Snake food

[skysthelimit]

I have someone who wants rabbits as snake food. What should I charge? I can't find any prices to make a comparison.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I'd probably go with at least $5 to $6 a pound. Check the local pet stores for feeder rat prices. I think even a small rat goes for around $4.

 

[tnelsonfla]

I would price the "pet" bunnies in your area, reptile stores normally carry them. Near me the "pets" go for $29 & $39, so the three reptile stores near me typically sell them for $19 or $25 dollars. Those rabbits are typically 3-5 lbs each.

 

[Peach]

Snake food actually goes for a decent price at our local pet store. $20 dollars a rabbit and it's about 4lbs. I feed extras to the reptiles my boyfriend and I share, but we also get jumbo rats for about $4? and about $2-$3 for other smaller sizes( we buy regularly and in bulk) from a breeder, where as it would be $10 a rat at the local pet store. I think to keep a regular customer, maybe give them a discount if they buy x amount of rabbits. I think $10-$15 a rabbit would be reasonable and they would come back for sure.

 

[skysthelimit]

Wow really? I need to find a reptile store around here. Pet buns on CL are around $10. Raw feeders want to pay less than $2/lb live weight. I was wondering how anyone every recoups any money for that price.

 

[Nyctra]

Rodentpro sells rabbits, you can peek at their prices; http://www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp?pr ... en_rabbits

 

[skysthelimit]

Rodentpro sells rabbits, you can peek at their prices; http://www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp?pr ... en_rabbits

I looked at them, but I couldn't see how I could sell for those prices in this area. This is the land of everybody wants something for nothing.

 

[Peach]

Organic :mrgreen:

 

[skysthelimit]

There is a reptile show, seems like every fourth Saturday of the month. Maybe I'll just go there and take a carrier full of fryers and see what happens.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

There are occasionally rabbits at the reptile show I attend (second sunday of each month for me)...but they are ALWAYS skinny, lanky things that don't look overly healthy. They only charge $10 per rabbit but they aren't worth even that. Plus I asked once what breed if any they are, and they bragged that they "only" use Flemish Giants because they are the premier commercial rabbit. They proceeded to tell me a giant steaming pie of misinformation. :roll:

I bet you could get a lot for some good fryers, honestly...reptile folk generally want the best for their very sensitive and exotic pets.

 

[ZRabbits]

We paid $20 for Willard, who was intended to be "snake food". He kind of stole my husband's heart with his little head tilt. But I would think as Kyle stated, reptile folk would want the best for their exotic pets. If you have good, healthy stock, why not ask for $20 a rabbit. I even thought (and still do) that route considering my Rabbit Vet is also into reptiles.

Karen

 

[MKirst]

I have someone who wants rabbits as snake food. What should I charge? I can't find any prices to make a comparison.

14 dollars a rabbit (all sizes small - large), 6.00 a rat (all sizes small - jumbo) mice are 2.50 (all sizes small - large)

Only one pet store sells live food around here and that's what they charge.

 

[Peach]

I never seen a rabbit vendor at the Repticon in Ga. Has me thinking of putting some of my future meat projects (as I gather a few more Rex for my boyfriend's showing and extra for my table) in maximum production around that time and selling feeders. I think that you might have great success. We won't feed anything sickly or lanky to our reptiles,so Kyle is right on the money with that. We also like a variety of sizes since there are a variety of snake sizes. To satisfy my tiger retic shes putting down usually 5 jumbo rats. I know I'll be having to feed her some rabbits soon. We feed all the snakes usually every other week.

 

[skysthelimit]

$20 is more than I can get for pet Rexes. This just might be the market!

 

[ladysown]

what I've learned from the three snake people I have is

1. they like 'em frozen (gets rid of mites etc)
2. they like a whole number so it's easy to do the math.
3. they will pay me $2/lb live weight even though there's a guy who sells cheaper because I don't feed medicated feed.
4. I can't get more than that in the current market.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

We won't feed anything sickly or lanky to our reptiles,so Kyle is right on the money with that

Exactly- why spend hundreds or even thousands on a reptile, only to feed it sickly crap that might make it sick?

Until VERY recently I kept Ball Pythons...and someday when I own my own house, I will again. I originally had a supplier for frozen rodents that other fellow reptile people claimed I could trust...and one day, I pulled out a baggie and found that the batch of little mice were...well for lack of a better word, disgusting. It looked like they were allowed to partially thaw, then rot, then were re-frozen. They were sickly and all had really patchy skin and bald spots.

I took the bag to the seller the next day, and expressed my concern...they said "tough luck" and wouldn't even replace the sickly bag of grossness!!!! :evil: I admit, I didn't feed my snakes that week...I threw out every remaining mouse they'd sold me (why would I risk feeding ANYTHING, healthy looking or not, from a supplier who sells what look like rotting diseased animals?) and began the hunt for a new supplier.

