Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it a rarity for female mice to be sterile and male mice to fire blanks ? Or as we say in the UK to be a "Jaffa" (Jaffa oranges are seedless )
I have got a small set up with six 12in X 18in X 4in trays with 1.4 in them. I normaly dont expect any babys out of newly setup trays for atleast 2 months.
First month to settle in and to get used to the bi-weekly cleaning and to the change in food etc etc and the second month to do what come naturally.
We recently had a heat wave here in the UK (It reached 102f,the hottest EVER since records began ) and it decimated my breeders. I have set up again ( 4 out of 6 trays )and have got mice from several different sources to avoid inbreeding. At this moment in time I have had 2 litters ( total of 12 )out of a total of 16 young adult females in 3 months from the new mice but have had a total of 142 babies from the original two 1.4 in the same period

Is this normal or are the new breeders only fit for food and it is better to start over again, possibly using babies from the older set ups ? I have got to get these mice breeding soon because it is costing me a fortune buying frozen from the shop

are these trays really only 4" high? a mouse can't even stand up on it's hind legs in a tray that low. To me these trays are way to small for 5 adult mice to be in. They certainly won't be getting enough exercise with so little room to run around. I would switch them all to trays at least 24"x18"x8" in size, add in at least one exercise wheel per tray, give them some insentive to bred, like room to grow in.

24 X 18 X 8.....!!!!!!!!!!!! for 5 MICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would use that for 4 RATS or maybe 1.1 hippo's
AND spend money on wheels for them to waste energy on ? I dont want them to waste energy on anything but making babys, lots of babys, lots an lots of babys

hi peteruk
your trays sound the same size as the of the guy's on here use,
where did you get yours from,do you have them in a rack ...any pic of your trays?
i have sometime s found in groups of 1.4 that you get an alfa female that just keeps produce and maybe just one other female ,so only 2 female that produce of 4
anyone else explain this