Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been trying to start a mouse colony, but the past couple of litters have been cannibalizsed, and I don't know which mouse is doing it. I had a group of 1.3, male and 2 female white mice, and a female fancy mouse. I seperated the fancy mouse two weeks ago because she was very pregnant, and I didn't want to have another dead litter. She gave birth and is raising the young mice.
But what do I do about the other 3? Should I just start over? If it's just one mouse that's killing, I just want to get rid of it...
Is it most likely the male that's doing it?
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-audri
Webpage/Pics

i have 3, 5-1 colonies and i lost the 1st litter in each one , and it was always the female that gave birth . like they didn't know what to make of these things so they just kill them. once they figure it out,then they all became good moms.maybe try to introduce the females one at a time so they can acclimate good luck.

Well I hope it was the female who gave birth. LOL!! Yeah they are kind of like gerbils, they don't know what those things coming out of their @$$ is that is moving so they eat it to get rid of it. After the next 2 litters if it still happens feed them all off and start a colony of 1:2. I know a gross way to put it but thats what happens.
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irtBikeBoy50@aol.com" target="_blank">DirtBikeBoy50@aol.comMy pets: Savanna Monitor, 2 pictus geckos,hamster,cat,and 6 goldfish.

At first I was just attributing it to new mothers...but I had 3 litters from 2 mice...the first 2 were all dead before I saw them...but the third, there were a few dead pinks and 7 live ones, the mom seemed to be taking care of the live ones...and then the next day, there were 6 more dead ones, and only one left alive, that I fed to my milksnake. At least my $6 fancy mouse isn't killing anything (the others were a buck something apiece). I think I'm just going to raise up her litter and use them as breeders...
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-audri
Webpage/Pics

If I were you, I'd keep the male. The papas are almost never the killers. When the other two females are evidently preggers, remove them each to her own birthing cage. That way, you'll isolate the cannabalistic one, and can eliminate her. Possibly, when they're isolated for birthing, both may raise their litters. In that case, you'll know that the cannabalism was either probably due to stress, or was being done by the papa. Keep back one male and at least two females from each of the mamas, and you'll have the foundation for a good colony. If they're all raised together from infancy in a roomy cage, they'll probably not kill their babies.

One other thing: it is essential that they have adequate fresh water available at all times. The most common cause of cannabalism in rodents is thirsty parents.

tricia

>>At first I was just attributing it to new mothers...but I had 3 litters from 2 mice...the first 2 were all dead before I saw them...but the third, there were a few dead pinks and 7 live ones, the mom seemed to be taking care of the live ones...and then the next day, there were 6 more dead ones, and only one left alive, that I fed to my milksnake. At least my $6 fancy mouse isn't killing anything (the others were a buck something apiece). I think I'm just going to raise up her litter and use them as breeders...
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>>-audri
>>Webpage/Pics

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tricia

I would keep some of the females from your litter that is working out and raise them up as breeders. Then get them a new male in a few months when they are big enough to breed. I found that my later generations are way more productive than the group that started it.

I had this problem until I raised the level of protein my moms wee eating. Try to find a food with more than 20% protein. Many dog foods fit this bill. Mine were only getting about 14% and were eating all their litters. Raised the protein, and things have been frine. I now have more feeders than I know what to do with.

Sometimes first time breeders will do that,and then will raise the rest of there litters fine,but then again sometimes you just have to sit there and watch and get the one doing it,i have a tank of satins that ate all theres everytime i cleaned there tub...so i dont know if they do it because they smell me on there babies.good-luck steve