Need help with mice and ASFS.

Alright, so here is the deal. I have a few colonies of asfs and probably 25+ colonies of mice... I just need help as you can see I have ALOT of mice, so changing water dishes every day is getting a little annoying. I have the watering system and all. but because I have been using the water dishes they don't use the sippers at all, what would you guys suggest doing to get them to use the nipples? I am getting to a point where cleaning dishes every day is taking up way to much time. any feed back on how I can get them to start using the water sippers would be awesome!

What have you tried so far? And most importantly, are you sure the nipples are working properly? If you haven't already, I say just take away the dishes. They're pretty smart critters :) Now, if you've done that already and have noticed significant die offs, here's what I'd do. Hold a mouse/rat up to the nipple, tap it with your finger and get the water flowing. Once one or two know how to use it, the others catch on pretty fast. It may be time consuming, but try with at least one or two in each colony. Good luck!

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Originally Posted by MootWorm

What have you tried so far? And most importantly, are you sure the nipples are working properly? If you haven't already, I say just take away the dishes. They're pretty smart critters :) Now, if you've done that already and have noticed significant die offs, here's what I'd do. Hold a mouse/rat up to the nipple, tap it with your finger and get the water flowing. Once one or two know how to use it, the others catch on pretty fast. It may be time consuming, but try with at least one or two in each colony. Good luck!

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so far, I have tried nothing haha, I've had the watering system for awhile and just got everything hooked up, ill grab a few mice and put their faces up to the flowing water :). I was also thinking of maybe scenting it? with something sweet they may like so they go an bite it or what ever then water would come out. thanks for the suggestion though.

Just pull the water bowls. I don't know about the mice, but the ASFs should take right to them. I went from lab cages with bottles to a rack system with watering system and never lost a single one in 40+ breeding treos. I think mice would do the same. Just make sure that they are working properly - use your finer to wiggle the sensor and see if water drips. If it does, just pull the bowls.

Pull the bowls buddy those little rodents are smarter than you give them credit for, especially when it comes to finding water ;-) Also I just want to throw this out there. I hope you have sop's where you do not mix rat contaminated items or even touch your rats then go touch your mice... the rats are carrying some bad mycoplasma's that will wipe out a mouse colony in the blink of an eye.

BTW, when I had an escapee, it was smart enough to chew through the rubber tubing to get water, IN SIX PLACES! :O:omg::angered::frustrate

I agree with most of the above advice. Pull the bowls, they will find the water nipple.

You can try rubbin a lil drop of honey on the nipples. But i agree about taking the bowls away. I never use water bowls with my rodents.

sent from my incubator

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Originally Posted by BulkMice

Pull the bowls buddy those little rodents are smarter than you give them credit for, especially when it comes to finding water ;-) Also I just want to throw this out there. I hope you have sop's where you do not mix rat contaminated items or even touch your rats then go touch your mice... the rats are carrying some bad mycoplasma's that will wipe out a mouse colony in the blink of an eye.

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there is contamination from asfs to mice? Where I live we can't have rats it's like a 5000$ fine per rat, the person I bought the asfs off (Bobbafett) had mice and asfs together with no problem. I've also had mine together for a week now and nothing is going bad. If you're meaning Norway rats then I understand but none of them here haha and thanks for the tips everyone!

That's the first I've heard of it. From my understanding, both species carry Mycoplasma. I've had them together for almost a year now with no ill effects. But I also quarantine any new animals.