Greetings, I have basically started breeding rodents only a few months ago and have tried various substrates and feeds since that time. A few probably recall my updates and questions from the start.
For substrate I originally stated alfalfa pellets to keep odors down. This worked great until pinks were produced. The pellets would break down to a powder when wet with the powder then coating the pinks. Terrible mess. I went back to pine but shavings that have chlorophyll added. This product works great for both mice and rats. I hope to find this product though in a bulk size. Only source I have for this product is Petsmart and they do not carry a bulk pack for this. I have heard of some using alfalfa straw which I may try but I have had great success with the pine with additive thus far to make me go further.
Adding a teaspoon of imatation vanilla extract per gallon of water as greatly helped with keeping ammonia down as well. I can now let mice tubs go weekly before changing without hardly any noticeable bad odor. Rats though I still change every 3-4 days. I am currently using 500ML water bottles. Since production has begun I have been filling bottles daily. I may eventual go with a simple autowater but hear mice clog the water tubes time and again. Small breeding numbers now so water bottle filling takes no time to accompolish. Something to think about if I expand.
The block feed I use for mice is manufactured by Zeigler. Great product where as my females are producing litters of between 12-18 each. For Rats I have been using Old Roy manufactured by Walmart. I do suppliment at times with a Wild Birdseed Product from Walmart as well as rabbit pellets.
Basically being new to this since the summer time I have only been working with small numbers. 5 Lab style breeding tubs of each (Mice and Rats). These are 18"x9"x6" for the mice (1.6 colony size) with the rat tubs being pretty much similar in stayle and size except for having an 8" height instead of the 6" height of the mice tubs. These tubs were acquired from SAS supplies and are of the Opaque still. I find these much more durbale than the polycarbonate tubs as the later is not very forgiving if banged or dropped. The opaque style also seems to offer the rodents a more secure nesting environment. They calm down much sooner after substrate changes than in the clear style tub.
I have yet to produce Rats as consistent with high litter numbers in relation to my mice colonies. The mice have been doing better than I originally thought they would. A production level I had not expected before I started doing this.
Feel free to post comments or suggestions as I welcome any ideas offered.
Rich Hebron
