Breeding mice

missconduct5 · 05-26-13, 11:02 AM

Since I normally have to drive 90 mins each way for supplies for my snake, I've been thinking I might start breeding mice to save money and time. I'd appreciate any advice on starting out and kill techniques.

Thanks in advance!

possum · 05-26-13, 11:31 AM

You are wise to breed your own...I have for many years. If you get too many, you might either freeze the surplus or sell some to others nearby keeping snakes. I find the mice I raise to be healthier since they are fed quality food (lab chow for rodents, not the dogfood that many resort to) with grains/seeds for a treat now & then. You'll have to have secure (preferably lab type) cages & use wood shavings for bedding...& of course use the water bottles with the steel tubes/ball bearings in...they are truly superior. Food or water offered in bowls is a disaster for mice...they perceive water as a threat & will fill the bowl with shavings to "put out the flood", LOL. And food gets contaminated with feces very fast unless it's kept above so they eat it thru the bars.

So initially it will cost more to set up & breed mice (check around for used cages as that is your biggest cost...if only you were closer! LOL) but they do pay for themselves, plus the peace of mind of not running out of food if the store does. Be sure to disinfect the used cages... As for humane kills, the best is C02, and I recall just seeing a video (youtube) posted on this forum using common household items (baking soda & vinegar).

missconduct5 · 05-26-13, 12:06 PM

Thanks possum!! *skips off to Youtube*

KORBIN5895 · 05-26-13, 07:58 PM

First off co² is not very humane, especially when you use the baking soda and vinegar method. That much co² that fast is a terrible way to kill something.

I'll give some more info later.

**lady_bug87** · 05-26-13, 08:56 PM

We have a whole thread on cervical dislocation which IS the most humane

All you have to do is search for it

Lupinus · 06-16-13, 05:46 PM

Raising mice is easy, they make rabbits look shy and reserved. Get a 15 or 20 gallon aquarium with a mesh top, bedding, a few hidey holes for them, feed and water, and they will do their thing pretty naturally.

As to the method to kill them, there's a few ways. Cervical dislocation is one, but takes some practice to make it quick and painless. And you risk being bitten. Putting it in a bag or pillow case and a good solid swing and a hard whack to a hard surface is another method, and if you do it hard enough it pretty much instantaneous. There's also the spear them through the skull method, similar to killing cattle, but it's not widely used as most people aren't to comfortable doing it but it's quick and painless if you do it right.

As to the CO2, it's the way commercial feeder mice breeders do it, and it's the veterinary recommended way to do it. Do it right and the mice are out in like twenty to thirty seconds and it only takes a very simple set up. A popular misconception is that it is pretty much like drowning, which is not true. The mice are inhaling a gas which displaces the oxygen in their system, not just being deprived of oxygen.

In short, any of the common methods (with the exception of just sticking them in the freezer to freeze to death) are, IMHO, humane and certainly a lot less traumatic than their wild cousins will experience if grabbed by a snake or if you just tossed them in the cage live. Which one is mainly a matter of personal preference.

KORBIN5895 · 06-16-13, 10:15 PM

I killed 230 rodents in an hour two days ago. I used cervical dislocation.

Mikoh4792 · 06-16-13, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

I killed 230 rodents in an hour two days ago. I used cervical dislocation.

Damn. Do you feel weird afterwards?

KORBIN5895 · 06-17-13, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikoh4792

Damn. Do you feel weird afterwards?

Actually no, not at all. I sell frozen rodents and I got a killer deal on these so I did what I had to do.

slowhite03 · 06-17-13, 12:50 AM

Why not buy frozen ones? So much easier and none of that god awful smell

Lupinus · 06-17-13, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowhite03

Why not buy frozen ones? So much easier and none of that god awful smell

When I had my lizards and was raising mice for them, it was more economical to raise the mice myself.

**lady_bug87** · 06-17-13, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

I killed 230 rodents in an hour two days ago. I used cervical dislocation.

You Savage

missconduct5 · 06-17-13, 08:49 AM

I had been buying frozen but Vincent goes through them too quickly, they're expensive and I have to drive a total of 3 hours to the nearest pet store that supplies them. HUGE waste of cash when I can raise my own, feed them what they need to eat to make sure they're healthy and then euthanize them myself. I'm going to go with the Co2 method. Thanks everyone.

KORBIN5895 · 06-17-13, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

You Savage

I used my teeth!

Quote:

Originally Posted by missconduct5

I had been buying frozen but Vincent goes through them too quickly, they're expensive and I have to drive a total of 3 hours to the nearest pet store that supplies them. HUGE waste of cash when I can raise my own, feed them what they need to eat to make sure they're healthy and then euthanize them myself. I'm going to go with the Co2 method. Thanks everyone.

I have one thing I want you to do before you try co². I want you to make a bunch of co² in a sealed Rubbermaid container then once it has built up I want you to put your face right in and take one breath. Then tell me how you feel about gassing them.

**lady_bug87** · 06-17-13, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

I used my teeth.

Sooo hot....