my feeder mice

Discussion in 'Feeder Forum' started by jflizi1458, May 26, 2009.

  1. jflizi1458

    jflizi1458 New Member

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    So I decided to try and breed mice for feeders and it is not working out as I planned... They eat each other and not just the baby's. They refuse to use their water bottle so I have to keep cleaning and refilling a water bowl. They all look unhealthy and i don't even want to feed them to any of my snakes or lizards. I was keeping them in an aquarium with a screen lid. I have a separate aquarium with a lid for when/if they get pregnant. So far nobody looks pregnant (been about a month) There are 4 females to 1 male now. There were a lot more mice in the beginning but they ate 3. One male seemed like he was trying to dominate everyone and hurt everyone so we gave him to our sav. I'm not sure what he was doing to everyone but they all looked beat up and bloody (especially on their behinds) he was completely fine and big and healthy looking. Today I got rid of that male and I was hoping this would solve the problem! I feel like this should be easier... I clean their tank completely every 2 days and I clean their food and water bowls daily if not more. They eat a variety of foods...rice, pasta, bread, carrots, lettuce, plain cereals, sometimes i give them little pieces of tortilla, or crackers, they eat dog food and even some mice food pellets, they also eat crickets on occasion. They have aspen bedding. The weather has been very nice so i was keeping them in a closed off screened in porch with lots of fresh air and natural sunlight, it's usually about 70-80 in there. They also seem itchy, but I don't see any flees or bugs on them. I really don't know anything about mice! any pointers? Am I doing something wrong? I want them to be happy and healthy and have baby's but its just not happening!
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. beefcake

    beefcake Member

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    499
    you need to just use f/t thats my opinion
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. jflizi1458

    jflizi1458 New Member

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    I can not get them in my area and to have them shipped its way too expensive.
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. jflizi1458

    jflizi1458 New Member

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    Its really not worth it! Plus they can only be frozen for so long before they are no longer nutritional.
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. beefcake

    beefcake Member

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    actually its proven that food can stay frozen for very very long, sure it might get freezer burn, but that only makes it look and taste different. the nutrition doesnt go anywhere
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. bruno

    bruno Moderator

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    Hi,
    Sorry, beefcake, I have to disagree with you.
    Human food usually has a "use by date" even for frozen.
    You have to bear in mind that rats/mice etc still have their intestines and it is this that starts to break down if kept over 6 months in freezer, even more so when thawed. Once thawed the bacteria multiplies at a horrendous rate and it's this that causes problems.

    To get back to the original problem of eating each other.
    What size tank are you keeping them in?
    If they are not mating then is something wrong with your setup.
    If you can post a few details, it may help.
    The food sounds OK, I used dry rabbit mix when I bred mice/rats, it's also unusual for them NOT to use the drinking bottles.
    Have you any idea what the temperatures are in the tank, this can play a part in breeding.
    I would also keep them out of the sunlight, they prefer darker places for breeding.
     
  12. beefcake

    beefcake Member

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    499
  13. jflizi1458

    jflizi1458 New Member

    Messages:
    90
    OK I will move them back into my basement then... Its a bit cooler and darker down there about 68-70f. The tank is a 35 gallon I think, and it was warmer on the porch usually around 70 at night and 80 in the day, but they were in the basement before when the problems started. Its been really humid during the past couple of days. I was using the shredded paper and mail from my paper shredder as bedding but I put in aspen today (hoping it would be heavier and harder to get into their bowls) I got the bottle with the small ball in the end and I've tested it and water comes out when I touch it and if I make the end wet and put it in front of them they will drink from it but if I just leave it in there they don't drink from it...
    What temps do you recommend and I can determine what part of the house would be best...I have a finished room in the attic that is pretty dark and much warmer, or the room in the basement that's cool and dark, or I could just shut the blinds on the porch where they are and then they still get some fresh air from an opened window. I'm not sure what else to tell you...maybe i should get one of those wire cage setups? Do you think I should give them a wheel?
     
  14. Shanna66

    Shanna66 Well-Known Member

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    yes a wheel would be good. it would give them something to do and make them more lean for your snakes.
    what are you feeding them? if they are eating each other thats a sign they arent getting enough protien in their diets. you can give rats and mice dog treats, bugs, or bits of meat for protien. i know my rats adore live bugs as treats so maybe putting some mealworms in there with the mice may do them some good.
    normal room temps are fine for mice and rats. also hoe many mice are in the tank? they may be overcrowd. also if any of them are sick and they are overcrowded they may be killing and eating the sick ones so that predaters dont find them
    also wire cages arent recomended even for pet mice since they are so tiny. mice can get out of most wire cages. you could get a large bin and poke alot of holes into it, that way they get fresh air, can be healthier, and cant get out. suprisingly ive yet to hear about someone's mice chew through a bin.
     
  15. jflizi1458

    jflizi1458 New Member

    Messages:
    90

    I tried giving them some meal worms and they loved it!!! I dropped some in and the ran around and caught and ate them!
    There are 4 mice in the tank
    I read that mice can sometimes be allergic to corn, it can make them itchy. (Mine seemed to scratch at nothing...didn't see any flees) So I cut corn products out of their diet. Also gave them a bath in doggy flee shampoo just in case! lol They seem to scratch much less and their fur looks thicker and nicer.

    I feed them a mixture I made of various whole grain and rice cereals, sometimes I add a small bit of peanut butter or maple syrup (read that they really liked that) I also give them rice and spaghetti (dry and cooked) I give them small bits of carrot and broccoli
    Sometimes i give them crickets that my monitors didn't want...they like to hunt them down and eat them its funny to watch! The meal worms. They get little bits of bread. I also give them dog kibbles and those mice food bars. I try to give them a lot of variety.

    So I guess I wont waste money buying them a wire cage then lol any ideas on how to get them to use their bottle...

    PS: I'm afraid after all the time and effort I spend on them that I won't want to feed them to anyone! lol
     
  16. teiryklav

    teiryklav Member

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    793
    hamsters are better, try them xD :lol:
     
  17. Shanna66

    Shanna66 Well-Known Member

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    lol, well it is easy to get attached to something so darn cute XD
    i wouldnt feed them corn. i know with rats that too much corn is a no no, dried corn and nuts are also bad. rats and mice have pretty much the same nutrition needs.
    im not sure how to get them to use the water bottles but ill go ask on the rodent forum i belong to
     
  18. Shanna66

    Shanna66 Well-Known Member

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    here is the reply i got about the water bottle


    Chances are they are using the bottle, he's just not seeing them doing it. If water comes out when he tests it (hold the bottle the right way up and push in the ball lightly several times, imitating the mouse's tongue, and see if water comes out) then they are probably drinking from it. Mice are pretty smart so they should figure it out. Unless you have this bottle - http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/product_ima...S-3757837dt.jpg - I had a mouse who literally could not get water from it.
     
  19. jflizi1458

    jflizi1458 New Member

    Messages:
    90

    well the water level never moved after a few days and then we gave them a bowl and they all frantically drank from it and so we just let them keep the bowl so they wouldn't dehydrate...no its not that bottle in the pic either...
    thanks for trying to help
     
  20. Shanna66

    Shanna66 Well-Known Member

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    weird. you could try mixing some vanilla in the water bowl. i know my rats go nuts for it so it may entice them to drink from it
     

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