Looking for any suggestions you guys may have, or maybe just some points to consider that I may not already have. I am looking to start (with the help of a friend) breeding our own rodents, as well as breeding enough to sell on the side and see how it goes.I'm looking to start simple with just mice and rats, and maybe some ASFs.Maybe later on I could start in with some kind of insects.
We were thinking of starting small with something that we can still move, should the need arise. We were thinking along the lines of a large shed or out building and then some some video of a guy doing it with a couple of old semi trailers.Then we started thing along the lines of trailers, or old mobile homes. They seem easy enough to modify and around here lately there always seems to be someone giving one away if you will just remove it from where it currently sits, I have found 4 just this week so far. We were thinking of starting out simple and just getting one onto some property somewhere and just having power and water ran to it, most of which we could handle ourselves between us and all the people we know. We were thinking of finding something 40 feet or under, that way we could get it onto a lot my buddy already owns, so the only real investment we would have would be getting it to the lot. What would be some of the pros/cons that you guys would think about with a set up like this? I'm interested in hearing and suggestions at this point.We're just tossing ideas around at this point and have also began to explore the idea of actually renting a small (900 sq. ft.)warehouse type area near here. These pics are of the type of trailer that we were considering,we figured for free we could pretty much do what we want to it, and if we didn't get anywhere with it,worse case scenario we could cut it up and scrap it,LOL

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Hybridbird/TrailerI.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Hybridbird/trailerII.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Hybridbird/TrailerIII.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Hybridbird/TrailerIV.jpg

I wouldn't really rent a commercial space, the trailer idea would be better. But I would start out small somewhere and figure out if it is really something you want to do. Plus I would figure out want kind of customer base you could get for sure and see if it will even be worth the time and investment.

Yeah, we've been over that stuff.Truth is, there really is nowhere around us to consistently get quality feeders.It's always, they don't have any or any of the right size. or you can only get them certain days of the week or you're forced to pay pet store prices and even then once they see you a few times, they won't sell to us. I have a list of people I have talked to (about 25 or 30) that said they will buy from me ever week if I could overcome most or all of these problems.There were even a few that I talked to at the local herp society that I belong to that breed there own,and would like to stop all together if they had a reliable local supply. I like the trailer idea better too, but finding a place to put one is a bitch. This little warehouse I found is near where I live and it's small, there's no store front. Just a little office big enough for a desk and phone/PC and a bathroom and a open area with a 10' overhead door.I was also looking forward having somewhere with enough room for an actual space to keep my tools for building cages. I build them at home now,but the more I build the less room I have to build,it's a hell of a double edged sword,LOL. The rent is cheap and includes water and trash pick up and there are no CAM fees.Also, it's right off a main road so it's easy to get to, and there's no lease for the first year so it will be easy enough to pack up and get out if we don't make anything out of it. The owner seems pretty cool and he said he doesn't care what we do in there as long as it's not illegal; or the EPA doesn't come knocking again. I guess he had some guys working on cars there a while back and got into some trouble because of all the oil and other fluids being stored outside. I figure with enough of the right kind of advertising, we could make something out of it.

I wouldn't really rent a commercial space, the trailer idea would be better. But I would start out small somewhere and figure out if it is really something you want to do. Plus I would figure out want kind of customer base you could get for sure and see if it will even be worth the time and investment.

I agree with what Bill said....especially the part about starting small and working up....That's what I did and I'm glad I did it that way....Just gives ya more time to adjust as your colony grows....:yessir:

Yeah I was leaning towards the trailer idea myself, but trying to convince someone to let you set up a 25 year old trailer to raise rodents on their property..........not going all that well for me,LOL. I originally started to put up a shed in my own yard but there are SO many code restrictions and hoops to jump through in this bass ackwards town that I gave up before I started. The trailer part isn't going exactly as planned either, I can't even get anyone to answer emails for their own damn ads,LOL. Anyhoo, thanx for the suggestions,on ward and upward, I guess.

I just started breeding rodents. I put up a wall in my garage and made a room for them. I had them in my den and the smell was too much. Now they are in their own room and they still smell horrible. We clean once a week on Tuesdays. By Sunday you can barely breathe in the room- its HORRIBLE.
We also have our rabbits in the room, which makes the smell worse but we have dogs and can't put them in the backyard.

We are looking at getting a shed for them. If I had a place to put a trailer I would do it in a heartbeat.
I would go with the trailer idea myself but beware of the smell. I use the stock tank and mortar mixing tub racks. I keep 2 males and 30 females in a stock tank to breed, then pull pregos and put 3 in a mixing tub. Once a week cleaning is just not enough.

Also, I still buy feeders for the adult snakes. I produce enough feeders on my own to feed baby snakes, the emeralds and the monitors pretty heavily.

