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I have decided to breed my own mice. I have an argentine black and white tegu, a savanna monitor, 3 whites treefrogs, an ornate pacman, 2 beardies, 7 large tarantulas, and 3 scorpions to feed them to. I have a group of 5 females and 1 male. Is it ok to keep them in a trash can? probably as much floor space as a 5 gal. I use "perfect choice" rodent food. Also, will the mice drink from a normal water bowl? Am I doing anything wrong? Thanks.

>>I have decided to breed my own mice. I have an argentine black and white tegu, a savanna monitor, 3 whites treefrogs, an ornate pacman, 2 beardies, 7 large tarantulas, and 3 scorpions to feed them to. I have a group of 5 females and 1 male. Is it ok to keep them in a trash can? probably as much floor space as a 5 gal. I use "perfect choice" rodent food. Also, will the mice drink from a normal water bowl? Am I doing anything wrong? Thanks.

Personally I have done similar....BUT
You will have to change it out ever other day or so....especially with hoppers if you have any. so if you are pulling all or most of the pups before hopper stage it will be a big difference.
NO, a water bowl will be a soggy diseaster. Rodents have an undying urge to shove bowls full of bedding. When I did a bucket like tub I hung a bottle down in on wire and covered the top with a screen. (so mice don't climb out the bottle wire area)
What is the % protein and fat in the food? If it is a seed mix it will probably not be enough to work on breeders.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

15 percent protein. I bought it because the petstore i buy my feeders at uses it for their breeders. I will get something the mice can drink out of (not a bowl) but I cannot for a week. Will they die of dehydration if I only have a bowl of water in there for a week? Thanks for your help.

You can use a dish temporarily. Just make sure its not somthing they can slip into and not get out of (like a cereal bowl with the sloped sides probably wouldn't be a good idea).

If you take a clean plastic crate , I found some small enough to fit into a 10 gallon at the dollar store, (but any climbable object with a flat surcface will work)--- flipped it upside down and put the water dish on it. This kept the water away from the bedding and reduces the water contamination. Also make sure the dish is heavy enough so as not to tip.

If not, you can put a dish straight into the bedding. Just check it in the morning and at night to make sure its relatively bedding free.

Hope this helps.

>>15 percent protein. I bought it because the petstore i buy my feeders at uses it for their breeders. I will get something the mice can drink out of (not a bowl) but I cannot for a week. Will they die of dehydration if I only have a bowl of water in there for a week? Thanks for your help.

I would aim for 25 or so % Personally I feed 27% and I think it is 10% fat. If you have a ton of the 15% stuff I would supplement it with cat kibble.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny