re USA Rodent Breeders?

[rodentrancher]

Hi Rockman put me onto Kingsnake site. Got onto some Rodent Breeders(in the USA) and asked a few questions re their Breeding Facilities etc etc. Got a reply from backwoodsfarm. He wanted to know all the ins and outs of our facility. Food that we supply, market potential per week for rats, also market potential for mice per week. How many rats and mice do we wean per week? Number of male and females bred per week. Sizes of rats we sell, jumbos and the numbers of each sex per wek. Gram weight we sell em all at. What we feed them. First 3 ingredients in the Rodent Pellets? That includes Protein, fat, and fiber content. How do we water our rodents, automatic waterers etc. Bedding? Do we grow out over wire? Then he wants some help when they next come to Oz and wants to see stuff that the usual Tourists don't see. Well, I just said get in touch with us, and come for a Tinny run up the creek. They'd see heaps that other Tourists don't see eh? I am not going to give all those details to him. He's in the States, not here. Grrrr!! Don't mind giving him a run up the Creek if he ever gets up this way. DHead!!!

 

[Fuscus]

Wow. sounds like he really wants to reseach your setup.
But what do you mean by "Do we grow out over wire?". My deranged imagination is producing some pretty strange images from that one :?

 

[rodentrancher]

Wire mesh, I reckon he means Mark? On the bottom of the growout boxes?

 

[instar]

Wouldnt that cause foot injuries etc? droppings would fall thru, but they would still need scrubbing, to remove urine. Must keep you busy Chez.

 

[Fuscus]

Oh, keep rat and dropping seperate, seems good idea, but could there be draft and/or feet problems?

 

[africancichlidau]

I've grown out in wire cages for ages. It's not as easy as the tubs used for breeding but you can accomodate a lot more rats. Never had any problems with the rats feet etc but I always throw some bits of wood in under the hide boxes to give that section a solid floor.

 

[spottedpython]

my rats didn't breed to well in tubs so i'm trying bird cages my 2 femals are pregnant one is due to have her litter soon she is huge size of a tenis ball almost.

 

[Fuscus]

what wire do you use? Is it the normal mouse wire or a smaller mesh?

 

[rodentrancher]

We only have one big box that we grow rats out in. It has a mesh floor. It has slide out trays that we pull out to get rid of the poop etc. I think the squares in the mesh are about 1/4". Other rats we grow out in a big old half a rainwater tank with a big mesh lid with hinges on two sections so we can lift both sides, makes for easier cleaning so you can stand up.The rainwater tank is about 10ft in diameter, a good size. Sawdust on the bottom. We don't have any foot trouble either Afro. Cheers Cheryl

 

[africancichlidau]

I'm using 90x45x60 cm bird cages as I only breed a small number for personal use. The mesh size in these cages is 25x12 mm. This size mesh allows a lot more crap to drop through to the tray extending the period between major cage scrubbings Works for me