Mixed Colony of mice

[Batdad]

Because of the problem of new young mothers killing and eating their own young, would there be an advantage to putting an older experienced mother in a new colony with young mice? I was thinking of taking a mother from a colony that is slowing down and adding her to a new grouping, adding all to a strange or different container. Than after a litter or two retire the old girl, leaving the new young ones to continue. I don't know if this would work or be a waste of time and effort??:confused:

Bruce

[vanderkm]

I have found that it is worth it only when I kept daughters back from a female and let them learn from her. I did not have good luck mixing an older female with other young females - my female mice tended to fight a lot - unless they grew up together.

good luck with them - mice are quite a bit more challenging to breed than rats -

mary v.

[Lisa]

mixing colonies tends to lead to canibalism, learned this the hard way.

[Linds]

Yup... I'm gonna have to agree. Mixing and matching with your mouse colony will only increase your chances of cannabilism. Mice are very sensitive to this. Even if they don't fight, just the upset of the colony may possibly further delay any breedings. Finicky little buggers.... :rolleyes:

[Classic]

I'm feeling the pain. Ive recently started to breed both mice and rats and have only been sucessful with the mice. They have been small litters but most were comsumed before i removed them. I'm hoping they produce larger litters next time around and the rats should be ready any day now i think.

[mykee]

IF it is possible, not sure what you own, but if you can switch over to rats, it will make your life loads easier if you're going to breed. I only keep enough rats to feed my finicky eaters. I have had great success breeding rats, and gave up on mice ages ago.

[Classic]

I am quickly losing my intreast in breeding mice. They are smelly animals. The rats are easy to keep clean.

[burmer]

Any time I have tried to introduce a strange female or male into a separate colony they were either killed or beaten up really bad. It just stressed them all out. I wouldn't bother.

[Classic]

On that note Burmer.... I have been lucky i guess. I introduce new mice to my colonies all the time with little trouble thus far. You maybe introducing a juvi male instead of a female and this where the fighting is comong from. Maybe.