Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I decided to start breeding mice to save money on feeders. The only problem is, they are so cute. They run on the wheel and bite your fingers when you hold them.

I have 40 hungry snakes that know I'm holding out on them.

I am getting a shipment tomarrow of a hundred feeder mice and plan to gas them all. I just need to slip mine into the chamber with the feeders.

How the hell do you kill something you watched get created?

I guess it goes with the business.
Jason Mc

It's hard to kill the babies, just try not to think about it. I still have a hard time killing off mice/rats.

If you are giving your breeders wheels to run on, they may be losing important fat stores that they need when bred back to back.
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1.1 Ball Python, 0.1 motley amel corn, 1.0 western hognose, 1.0 red blood

Yeah, it is hard to kill off mice. I particularly dislike kiling of the fuzzies/hoppers. Once their eyes open and they start acting cute, it is very tempting to not kill them. I have gotten into the mindset, though, of treating them as though they are cattle. I know that that might not make any real sense because I've never raised cattle, but it helps keep me from getting attached to any of the mice. That is also how I explain the situation to my 9 year old. Just as there are cows that are born specifically to be eaten by us, there are mice who are destined from birth to be eaten by a snake. The difference is that we have the luxury of not having to see what we eat before it is packaged. It is for that very reason that I understand why some people simply should (or could) not breed their own feeders, and why other people make money doing it for them.

I lived on a farm and worked for a butcher. Killing, no matter what or who is not easy. You do have to set your mind to it. And it bums your day sometimes. I have some I name and keep and will never end up in the freezer. Like a milk cow. But the rest I try to keep a distance and keep in my mind that they are snake food....like the steers. Helps if you can pick out a day and just know that that is the day you are gonna do them. Also helps if you have a selling outlet that you can send the cutest, hardest to kill, ones off to.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

Yea it sucks, but I know I got to do it today.
I did'nt realize that the wheel was a bad thing for breeders. I give my breeder mice a little time after they give birth before I put them back with the male. Usually a few weeks. Is it still bad to let them have the wheel eventhough I wait that small amount of time?
Please let me know.
Jason Mc

>>Yea it sucks, but I know I got to do it today.
>>I did'nt realize that the wheel was a bad thing for breeders. I give my breeder mice a little time after they give birth before I put them back with the male. Usually a few weeks. Is it still bad to let them have the wheel eventhough I wait that small amount of time?
>>Please let me know.
>>Jason Mc

Why is the wheel a bad thing? And how do you change a male in and out of a mouse colony? I would surely have a dead male. I don't move a thing once a group is set up. And probably half my mice and rats have wheels.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I've had only one male doing the job of 10 women for two months now. He is a big boy who dont tolerate any problems from the ladies. Is this not normal? Am I over sexing him? I'm not inbreeding since I constantly pull the babies out as feeders, and when a female dosent look fit as a breeder, I just go to the local pet store and pick up a new breeder. I keep three tanks going with this method and dont let the male have access to the babies.

Should I get more Males? I dont want to stress my male out (over sexed).

The only reason I ask if the wheel is a bad thing is because, a few threads back someone stated that the females might burn needed fat for breeding. My mice love their wheels and cant seem to get enough of it. I keeps the mice happy and busy, and that keeps me happy.

Thanks:
Jason Mc

>>I've had only one male doing the job of 10 women for two months now. He is a big boy who dont tolerate any problems from the ladies. Is this not normal? Am I over sexing him? I'm not inbreeding since I constantly pull the babies out as feeders, and when a female dosent look fit as a breeder, I just go to the local pet store and pick up a new breeder. I keep three tanks going with this method and dont let the male have access to the babies.
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>>Should I get more Males? I dont want to stress my male out (over sexed).
>>
>>The only reason I ask if the wheel is a bad thing is because, a few threads back someone stated that the females might burn needed fat for breeding. My mice love their wheels and cant seem to get enough of it. I keeps the mice happy and busy, and that keeps me happy.

Wheel wise, I figure it keeps the ones with too much energy busy and out of trouble. If they needed the energy to breed I don't think they would be running the wheel. Nature made them to run all over and breed too...so my own thoughts are that at least they aren't getting fat and having that cause trouble.

As for moving a male mouse around. No, I don't think it will hurt him with 10 girls from his point of veiw. I have tubs with 8.1 all the time. But my concern would be moving him around often the girls think he doesn't belong and will kill him. If it works for you then do it. I don't move male mice around. My luck the girls would have him for lunch. Mice are brutes.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I have found that if I have NO interaction at all with them apart from cleaning and feeding it is easier to kill them off because then you do not look upon them as pets only as food.

Peter