Post by scfalconry on May 19, 2006 9:20:39 GMT -5
<edited this on 5/26/06>
I had the cost to raise a rat to 60 days of age as 60 cents! I slipped up on a step of the math and didn't double check myself. Projected cost is now estimated to be only $0.33 per 60 day old rat produced. I've edited the rest of the post incase you are as bored during the molt as I am.... and you can get out you pencil and worksheet and follow along <grin>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I saw in another thread that someone thought breeding feeder rats was to much of a hassle and cost to much.
I've made a leap of faith and set up 12 breeders and will soon find out all of this for sure... In the mean time here is the what I've found by researching the internet.
How much $ is invested in each rat produced by the time they are 200grams (60 days old)
I've searched the net.. and found that rats eat about 5-6g daily per 100g of body weight. (Dog food or lab block)
I've just set up 3 of the 56 quart sterilite tubs with 1 male and 3 females in each. Each currently weigh 200g. If the above is true then my 12 breeders should eat 144 grams (5 oz) of food per day. Over 30 days that would be 150 oz (9.3 lbs) of dog food.
I'm hoping these 9 females will produce 90 young each month. If they wean at the earliest date of 21 days... then to feed the offspring for another 39 days ... each of the offspring would consume about 210g ( 0.46 lbs). 100 off spring rats eating this amount would consume 46 lbs of food per month.
If I use mid range dog food...at $15 for 50# then it cost $0.30 per pound. Breeders are expected to eat 9.3# and offspring to eat 46# so total food bill in a month for 55# of food is $16.50
Providing I consistently raise 100 rats per month... then the investement per rat is 16.5 cents in food cost alone per rat per month. (This includes up keep of the breeder rats as overhead).
Bedding cost.. I don't have any hard data to forecast cost with yet. Other than filling up their water bottles every few days, dropping in more dog food, changing the bedding once a week. It looks alot better than buying flash frozen.
Ordering flash frozen: $945
To feed my birds I need about 500 large (200g) rats a year. If I buy them flash frozen from XXXXX then they would cost me $845 just for the rats. These 500 rats would weigh 220 pounds so shipping 200 plus pounds of frozen rat would cost quite a bit too. Guessing another $100 bucks if I'm lucky.
Buying a pet store: $2500 plus
500 adult rats... $5 each... =$2500 smackers.... then How far is it to the pet store? Gas is $2.60 a gallon?
Breeding your own. $165
$43 bucks (materials and rats) for me to set up 3 tubs. I got a one time deal on the rats. A little time and space in my shed durring the summer and fall, and a freezer full of rats that cost me maybe 60 cents each at most. 500 x $0.33= $165
Ok... I'm all over this PRO Rat Breeding wagon! check back with me in two months.. and I'll give you a more realistic scoop on the rat poop. <grin> Day 2 and so far so good! Rats are frisky... and smell is fine.
End result... I can raise a rat for 33 cents or buy frozen ones for $1.89 (inc. shipping), or I can buy them for $7 each at the petstore and sign a contract that I'm not going to feed it to a snake! <grin>
Marty
I had the cost to raise a rat to 60 days of age as 60 cents! I slipped up on a step of the math and didn't double check myself. Projected cost is now estimated to be only $0.33 per 60 day old rat produced. I've edited the rest of the post incase you are as bored during the molt as I am.... and you can get out you pencil and worksheet and follow along <grin>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I saw in another thread that someone thought breeding feeder rats was to much of a hassle and cost to much.
I've made a leap of faith and set up 12 breeders and will soon find out all of this for sure... In the mean time here is the what I've found by researching the internet.
How much $ is invested in each rat produced by the time they are 200grams (60 days old)
I've searched the net.. and found that rats eat about 5-6g daily per 100g of body weight. (Dog food or lab block)
I've just set up 3 of the 56 quart sterilite tubs with 1 male and 3 females in each. Each currently weigh 200g. If the above is true then my 12 breeders should eat 144 grams (5 oz) of food per day. Over 30 days that would be 150 oz (9.3 lbs) of dog food.
I'm hoping these 9 females will produce 90 young each month. If they wean at the earliest date of 21 days... then to feed the offspring for another 39 days ... each of the offspring would consume about 210g ( 0.46 lbs). 100 off spring rats eating this amount would consume 46 lbs of food per month.
If I use mid range dog food...at $15 for 50# then it cost $0.30 per pound. Breeders are expected to eat 9.3# and offspring to eat 46# so total food bill in a month for 55# of food is $16.50
Providing I consistently raise 100 rats per month... then the investement per rat is 16.5 cents in food cost alone per rat per month. (This includes up keep of the breeder rats as overhead).
Bedding cost.. I don't have any hard data to forecast cost with yet. Other than filling up their water bottles every few days, dropping in more dog food, changing the bedding once a week. It looks alot better than buying flash frozen.
Ordering flash frozen: $945
To feed my birds I need about 500 large (200g) rats a year. If I buy them flash frozen from XXXXX then they would cost me $845 just for the rats. These 500 rats would weigh 220 pounds so shipping 200 plus pounds of frozen rat would cost quite a bit too. Guessing another $100 bucks if I'm lucky.
Buying a pet store: $2500 plus
500 adult rats... $5 each... =$2500 smackers.... then How far is it to the pet store? Gas is $2.60 a gallon?
Breeding your own. $165
$43 bucks (materials and rats) for me to set up 3 tubs. I got a one time deal on the rats. A little time and space in my shed durring the summer and fall, and a freezer full of rats that cost me maybe 60 cents each at most. 500 x $0.33= $165
Ok... I'm all over this PRO Rat Breeding wagon! check back with me in two months.. and I'll give you a more realistic scoop on the rat poop. <grin> Day 2 and so far so good! Rats are frisky... and smell is fine.
End result... I can raise a rat for 33 cents or buy frozen ones for $1.89 (inc. shipping), or I can buy them for $7 each at the petstore and sign a contract that I'm not going to feed it to a snake! <grin>
Marty