Food size in Freedom Breeders

[JamesBryan]

My mice appear to be having trouble getting the food through the mesh. I have tried lab block, various dog kibbles. Either too large or too small and falls through.

Anyone found a good brand that works for the mice?

Thanks,

James Bryan

[WALTER]

The lab blocks do work fine. Just about any kind of dog food will work also. Dont worry about it they will be fine they just have to work at it a little more. They do need the exercise, LOL.

[JamesBryan]

They have starved to the point of canabalism or just plain getting skinny. I am now using food that falls through the grid, which defeats the whole purpose of the system. Seems the blocks are too large and the dog kibble is being made in small size now. I have checked Sam's, Costco, and WalMart and all the brands are now small chunk size. There is one that is larger but it is a flat, almost disk shape and they have the worst time with that one as they can't get their teeth on it.

James

[WALTER]

I run 6 freedom breeder style racks and have no problems. Once in a while the water wont work well and they will do what you are describing. Are the water nozzles all working ok? If they are not working well just loosen the valve a little then test it, you don't want to get a flood either. I used to use the no-name brand and it worked fine also.
I do agree with the stupid mice. I have had many over the years that can not seem to work a water valve??????

[JamesBryan]

Thanks Walter.

I check the water valves for operation at each cleaning. Since I have switched to the food that falls straight through the grid, the cannabalism has stopped and their weight is up, but that defeats the whole purpose for me. Production is low too. My rats are coming out my ears. The mice are barely keeping up with my needs. I have three levels and average 4 litters a month out of all those females. I am certainly doing something wrong. I replaced males, and that didn't work. I replaced all the mice with newly weaned mice thinking the old ones were too old. I got them from the local pet shop and they were adult size when I got them. After several months I had 3 litters total production. Those are all fed off. The new ones are producing the 4 or 5 litters a month total for all trays. I turned off the computer and ionizer on the filter thinking sound was disturbing them. The ambient room temp near them is in the low 70s during the day. High 60s at night.

I am definately doing something wrong. Yes, they are sexed correctly (ha ha, I kept checking thinking surely it is something simple I am doing wrong) The rats are in the same room as the mice. The racks are below a window with the shades down. Room temperature is stable at 74F high during the day. Light is artificial plus whatever gets in around the blinds. I have two loud 4 year olds in the house, but they don't get in the room. Their voices would be heard though. It is enough to stress me out at times ha ha

James Bryan

[Christina]

James if it gets too frustrating with the mice just feed the pinkies from the rats as soon as they are born if they are too big cut them in half length or width ways. Just a thought.
Have you tried Mazuri feed?? Their blocks of food are broken up into many different sized bits so some will work and some wont so all you have to do is clear away the ones that are too big and the ones that may fall in will be a bonus for the mice!
Christina

[WALTER]

The only other thing that I can see wrong is your breeders. Most mice in the pet store are mostly male or poor breeding stock. I myself do not sell my good breeding stock to the stores. The mice are healthy just not the best breeders. Try and locate a mouse breeder in your are and they should be able to help you out with some better breeders. Other then that it sounds like you are doing everything ok.

[JamesBryan]

Yes, Mazuri was my second choice after lab blocks. I have to have it special ordered so shipping makes it cost prohibitive in one or two bags. I may have to go that route.

I went through the trays last night and fed off all the remaining pet store mice. I only have mice that were from the only two good producers. I have at least a half dozen pregos at this point, so hopefully my stock situation has sorted itself out and I have also just located a local breeder when I need to add genes.

They mix their own seed mix, so I can't get them to go in on a Mazuri order. If anyone in the greater Memphis, TN area is out there and willing to go in on an order I will order and you can buy what you need out of the order.

I am getting some small milksnakes so will need the mice pinks for them. Just trying to get the bugs worked out before I end up with babies to feed.


James Bryan

[JamesBryan]

Looks like things are working themselves out with these new mice. They are getting the food. I have to keep the bins very full in order to keep the pieces on the grid stable enough for them to chew on, but it is working. Still not as many litters as I would like. I am up to about 10 litters a month out of 40+ females. Not good, but moving in the right direction. Next step is the Mazuri. Thanks for all your help.

James Bryan