raising mice for food question

[punyhuman07]

tail will not fall off i handle the p/k though that stuff don't bother me just seems like time consuming thats all i just trying to get all my cards in line before i decide on breeding my own mice and rats for my snakes i have three right now and frozen just seems so much more money to me so i thank you for everything ou have told me... my wife is going crazy i'm telling her everything i'm learning here..she loves the snakes but hates the whole feeding thing lol but she's cool with everything else...

do you keep certain male and females after they are born to use in future breeding or do you just buy them and if so how do you choose that very one with so many running around like the female also..

[truthsdeceit]

tail will not fall off i handle the p/k though that stuff don't bother me just seems like time consuming thats all i just trying to get all my cards in line before i decide on breeding my own mice and rats for my snakes i have three right now and frozen just seems so much more money to me so i thank you for everything ou have told me... my wife is going crazy i'm telling her everything i'm learning here..she loves the snakes but hates the whole feeding thing lol but she's cool with everything else...

do you keep certain male and females after they are born to use in future breeding or do you just buy them and if so how do you choose that very one with so many running around like the female also..

No the tail won't fall off. I'm treating that as a questions so I hope it was.

Breeding mice can be very time consuming, I check on them everyday, change water and add food about every other day, change bedding every 3-4 days, and do various other little tasks throughout the week.

Frozen does seem like a lot of money, mostly cause it's one big chunk, I actually prefer spending 10-12dollars a month rather than 90 every 6months. Regardless of which is cheaper it's just easier when I don't have to plan for a 100 dollar bill all at once.

My current breeding group hasn't been going that long but I do plan on keeping females back for future breeders once my current ones get older. I try to pick ones who's mother gave me big litters, was healthy, and had a good personality, because these things can be genetic. But really any healthy mouse can be held back and it depends on what's available when I need new ones.

I'll be keeping back a male next time, but the one after that I'll buy so that new blood is always entering my breeding colony. I won't have to worry about the males as often because they live longer and can breed almost till death.
Females tend to die sooner, breeding takes alot out of them, and they stop being fertile when they get old.

[punyhuman07]

thanks for the tips one last question then i'm going to sleep what size tubs did you say i'm i'm going to walmart tommorrow and may pic up two of the with lids?

[truthsdeceit]

thanks for the tips one last question then i'm going to sleep what size tubs did you say i'm i'm going to walmart tommorrow and may pic up two of the with lids?

I keep mine in 16qt tubs floor dimentions 18"x11" and about 7" high. but that only houses 3-4 adult mice comfortably or 2 adults and a litter. My grow out tubs are 30qt. they've got double the floor space but are the same height. Be sure the tubs are smooth on the inside so there's no place for the mice to chew.

Yes with lids, use a soldering iron or hot glue gun (without glue) to melt air holes and a hole for the water bottle. You can also drill holes just be careful not to crack the plastic.

People also use rodent racks, which is a shelving unit where I tubs slide in and out without lids. Search "rodent rack" or "rat rack" in one of the feeder forums if you want to see those.
But one or two tubs and 3-4 mice should cover your needs, racks are for people who need lots and lots of rodents.