Temporary mouse housing.

[daver676]

If my snake where to refuse her food, I wouldn't know what to do with the mice. I would want to keep them alive, and maybe get a little nutrition into them before I try feeding them again. How could I house them on the cheap? I'd prefer not to buy an aquarium or cage, since I just don't have the space. How could I make a cheap water bottle? What about substrate? Newspaper? Food around the house? Thanks for any replies.

[ChokeOnSmoke]

Do you always feed live? You should switch your snake to frozen thawed that way you wouldn't have that problem and you could possibly save yourself and your snake some grief.

[sapphire_moon]

just a rubbermaid with some small hardware cloth (yes they have it where the holes are really tiny) you could feed low grade dog food (if you don't mind greasy looking mice) and it is better to just go buy a water bottel then attempt to make one. You will end up cleaning out the cage every day. Throw in some fruits and veggies every once in a while. And you can use shredded newspaper. If you drill any holes into a rubbermaid make sure they can't get any part of their little fingers or nose through it, they will chew their way out.

[daver676]

Originally posted by ChokeOnSmoke
Do you always feed live? You should switch your snake to frozen thawed that way you wouldn't have that problem and you could possibly save yourself and your snake some grief.

I don't like feeding live, but this is what she finally decided to eat. Click here (http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35626) to read the whole story.

How COULD I make a water bottle?

[ChokeOnSmoke]

I see..... sorry about that I didn't know
I dont think I can help you out with the water bottle predicament either.
I'm good for nothing....

[ReptiZone]

easy you know in the barn there is no water botle lol just gice them a heavy hater dish king the small hamster food dish just put water in it and replace it every day.

[sapphire_moon]

If the mouse is not trained to drink out of a water dish it can drown (I have had more mice die this way...:rolleyes: ) it is easier to just go buy a cheap water bottle to keep on hand.

[Linds]

Mice need to be trained to drink out of bottles, drinking out of bowls and off floors is instinctual behaviour, as that is all that is available in the wild. If they drowned it was because it was way too deep for them and they were likely young. The only reason I don't use bowls is because they make such a mess out of them so quickly.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

If you want temporary housing just use like a margarine container. Put some shredded newspaper in the bottom(1 inch), if you have oatmeal or dog food, veggies, anything, trow in some for the food. As for water just take like a little dipping sause container(tiny) and replace the water any time you got by so put in in a local/busy area of the house. Remember clean it AT LEAST every two days. Simple, i keep breeding pairs of my mice that i am playing around with the genetics together in a container about 1.5 to 2 times the size of a margarine container.

[annieb_mice]

If you feed live on a regular basis, you might want to buy a cheap storage bin <sterylite or rubbermaid> and cut out the middle of the lid and attach a wire mesh screen. You can find cheap bins at Walmart and almost any hardware store.
You don't need a water bottle, you can just use a clean tuna fish can filled about halfway with water. You do have to clean it out and put in fresh water about twice a day.
As for food... you can buy a really cheap bird seed mixture at almost any grocery store which will suffice for a short term. I would NOT recommend feeding dog food, as your mouse will NOT do well on it. Mice are generally seed eaters and you will have a much healthier food item for your snake if you feed the mouse proper food. Remember, the healthier your mouse, the more nutritious it will be for your snake.
If you would like to learn more, please feel free to check out my mouse care sheet on my site. www.geocities.com/annieb_mice/mouse_care.htm
Good luck.
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[Linds]

Originally posted by annieb_mice
You don't need a water bottle, you can just use a clean tuna fish can filled about halfway with water...

...I would NOT recommend feeding dog food, as your mouse will NOT do well on it.

I wouldn't recommend using a tuna can. Once oxygen gets at the can it begins to oxidize, if you have ever forgotten about something in a can in the fridge for a couple days you know what I'm talking about.

What are you basing the last comment on? I wouldn't suggest using dog food for pet mice, they do get a little greasy, but it is perfectly fine for feeders. I would hardly call mice that are throwing litters of 18 babies "not doing well" or unhealthy. The extra protein supports quicker growth in the offspring as well. There is especially nothing wrong with using dog food for a very short term.

[daver676]

Thanks for the great replies everyone. I'm not planning to feed live for long (maybe another month or two). I picked up some bulk nutrition blocks at the pet stroe, and the mice seem to love them. I also put in a piece of carrot, a little lettuce (for moisture) and a small dish of water (shallow). I shredded some paper towels for bedding and gave them a smaller box inside the big one to hide/sleep in. Damn these things crap alot!!

[Auskan]

LOL, yeah they do. Your setup sounds good. I find rats easier to keep so once you get him on those....

[annieb_mice]

Originally posted by Linds
I wouldn't recommend using a tuna can. Once oxygen gets at the can it begins to oxidize, if you have ever forgotten about something in a can in the fridge for a couple days you know what I'm talking about.

*** He said for a short time. I've had to use for a day or two when I've run out of bottles and such. For a day or two they will suffice, but not for an extended period of time.



What are you basing the last comment on? I wouldn't suggest using dog food for pet mice, they do get a little greasy, but it is perfectly fine for feeders. I would hardly call mice that are throwing litters of 18 babies "not doing well" or unhealthy. The extra protein supports quicker growth in the offspring as well. There is especially nothing wrong with using dog food for a very short term.

