why not gerbals

I know that ball pythons will eat them and they are easier to bread and are easier to clean up for and don't stink near as bad as rats do..... so why don't people use them when breeding ball pythons?

Probably because they're more expensive, and smaller than rats.

I am raising aft's, rats, and mice. I try to keep all mine on f/t but some won't eat anything but live.

they are also able to cause damage more easily than mice and smaller rats.

They are not easier to breed in my experience (never tried breading them though They have smaller litters, they don't get as large,plus they grow slower. Other than the smell and the less water they drink I can't think of a good reason why to bother if you needed a lot of them. If someone with one or two snakes wanted to try a trio though I suppose it would work out.

SOME ball pythons that develop a taste for gerbils (no "a" in the word) won't eat other things....at least that is the basic explanation - I think it would be more accurate to say that imported BPs that won't take mice or rats will often eat gerbils. It isn't that they won't go back to mice and rats, since they were never eating them in the first place. I have had some picky feeders, most of which would readily take gerbils. With CB animals that will feed on other prey, I would probably recommend against getting them started on something that is less commonly available (and significantly more expensive).

What he said.

It's just not economically efficient to breed gerbils for feeders as it is mice, rats, or ASF's. Gerbils have much smaller litters on average, and longer gestation periods, so the money spent raising/breeding them would result in lower and less frequent output.

Originally Posted by p8ntballrman

so why don't people use them when breeding ball pythons?

Because ball pythons and gerbils cannot breed together. I think the python would eat the gerbil before the bred.

Thank you all.... some good points made... I think I'll stick to Rats for breading

Focal - new morphs are hard to come up with..... guess I'll have to put the " Ratball" python on hold until more research can be done...... Maybe Artificial insemination ?? but the last time I tried that the petting zoo told me I wasn't allowed back.... something about scaring the childern

Originally Posted by Focal

Because ball pythons and gerbils cannot breed together. I think the python would eat the gerbil before the bred.

LMAO! Now that was funny