs
  • 5 Bin Rack w/ Automatic Watering System $100

Monthly
  • Rodent Lab Block 33lb $15
  • EquineFresh 10lb $7
  • Shredded Newspaper FREE :)

Time
  • 1 hour a week cleaning/feeding

Probably the biggest draw back to breeding your own is SMELL. While my ASFs don't stink nearly as much as mice do (can go 2 weeks without cleaning them out if I wanted); when I did breed mice, unless I cleaned them out every 4 days they would stink my house up.
 
If you can find cheap lab-style housing and an easy source of quality lab block, the cost for keeping 1 or 2 pairs or trios is minimal.

The key is avoiding high pet store prices for food and finding quality Harlan, Purina LabDiet, Kent or Mazuri lab block in bulk at a local feed or co-op store. Reptile shows are also a good source if you have one. A local feed store has Purina LabDiet 20% protein 50 lbs for $25. Reptile show has Harlan 2018 18% protein 33 lbs for $15. Harlan is the best brand but Purina/Mazuri tend to be easier to find. Even for a small number of mice, buy it as cheap as possible in bulk (50 or 33 lbs) and freeze as much as you can until you need it.
 
I can relate with the 1 or 2 pair idea. First off the mice stink. No matter what it is constant cleaning. And for that small size they eat alot. I really didnt find a benefit except that it was kinda cool for a little bit. But once you decide its not for you, its actually pretty hard to feed off breeders when you do it small time like me with only 4 adults. You get used to em and mine became too tame. Now I got me some pet mice lol
 
wmdude102086 said:
I can relate with the 1 or 2 pair idea. First off the mice stink. No matter what it is constant cleaning. And for that small size they eat alot. I really didnt find a benefit except that it was kinda cool for a little bit. But once you decide its not for you, its actually pretty hard to feed off breeders when you do it small time like me with only 4 adults. You get used to em and mine became too tame. Now I got me some pet mice lol
Click to expand...

That would likely be my problem, though I would hope to be strong enough not to become attached. :awcrap:

We've decided not to go the breeding route, at least not now. We'll continue to buy frozen mice. Especially since my fiance was a little iffy about euthanizing the mice himself and I just don't think I could do it without ending up a basket case. :shrugs: Better to stick with buying for us I think. :)

I do appreciate all the information though, thanks very much! :cool:
 
Euthanizing them isn't much of an issue with a CO2 chamber. But then, that's another expense at least to get the equipment initially.
 
I am really considering expanding my rodent breeding... already I am up to 5 colonies of mice and one of ASF. The prices on frozen feeders has gone up drastically, and shipping them also. I was getting online quotes today, and what used to cost $ 300 = $400 is now like $600+. I know raising mice is also going to cost me money and supplies and time, but the quotes I got today to have feeders shipped to me was a real eye opener as I hadn't ordered any for some time...
 
well from where im at in ontario canada, pinkies cost anywhere from $0.50 a piece to a buck a piece depending on where u look, i guess the 35 for 25 mice isn't that bad really.. if you wanna breed stay as far away from mice as u can.

When people tell you they stink, that is an understatement
they will REEK! ASF/natal rats aren't that bad, they're pretty cute... but hey if u buy lots at your local aquarium for the $0.83 ish a piece deal you'll save on gas down the line right?
 
Mice do of course have a distinctive odor, but with weekly cleanings and shallow tubs it's really not that bad at all, on a smaller scale at least.

I've found that pelleted bedding helps a lot to control odor.
The best deal I've found is hardwood wood stove pellets from Menards, $4 for 40 lbs. It's much cheaper than any other pelleted alternative. Aspen pellets sold for the pet trade cost more than 3 times as much. Alfalfa or rabbit pellets work quite well also and are fairly cheap, although you then have a hay smell to deal with.
 
Mmmm hay smell. It's a good smell. :cool:

As a kid I had one pet mouse and he never really smelled that bad. The gerbils were actually really nice that I had, even if a cleaning was missed there wasn't a real bad odor. Which is nice for a kid who 'forgets' his/her chores. :rolleyes:
 
It's the male mice that smell, especially with other mice around. They use it to mark their territory as well, so cleaning too much and too often can make it even worse as they urinate more to re-mark every time you clean it.
I keep in slightly used tp tubes or boxes when I clean cages just to retain some of their scent so they hopefully don't feel the need to re-mark as much.
 
I raise mice, asf's and rats for feeders so my prices are "very reasonable" as I've been told on more then one occasion. Some of the snake breeders around me that used to breed some of the food all gave up and now buy directly from me. So I guess it all boils down to how much do you pay for your feeder animals.

The smell of mice and regular rats can be a bit overwhelming if keeping them in the house.
 
yes I have 5 breeder tubs and then a couple extra when I ween the mice off but mine are in my utility room and I have a fan in there which is on all the time so there is some air flow as well, I must admit I cant really notice the smell much now but my sister was over and said it wiffed a bit but it was just before they were due to be cleaned out.

I currently have 2 adults, 1 yearling and 9 hatchlings so for me it is easier to breed my own so I have a nice constant supply whenever I need them.
 
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