Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, love my rat colonies and they're producing great.
I thought I would try breeding some mice. Here's the question

Do you remove the male mice when the females are ready???

I had two or three females ready to go, checked a few days later, they birthed and ate them all.

Is this always the case if males are left in????

In my rats they actually help out, bring the females food and move the pups to the moms when they stray.

Thanks
TomChambers

"Do you remove the male mice when the females are ready???"

NO.. once you setup a colony.. say a 1.4 group you leave them together for the entire breeding life of that colony.. you NEVER remove males or females, and adding in new females can sometimes be difficult.. NEVER remove males.. it causes all kinds of problems..

"I had two or three females ready to go, checked a few days later, they birthed and ate them all. Is this always the case if males are left in????"

Were they firsttime breeders?.. If they were, thats the answer right there. First time mouse mothers are more often than not HORRIBLE mothers and kill their litters. By the time the second litter comes, shes calmed down enough to figure it out and takes care of them.

Also.. how often were you looking in on them?.. Mice stress quite easily, and dont like people constantly peaking in on them. I found out that just leaving them alone, and only messing with them on cleaning day is the best policy.

What are you feeding them?... low protein diets cause moms to eat litters also.. 22-23% is optimal!

"In my rats they actually help out, bring the females food and move the pups to the moms when they stray."

Rats are a whole diffrent ball game than mice, how you setup colonies, and the whole breeding process is so much easier with rats. Male mice do help raise offspring just like male rats do, so thats not an issue.

best of luck

dan

I have barely messed with the colonies since I set them up about a month and a half ago. Three colonies 1.4 1.4 1.5

They were first time breeders for me, but I got them from a store so I don't know if they bred before I got them.

I was feeling guilty because I don't look in on them often, about once a week(hate the smell). Although I looked in a few times this week to see how many pinks they would birth.

I feed mazuri lab blocks, same as the rats.

Thanks again
TomChambers

its first time mothers..

see how it goes with the next litter.. if they eat em again then its decision time..

do you waste another month on animals which are gonna eat litters in the hope they wont?.. or do you get another group setup and hope for the best?

best of luck Tom,

dan

I think if they do it again I will opt to start more rat colonies and trade for mice.
A local store said they would give $1 per rat, and I only only have 2 snakes that eat mice.
I'm wondering if its really worth the hastle of mice when my rats are prolific breeders.

Thanks again Dan
TomChambers (GO JETS)

I have my mice in a single level rack I bought from Bush. My mice ate their babies until I covered half of the rack with wood to provide a sense of security. They stopped immediately. Same thing as people saying to only check on them when you must.

I have them in a "rubbermaid" knockoff brand tub that it is opaque for the most part. I really don't enjoy breeding them, so if they eat their young again I'll go strictly with rats.
Thanks again
TomChambers
Ps: did you get your pied yet lol
My memory is failing with time, but I thought you really liked the piebalds. If not disregard the Ps