So it looks like ...

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Originally Posted by Wild Bill

I think they really do well in racks with tubs and a large food area above them. It creates a "dark" spot to hide and nest under. In aquariums etc the extra nesting material helps them feel secure in the "open" environment.

Just observations from when I used to use aquariums and switched to racks. ;)

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We'll see. ;)

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

We'll see. ;)

-adam

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:sweeet:

Bill the first time I tried to breed mice I gave the rotten things a mouse Hilton. Lots of space, one male and two females, tons of toileter paper rolls to dash through, a dang mouse condo made out of a big cereal box with little doorways, lots of nummy food and clean water. They repaid me by eating their own darn young! Geeze but rats are so much easier LOL.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Bill the first time I tried to breed mice I gave the rotten things a mouse Hilton. Lots of space, one male and two females, tons of toileter paper rolls to dash through, a dang mouse condo made out of a big cereal box with little doorways, lots of nummy food and clean water. They repaid me by eating their own darn young! Geeze but rats are so much easier LOL.

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When I used aquariums at first they would eat alot of their babies. Then I started giving them cardbord boxes to nest inside of and the numbers improved. I really have seen a large increase since using the newest racks I built (setup similar to a Freedom Breeder). I used to clean around the nest if there were babies present for fear they would eat them. Now when I clean I move the adults and the babies to new tubs and don't lose any. Plus my rodents are all out a seperate building and only get disturbed when cleaning, feeding, watering and weaning. Once I finish installing the auto waterers (next week) it will only be once a week that they get disturbed. ;)

dang, mice are a pain! my rats don't get near that much privacy and if i need to clean i just pick mom and babies up, plop them into an empty tub, clean and plop them back in. once or twice i've had a mom give birth before i expected while she was in with another female and i just scooped them up and moved them to a nursing tub like it was no big thing! glad i don't have to breed those high maintenace mouse boogers!

very cute!!

if mice weren't so stinky, i would breed them, and the thing is RATS aren't as stinky as mice! and they're bigger!!

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Originally Posted by mlededee

dang, mice are a pain! my rats don't get near that much privacy and if i need to clean i just pick mom and babies up, plop them into an empty tub, clean and plop them back in. once or twice i've had a mom give birth before i expected while she was in with another female and i just scooped them up and moved them to a nursing tub like it was no big thing! glad i don't have to breed those high maintenace mouse boogers!

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I sure agree with you there Em. I handle pretty much every litter of rats born here within 8 to 12 hours of birth to make sure there are no genetic deformities and that everybody is showing indications of a milkband. The mother rats never care much and are more likely to be bugging to be picked up or given a treat than make a fuss over me around the little leeches.

funny, 5 years ago i was breeding mice... lots of mice. all in seperate 10 gallon tanks... and they were doing GREAT. no major smell either. but in the last year i've tried to breed them and can't. they stink, they die like craZZZZZZZy.

so... i'm doing the rattie dance now ;)

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

I would if I had any, I'm kinda just fumbling into some luck here :p ... right now I'm using 20 gallon longs (about to switch to a rack) ... I have groups of 1.6 - 1.8 set up ... I keep a group for about 4-5 months then I dump it and start fresh ... I think the only real secret I have is "nesting material" ... it seems like once I started giving them piles of unprinted newspaper scraps, the production went throught the roof. Other than that, I dunno, they're just figuring it out???? :confuzd:

-adam

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Adam, why do you keep your mice colonies for 4-5 months then dump them? Does it help with the size of litters when you use young mice to breed?

You know, it sure does make me feel better that others are not fond of these little buggers just like me. Give me ratties any day over mice! I've got 3 adultall pythons that only take mice (in addition to a couple of 2006 babies I haven't switched over yet) but I'm going to be putting alot of effort into switching them to rats after breeding season. Keep your fingers crossed for me.