Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All,

I'm going to be setting up a mouse breeding colony after I relocate in July and I am currently researching the options for different cage systems. I am particularly interested in diminishing odor and dander as much as possible. I will be setting up in a heated garage and I do realize that I will have to create some method of exhaust to control air flow.

I would like to know what method you guys use for your mouse breeding colonies, and especially how you guys control odor. There is a mouse housing facility where I work and even though the cage units are covered with PC filter covers and both air intake and exhaust are routed to the exterior of the building, there is still a considerable amount of odor detected in the room.

The two obvious systems are the Freedom Breeder type of set up, which is not too expensive but probably does not control odor at all, or the lab type cages with filter cover. These happen to be alot more expensive. A complete set of 10 large mouse cages is about $2000.

I would love to hear your suggestions and advice.

Thanks in advance,
Maria

...was inappropriate for this forum. Sorry about that.

Maria

It's probably just that not many of us have much to say about keeping the rodent scent down. I raise my own and know of several others that do also. But I just change my mice bedding often to reduce the smell. I have my mice in an unheated/uncooled garage.
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Vichris

Vichris Variables

I breed all my own feeders during the winter time when it's cooler here in SW AZ. I keep them in the garage and I too don't know of any other way around the smell besides changing the bedding all the time like at least every 5-7 days. Unless your in a 10 ft radius of the cage in the garage the smells not that bad, but then again I'm only producing mice for less than a dozen colubrids. I've been using a Apple Herpetological Mice Breeding cage for the last 2-3 years that's been pretty effective and easy to maintain.
Good Luck,
Uncloudy

i know you are talking mice, my girlfreind and i breed rats in our storage closet, we keep the rat cage next to the cat litter box, and the box smells far worse so the rats arent half bad. when i was working in the pet industry back in vermont i had a customer who i regretibly sold some small female peach phase leonis to, he said that he would put a small amount of pure vannilla extract in the water bottles and that would nuetrilize the ammonia smell, i have never tried it myself but he swore by it, just an idea

adam

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1.2 THAYERI
1.2 SPLENDIDA (1.0 ALBINO/ 0.2 HYPO)
1.1 CORNS SNAKES (0.1 SNOW/ 1.0 STRIPEDSUNGLOW)
0.1 REDFOOT TORTOISE
1.0 LEOPARD TORTOISE
0.1 PYXIE FROG
0.0.1 HORNED FROG
0.0.1 TADPOLES

n/p

It just does not seem worth the extra time and smell to raise my own. Most babies start on F/T better than live IMHO. I only need to buy a small number of live pinks each year for stubborn feeders. Just my two cents.
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Rick
Never Enough
Reptiles

Rick,

I have been buying frozens for quite some time now but it costs a small fortune. Plus, my 50 or so collection of snakes will no doubt only grow over time. I'm lucky enough now to live close to a reptile swap were I can pick them up, but when I move to Alaska I can only imagine that the shipping cost would be very expensive...even if I order big shipments (and I won't have any access to live pinks if needed). I also have other species of snakes that, once are breeding and produce babies, may only take live.

I'm trying to set myself up so I can operate completely independently. I'm even breeding Madagascar hissing roaches now as a food supply for my tarantula collection to replace my dependence on crickets.

Thanks for your imput,
Maria

That is a different situation; I didn’t realize you were going to Alaska. I’m afraid your quest to be mouse odor free is unobtainable. Have you considered an out building or a small (Insulated) shed attached to your Garage? A WELL insulated shed (say 4 x 8 x 7) can be heated with a very small space heater (mine is built with 2x6’s and 6in insulation, I would use 2x8’s in AK and 8 in insulation), weather seal the door too.

This is way off topic but I like “Blaptica dubia” better than hissers as feeder roaches. They do not fly or climb (as well) as Hissers. FAR less chance of them getting out and invading the garage (and house) – I have experiance. The down sides are they are live bearers so reproduce at a slower rate and are not as large as hissers. www.blaberous.com for more info; James is a “straight-up” guy.

Good Luck in Alaska...
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Rick
Never Enough
Reptiles

I agree that building an external well insulated, heated shed may be my only option. I was looking for a residence with a separate insulated shed/garage when house hunting, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to find anything I was happy with.

Thanks a lot for recommending Blaptica dubia. I do remember reading about them before, but I had the impression that their breeding cycle was MUCH slower than hissers. After reading a bit more about them, per your suggestion, the slower breeding cycle is probably a worthwhile tradeoff in order to have the piece of mind of the non-climbers. I'm going to look into purchasing a colony.

Thanks for the info!
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Maria
"Life is like a box of thayeri eggs..."