*** I based that last comment on over ten years of experience in breeding feeder mice, as well as hundreds of hours spent in research and education concerning their dietary needs and health.
My mice regularly have large litters as well, and are fed a quality diet which is much more natural for them then a food designed for dogs. Yes, mice do require higher protein if they are being used for breeding, but if you feed a diet of high protein for long periods of time, they will develop some serious health problems. As with any other animal, they have a variety of other nutritional needs that need to be met as well.
I am surprised that you would encourage "rapid growth" in the offspring. Would you recommend "power feeding" for snakes or lizards? This amounts to the same thing. When an animal is "power fed" to encourage fast growth, it not only shortens their natural lifespan <not a problem with feeders usually> but also compromises healthy development.
My own personal belief is that you are what you eat. The same goes for your pets. If you, and I am speaking in general here... not aimed at anyone, prefer to feed your snakes greasy mice instead of healthy looking mice fed on a proper diet, you are not feeding your snake as healthy as you could be. :)
These comments are my own opinion and are based upon years of experience and are NOT intended to insult or critisize anyone.
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[Vanan]

I would have to agree with Annie. I know a couple, who are one of the largest (if not the largest) mice breeders in Canada, who would never feed their mice any kind of dog food. They had gotten a full dietary requirement for mice and mill their own food which is grain based. I've seen their stock, I buy the feeders, I SEE the quality. I can understand most herpers, "getting by" with dog food for mice, but if you want to feed what's best for your mice, go grain-based, not meat-based food.

Disclaimer: In no way is this post related to feeding dog food to rats as they are two different species with different dietary requirements.

[daver676]

Originally posted by annieb_mice

Would you recommend "power feeding" for snakes or lizards? This amounts to the same thing. When an animal is "power fed" to encourage fast growth, it not only shortens their natural lifespan <not a problem with feeders usually> but also compromises healthy development.


Lol. Actually, while you make good points, what you have stated is exactly what I'm trying to do with these mice. Get these mice as big as I can in the shortest amount of time possible. They are quite skimpy from the store, so I want to fatten them up before I feed them off. Lifespan is not an issue. I am not feeding them dog food however, just so you know. :)

[Linds]

Originally posted by annieb_mice


As I stated previously, I wouldn't recommend this for pet mice (IMHO pet rodents should be fed a varied natural diet, not a commercial diet), but feeders have an incredibly short lifespan, so it doesn't make a difference. Powerfeeding feeders is fine, it is efficient and they do not have time to develop any problems due to this. In addition, low-quality dog food is nearly all grain product (the kind I use has animal fat as the only animal product in it and smells like veggies :eek: ), and matches the values of commercial mouse lab diets, and in fact, is similar in makeup altogether, as there is animal matter in most, if not all, lab diets. I haven't noticed any problems, only about half of my mice even get that "greasy" coat, which leads me to believe it isn't soley diet to blame for this. I've also seen mice fed soley seeds and nuts develop a greasy coat. I've been told long ago that this is what causes it, but it doesn't seem to add up in my colonies, and I don't have any way of securing the culprit. If there were any significant health problems, those mice wouldn't be producing the way they are. They would be producing smaller litters, or infrequently. I have seen no evidence that they can develop any health problems short term on this diet, and that is what is important, as they are not being kept around for the long haul :)

Originally posted by annieb_mice
[B]*** He said for a short time. I've had to use for a day or two when I've run out of bottles and such. For a day or two they will suffice, but not for an extended period of time.



Exactly... then even if you feel dog food is a no-no, it shouldn't matter if it is only a day or two :)

[sapphire_moon]

Low quality dog food IS grain based, that is why it is low quality dog food, because they are considered a " filler". They are mostly grains, to be used with meat that you yourself put in there.

If I ever have to breed mice (which I might) I am going to be using the same thing for them as I do my rats. Dog food supplemented with fresh veggies and fruits weekly, with a sprinkling of random treats inbetween.

And yes most people that breed rats/mice want their feeders to get to the feeding size they need as fast as possible. These are breeders/feeder, not pet rats. And of course people don't want to "power feed" their snakes. But their snakes aren't being "fattened up" to feed to something else either.

I am sure that while not the most ideal food to keep them on, that they are getting the best care. And if they didn't like the food, they wouldn't eat it.
I have to agree with linds on this one. Because we are talking about breeder/feeders.
If we were talking about pets that would be different.

[ReneeB]

I use a mixture of wild bird seed, budgie/finch mix, noname dog food, and rabbit pellets. My litters are all over 14 babies, and the adults have 'perfect' (non greasy, full, shiny, no patches).
They are kept on pine bedding that has been dried out for months before so there are no oils left They also get the lint from my dryer to make nests out of.

I've kept rats using this same diet and they had large litters too.

I occasionally give them apple cores, carrot tops, and celery stalk ends.

[Auskan]

LOL on the dryer lint - I *never* would have thought of using that!

[Lisa]

Heh i've been thinking of tossing the lint from the drier into the rat cages for nesting...

[sapphire_moon]

you might want to be carefull of that, the lint can get caught around the pinks necks and kill them, and it can get caught on the rats toes and end up tightening around them.