The gal I've bought from ever since also supplies the local zoo. Her rodents look so healthy and vibrant, and they're always flash-frozen right after being killed so they are as fresh as can be. Because of her zoo contract, she has to submit to random quality checks, including parasite testing, so I feel VERY confident in her feeder's quality.

Plus it turns out she charges less than the original seller did. I love it when I get more...for less!

To satisfy my tiger retic shes putting down usually 5 jumbo rats.

............................wait. Let me get this straight.

YOU HAVE A TIGER RETICULATED????????????? :mbounce: Pictures or it never happened!!!!!!!!!

Retics are the prettiest of all snakes to me...outside of a Super Mojave phase Ball Python of course. Man, I love Retics!!! Frankly the normal color patterning on a Reticulated is one of the best natural patterns in nature. I love them!!! Alas, my tolerance for giants is zero...I have a self-imposed ban on any snakes over eight feet.

However, I would LOVE to someday have another Super Dwarf Retic. That is like...my dream snake, lol. I bought one as a hatchling two years ago, but within a few months it became apparent she had something wrong with her. Turns out she had a throat deformity; the breeder (who hadn't known about the problem at time of sale...I picked her out of the clutch so it was just rotten luck I got the "bad" one) felt terribly and "bought" her back, but he'd sold out of the Retics to focus on his Hogg Island Boas instead so I could not get a replacement. :weep:

Oh well...someday I shall have all my dream-snakes...a Super Mojave Ball, a Jigsaw Ball, a normal-phase Super Dwarf Retic and an albino Blood Python. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand probably a lot of other Ball morphs. I love Ball Pythons. They are juuuuust the right size and activity-level.

 

[Peach]

Kills mites? Rabbits and snakes have two different mites that don't effect each other. We prefer live,but I prefer to humanely dispatch beforehand. I like to see that the feeders don't have weird things going on,blowing snot,etc.<br /><br />__________ Fri Jul 20, 2012 9:48 pm __________<br /><br />

............................wait. Let me get this straight.

YOU HAVE A TIGER RETICULATED????????????? :mbounce: Pictures or it never happened!!!!!!!!!

Retics are the prettiest of all snakes to me...outside of a Super Mojave phase Ball Python of course. Man, I love Retics!!! Frankly the normal color patterning on a Reticulated is one of the best natural patterns in nature. I love them!!! Alas, my tolerance for giants is zero...I have a self-imposed ban on any snakes over eight feet.

However, I would LOVE to someday have another Super Dwarf Retic. That is like...my dream snake, lol. I bought one as a hatchling two years ago, but within a few months it became apparent she had something wrong with her. Turns out she had a throat deformity; the breeder (who hadn't known about the problem at time of sale...I picked her out of the clutch so it was just rotten luck I got the "bad" one) felt terribly and "bought" her back, but he'd sold out of the Retics to focus on his Hogg Island Boas instead so I could not get a replacement. :weep:

Oh well...someday I shall have all my dream-snakes...a Super Mojave Ball, a Jigsaw Ball, a normal-phase Super Dwarf Retic and an albino Blood Python. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand probably a lot of other Ball morphs. I love Ball Pythons. They are juuuuust the right size and activity-level.

This is our reptile website http://aaworldexotics.weebly.com/index.html She's actually a super tiger. We also have a super tiger male for sale :mrgreen: We also have a pair of dwarfs They are beautiful. By far, my retic has the best temperment. I'm going to try and find another morph to breed her to. The person we got the super tigers said that they have a good possibility to be het. for sunglow. So we are oober excited. We also picked up a proven pastel ball 100% het. pied. Just need to get him a girlfriend! We also have a clutch due next month of Columbian Red Tail Boas We are going to get busy for 2013. Going to try to get a bearded dragon project together since I got such a lovely citrus blue bar <3

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

So...y'all gotta help me lay hands on a Super Dwarf when I'm ready, okay?

Maybe if I get through this two-year program, I can buy one for myself as a graduation present. :lol:

...............DANG. You have some REALLY nice snakes!!

 

[skysthelimit]

Thanks everyone. So I sold two 3lb rabbits for $20. Kind of low but that and a holland I sold pay for food for a month for those left. I was told that there are only two stores left in cleveland that sell feeder rabbits, and one is going out of business, so I believe I've found a market. The thing is, I need more stock. Of the 13 litters I've had this year, I have only kept one doe back, so I'm hurting for production does.

 

[a7736100]

Wow really? I need to find a reptile store around here. Pet buns on CL are around $10. Raw feeders want to pay less than $2/lb live weight. I was wondering how anyone every recoups any money for that price.

I'd be happy to get rid of culls at that price. I can get rabbits at small animal auctions at $5 and less but it's 90 miles to the auction.