How many to breed

[longpoleman]

This will be our 2nd attempt at breeding mice for our growing snake population. I have learned alot from this forum over the past few days as to where we went wrong on our first breeding attempt.
I supose that where I went wrong was in moving them around. Am I correct that we should just leave them together even if there is canabilism and over time they will stop eating there babies and each other.
My second question is what is timothy hay and what is its importance to the colony?
My final and most important question is, how many do i need to breed to feed my snakes and monitors?
1 blood red eating 2 large mice per week
1 Gray rat snake eating 1 rat pup per week
2 Florida corns each eating 1 small mouse per week
2 Amelanistic jungle corns each eating 1 hopper per week
1 Butter corn eating 1 small mouse per week
1 Jungle carpet python eating 1 small rat per week
1 watermonitor eating 9 pinkies per week
1 watermonitor eating 9 hoppers per week.
AND GROWING

How many female/male mice do i need
How many female/male rats do i need

I have been debating feeding rat pups/fuzzies/pinkies instead of the large and small mice to my snakes.
Any coments or sugestions will be apreciated
Thanks

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

My final and most important question is, how many do i need to breed to feed my snakes and monitors?
1 blood red eating 2 large mice per week
1 Gray rat snake eating 1 rat pup per week
2 Florida corns each eating 1 small mouse per week
2 Amelanistic jungle corns each eating 1 hopper per week
1 Butter corn eating 1 small mouse per week
1 Jungle carpet python eating 1 small rat per week
1 watermonitor eating 9 pinkies per week
1 watermonitor eating 9 hoppers per week.
AND GROWING

How many female/male mice do i need
How many female/male rats do i need

Number of rodents per cage is dependent upon the size of the cage. I use common lab cages to house my colonies in...I keep 1.1 rats per and 1.3 mice per. My 3 groups of rats and 4 groups of mice do not keep up with my 15 cornsnakes, 3 ball pythons, 2 western hognose and 2 monitors. I would think with as few as you have, this amount would be fine for you.

My second question is what is timothy hay and what is its importance to the colony?

Timothy Hay is used to help keep smell down. They rodents may or may not eat it as well.

I supose that where I went wrong was in moving them around. Am I correct that we should just leave them together even if there is canabilism and over time they will stop eating there babies and each other.

It may take 1-2 months for them to settle in properly. If they do canabilise and/or not produce; let them go for at least 2 months before attempting to start a new colony.

 

[longpoleman]

Thanks for the info.
3 groups of 1.3
and 4 groups of 1.1 it is.