Posted by:
Rextiles
at Thu Feb 14 20:11:32 2013 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Rextiles ]
Great points, coincidentally I'm already frustrated with the spike in feeder costs recently
Tell me about it! I used to do orders of 1000 various sized mice for about $400-500 before the spike. To now think that that same sized order today would cost me $1200-1500 is unconscionable.
and am seriously considering a small colony (1.3) and CO2 chamber!
I used to do small groups of mice like that and had a really hit and miss time with groups that small as some males would not breed or would be sterile, hard to say. And if you got a rogue cannibal, then there would go your babies in one fell swoop.
What I have found to be more in breeding mice is to build up a larger colony, like 3.8-10 due to the fact that the males will often fight over colony dominance which causes the males to proactively breed more frequently with the females. I use larger concrete mixing tubs which can be found at Home Depot combined with a home-made screen top and a watering system to supply water to 5 tubs using a single bucket of water instead of individual water bottles which are a pain to use and keep filled.
The only disadvantages to using larger colonies like I do is that the males will often urinate more trying to supplant the other males' scent. Also, you sometimes get some pretty beat up males in the process too. But, I have found that when I remove the beat up males out of sympathy, the aggressive males sometimes will relax and can be less prone to breed. I've ruined several colonies by removing weaker males to help reduce the violence, but found this also reduced the dominant mouse's want/need to breed as actively. YMMV of course. 
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Troy Rexroth
Rextiles
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RE: Quick Genetic Question! - Rextiles, Thu Feb 14 20:11:32 2013