my small scale breeding setup - Page 2

robertjnovak59 · 01-19-14, 02:15 PM

I've got all my mice in 10 gallon tanks, I try to use food and water bowls that I only have to fill every couple days so if I notice they had babies, I don't have to stick my hand in the tank for a couple days.

Sharlynn93 · 01-19-14, 03:59 PM

I moved all the weaned babies to a big tub setup as there were too many for the 10 gallons...the 10 gallons now house expecting mothers...

TheZoo · 01-23-14, 05:29 PM

always wait 3 days after there birth for moving touching handling

Sharlynn93 · 01-23-14, 10:55 PM

oh, I try not to touch the babies at all (unless i need pinks, and even then i remove the moms from the tank first) until they start to show peach fuzz...

on an upnote, one of my remaining white mice gave birth yesterday, and is nursing them fine..I separated her and put her with a seasoned nanny (she apparently is barren since she hasn't ever conceived, but has nannied 3 litters so far) and everything is going great!

also, my first female rat gave birth yesterday too! 12 squirming pinky rats...and momma is doing great with those too!

**Tsubaki** · 01-29-14, 05:58 AM

Nice set-up, mice are fun to breed.

I bred them several years as snake food, but got caught up in it and ended up also breeding prize winning show mice

An easy way to prevent cannibalism in mice is giving them low salt cat/dog kibble before they give birth(adding it to their regular food). Its easier than feeding them hard boiled eggs. Also proving a running wheel, and fresh willow branches to chew/climb made a huge difference for me. If they get frustrated they can 'take it out' on something other than the young ones. Makes cleaning up a slightly longer task, but you end up with healthier mice who have more litters.

Sharlynn93 · 01-29-14, 06:04 AM

I tried the dog food...they didn't eat it...just buried it...lol...

**Tsubaki** · 01-29-14, 08:35 AM

Mice with a shortage in animal protein will eat it, they will prefer it over eating their own young. Mice who have plenty of protein, and do not like the taste of the kibble obviously wont eat it (the cheaper brands were never favorites here). Giving birth is often the cause of a deficiency. Baby mice are made of protein, and it all has to come out of the mothers body. That is why she eats them, if not provided enough for herself to sustain her own body beforehand. Never heard of mice just plain refusing to eat it. However normal kibble and cheap brand kibble can be to salty for them. I used a high quality low salt 99% meat kibble, and they Loved it. (so does my dog)

Sharlynn93 · 01-29-14, 04:18 PM

this was a brand called "retriever"...a puppy blend...23% protein content...was the highest content i could find at tractor supply...i don't buy pet food from walmart..lol...since they wouldn't eat it, i started giving them eggs (once or twice a week) and sunflower seeds...that seems to do the trick with all the mice except those few white ones...i just think they were nuts...lol