Really think about the number of rats you are willing to handle and what it takes to feed your own collection, much less make any money.
I have gone through 6 bags of rat food at 30 bucks a bag in a few months. I've had one tub a day flood for weeks now and have gone through bags and bags of bedding. I am barely producing enough feeders to make it worth it.

A lot to think about and there's a lot I wish I had thought about before I dove in head first....

~Beth

Thanx for the input.I was planning on mortar tub racks as well. I will definitely be setting up the trailer (if we go that route) with plenty of ventilation as well as A/C, I've been told it's a must down here. I have access to Mazuri rat blocks in 50# bags from a local supplier here for less than $20 each, and if I buy more at once they get cheaper. I have an agreement with the lady that I get my rabbits from now, that if I help her get set up with some more breeders she will keep at it and I will get all that I need even cheaper than I'm getting them for now. That way I will be able t offer those to people that buy from me but not have to mess with .... rabbit mess, LOL. I won't really need a lot for my personal collection,as most of them eat adult rabbits. I just need enough to feed hatchlings after breeding season, and to get my new additions up to adult size. I will definitely be selling more than I will be using. I have just noticed, over the past couple years, that there is a real need in this area for a steady supply of quality feeders, and the general consensus seems to be the same. My friend and I have been trying to come up with a viable business venture to go in on for a while,and we're not quite ready to make a go of snake breeding thing (if ever) so this just seemed more feasible.

I would say go for it then. I've got a small group of friends and they all come to me now for feeders and there are a few other local suppliers here.
I buy my feeders for $1 a piece from pinks up to large. ($2 for xl and up).
I did some rough math and without the stupid floods I've had it costs me about 45 cents to make a small rat so I am saving money... just not time.


If you can get it going, I say go for it and good luck!

~Beth

Yeah I wish we had prices like that around here! We pay $2 bux for rat pups and it goes up a buck every size after that, and that's from the cheapest place. Lately though after eating their feeders my snakes have been crapping green. They all started it at he same time and all quit once I quit giving them those feeders for a while, so I dont know if it was something the feeders were eating or what. We're hoping we can make something of this, so thanx!

I just started breeding rodents. I put up a wall in my garage and made a room for them. I had them in my den and the smell was too much. Now they are in their own room and they still smell horrible. We clean once a week on Tuesdays. By Sunday you can barely breathe in the room- its HORRIBLE.
We also have our rabbits in the room, which makes the smell worse but we have dogs and can't put them in the backyard.

We are looking at getting a shed for them. If I had a place to put a trailer I would do it in a heartbeat.
I would go with the trailer idea myself but beware of the smell. I use the stock tank and mortar mixing tub racks. I keep 2 males and 30 females in a stock tank to breed, then pull pregos and put 3 in a mixing tub. Once a week cleaning is just not enough.

Also, I still buy feeders for the adult snakes. I produce enough feeders on my own to feed baby snakes, the emeralds and the monitors pretty heavily.

Really think about the number of rats you are willing to handle and what it takes to feed your own collection, much less make any money.
I have gone through 6 bags of rat food at 30 bucks a bag in a few months. I've had one tub a day flood for weeks now and have gone through bags and bags of bedding. I am barely producing enough feeders to make it worth it.

A lot to think about and there's a lot I wish I had thought about before I dove in head first....

~Beth

Here I thought paying 14 bucks for a large bag of rodent food was bad....:lol: How do you have your room ventilated?

Here I thought paying 14 bucks for a large bag of rodent food was bad....:lol: How do you have your room ventilated?

The garage door still opens. Its got to be opened manually (no button). We open it for several hours every night. It totally sucks. I have it heated and air conditioned so I don't want a fan constantly sucking the cool/warm air out....

any tips on where to get cheaper food would be fantastic! lol

~Beth

I would call the trailer mover people.... My parents looked into a cheeper 2 bedroom trailer to put on our property so they can move their biz back home.... turns out, it cost over 3 grand JUST to move the trailer less than 3 miles down the road.....

You still have to pull permits for power, septic, etc.

So remember to check out ALL aspects of moving a trailer before agreeing to take it off someones hands... lol

may just be cheeper for you to get a nice looking shed from lowes or something....

Good luck!

Yeah....a shed THAT would be nice.Speaking of permits you've OBVIOUSLY never been to Cape Coral ....:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: I think if we do go the trailer route, we will go with something smaller, something that we can pull down the road ourselves with a 1 ton truck. I think we ca do that with anything under 39 feet.

Yeah, never been there :P

if yah got the stuff, do it yourself lol.

YOU my friend, are a lucky man LOL.

I'd go with something you can efficiently keep cool inside. All I think of when I see trailers are the thin walls and poor insulation.

Yeah that what I thought too, that's why I may give up the trailer idea all together and just get a spot in a building. The one we looked at today has just enough room, it's in a good spot and I won't have to sign a lease until after we're there a year, so I can jump out of it if we have to at some point.