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Originally posted by AnOle
1. what kind of housing would i need for 1.2 mice? would a hamster cage be large enough
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Sizewise it would be fine, however they will be able to escape through the bars. Best to stick to a tank or tub.
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2. what kind of substrate would i use?
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I personally prefer pine shavings. I get a 50+ lb bag at the co-op for $4. You can also use aspen, shredded paper, and some of the more expensive substrates such as Carefresh.
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3. would a colony of 1.2 breeder's produce enough for a large ball python
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Why is a large ball python still feeding on mice? Have you tried switching to rats? How many mice does it eat in a sitting?
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4. how many pups do u get in a litter?
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All depends. ICR and other types of inbred lab mice produce large litters (20ish), while I find the regular fancy mice produce between 7-10.
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5. Last but not least is it difficult and how is it done?
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Its not hard, not as easy as rats, but not hard. Just keep your colony together, do not remove the male - this slows production by a long stretch, especially in mice which don't breed as crazy or handle the stress of moving around like rats do. Just make sure they are well fed and watered, and cleaned as needed. Mice are dirty, if you clean too much the male will scent more, if you don't clean it will stink bad....you just sorta have to go with the middle area and deal with the smell. It may take a little while for your colony to become established.
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And yes, you do not have to pay any extra attention to the babies, the parents do all the work. Another thing worth mentioning, you can handle the pinkies no problem, even the day they are born, the mother will NOT eat them is you do - this is just an old wives tale 
If your BP is feeding on mice, start it on mice first and when it is feeding for you on mice, then make the switch to rats.
Hybrid Mode
