Stinky Mice!

[rattekonigin]

Does anyone know of a way to stop mouse stink? The reason I ask is because I'll have the chance to breed them this summer, except the smell never goes over well with anyone, so barring a 300$ ionizer, what makes the reek go away? Do those little tubs of oder-absorber work?
P.S. Don't tell me they won't stink if I clean them every other day, cause I know better! ;) pee-yew!

[Grant vg]

I've heard that if u put vanilla extract in there water it will lessen the smell of their urine.
never tried it though....

[patricia]

I've also heard of using that trick with vanilla. Never tried it, but I think maybe it would help.

I've noticed that the odour is primarily from the males only. One reason for it being so bad, is that they crawl all over everything scent-marking everywhere they go. Housing them in plastic containers results in far less odour than housing them in steel-barred cages. In barred cages, they'll mark every horizontal bar that they can touch.

Try to avoid having too many males, and to communally house females. Introduce the females into the male's cage, two or three at a time, and leave them for four or five days. Then rotate them back into the communal cage, and put another couple of girlfriends in with the male.

You'll have to clean the male's cage very frequently. The females' cage can be left much longer between cleanings. I've found that if the cage is large enough, the females will usually pick out a site for toiletting, and keep the rest of their space relatively clean.

Tricia

[Grant vg]

I agree! the females are much cleaner and i notice the toilet thing too.
I find the worst is when the little bastards (jj) are all weaned...thats when there all crowded and the smelliest!
I always try to kill off the males for my smaller snakes and let the females grow to be fed to the bigger guys...

When buying ur female breeders....try to get the ones that are the fattest....i always like buyin a new female and having babies a few days later:)

[Linds]

I put a drop or two of vanilla per bottle, can't say if it is an improvement since I have done it from the start. They are stinkly little rodents though... thinking about maybe trying a sprinkling of baking soda in the bottom of the tub before I put in the shavings next change. Has anyone tried that before? Either way... if my snakes werent eating thme, there would be no way I would breed em... they stink BAD. I have 1.4 mice in the same size containers that I keep my rats colonies in and within a few hours its stinkin like crazy again. And it is a cool, well ventilated, large area they are in. Odour absorbing tubs wont work for that....... Ionizer is your best bet...... but your right, they are expensive...... only other thing I could reccommend is a True-Air filter.... its a wallmoutned plug-in air filter....... only cost about $30....... works great..... but Ive never used it where there are mice so I wouldnt know........ but it works for all other animals stink :D

[rattekonigin]

Linds: I tried baking soda when I had a pet (male) mouse, and no, it doesn't work, not at all. Just too smelly. LOL
I might just have to go with rats, I already have a pair of breedable females who I know are in good condition...only problem is...I've got mouse-size snakes! I could use pinky/fuzzy rats, though, I suppose...is it hard to change from one type of rodent to another? Do the snakes develop a preference?
Although, corn snakes aren't known as the pickiest eaters...so I probably won't have a problem.
Do male rats stink, too? I know they don't stink as much as mice but, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the stinkiest and 1 being odourless where would you guys rate male mice and male rats, just so I have an idea...

[Linds]

Compared to mice, rats are pretty much odourless, IMO. I clean my rats cages every other day and dont have a problem with odour at all. Yes, some snakes develop a preference, and some some are harder to switch than others, and some may never amke the switch. Generally speaking though, corns arent too fussy with their food, so you shouldn't have too much trouble. :D

[marisa]

I am pretty sensitive to smell and I have yet to find my mice offfensive...I think I just have some "cleaner" ones...hahaha.

I can't believe cleaning the cage every other day doesn't work for ya! I clean my cages every four days normally, and I have ratios of 1.6 on average and keep my males down in number.

MARISA

[Ian]

Has anyone thought of different bedding or diet?

[marisa]

If it makes a differance of not.

I bed on pine (always have, and have no probs, kiln dried)

And they eat cat food, dog food, mouse diet from the pet store and leftovers! :)

marisa