New Mice

Well we finally broke down and have decided to get into a small amount of mouse breeding. We've now got 3 ball pythons and 1 milksnake that are eating mice and running out weekly to pick through what the local pet stores have available is getting old quick.

I was determined though if I've got to breed mice, well dang it, I'm breeding cute mice so introducing....Licorice (black & white male) and Taffy (caramel & white female). They'll be joined by another female when I can find a cute one (all the rest they had available were standard plain white ones today).

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...fyLicorice.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...oriceTaffy.jpg

I've set them up in a 10 gallon tank with food, a small water bottle, a plastic rodent tube to mess about in and a small plastic mouse house thing I had laying around from some long ago small rodent pet. Hopefully they'll be so happy they'll make lots of nice mouse babies for us. :)

Will the ten gallon be sufficient for three adult mice and their offspring until weaned or should I plan on a bigger tank? For now it will just be Licorice and Taffy until I can find another cute female to add to the little mouse group. As far as I remember I shouldn't remove the male either when the females birth, correct? I remember reading something that the females won't accept him back in so best to leave the family group as it is and just remove offspring when weaned to a feeder/grower enclosure.

Any major differences in mouse and rat breeding I might need to know? I tried once before to breed mice and they ate their young but that was awhile back. I've done a lot more research since then and read up here on rodent breeding so hopefully it will go better this time around. Any little tricks though from our successful mice breeders you want to share...feel free!

I don't know if they are big enough to breed yet. I'm assuming they are young adults as they seem about the right size so hopefully they are all set to go.

Awww - they have to be some of the prettiest mice I've seen in a LONG time! The other kinds that I like are the silkies!

Aww, very cute! They look like some of mine(my cow mice, hehe). And yes, a 10 gallon is definitely sufficient for a 1.2 or even 1.3 with babies. I've done 1.4 and it just got too crowded with all the hoppers(not weaned yet, so couldn't remove 'em).

They really like shredded newspaper and whatnot to burrow in and it seems to keep them calmer and less apt to eat their children or roommate(rarely happens anyway, but still, LoL). :)

Good luck with 'em! If you need any help, just ask.

Well you might find this site interesting http://www.fancymice.info/breedfrontpage.htm

I can't tell you all the crazy colors/patterns long/short haired variations I have gotten. I just sold off the bulk of my mice though...to stinky and the african rats are taking over LOL. I only kept a few mice for pinkies.


Have fun with them! *pinches nose*

Cute little bugger's let us know how it goes.;)

Thanks for that link Deb. It's tucked away in my favorites list for review. Thanks for the comments everyone. They are kind of cute. We'll see how the smell factor goes LOL. At least at this point Licorice and Taffy seem to like each other quite a lot and are mouse cuddling in their purple palace of passion LOL.

Congrats, and best of luck. I can't wait to see the babies they produce. :clap:

Well he's been with Taffy since December 19th and I added in Foxy and Happy on January 14th and no babies yet.....hmmmmmmm. Mr. Licorice best get his self in gear and get to work! I sort of expected Taffy to be preggers by now. Maybe the male breeder rats should have a talk with little Licorice about what bit goes where and how to keep ones job in the colony LOL.

I've got a 1.2 trio of Silkies... I did the same thing, picked out the most beautiful mice I could find... Well, both of the females popped at the same time, and well.... the babies ranged from gorgeous to WTF???? Apparently I have the hairless gene in the mix some where!!!! :P:oops::P

You name it... it was in those 2 litters!!!! So, be ready, you NEVER know what your gonna get! :rolleyes: