Fostering Mice??

So, I have a corn and an MBK that will only eat live. I have 2 mouse colonies, both 1.3. 1 colony is well established, having birthed over 30 offspring in the last few months. However, they ate the last litter of 11, due to a feeding mishap(I tried to switch to pellet food, and they didn't like it, or weren't getting enough nutrients, or something...they ate all 11 from the litter.) I have since switched back to seed/dry fruit mixture, and their current litter of 11 pinks is healthy and robust, and they show no signs of eating them.

To the point...my 2 snakes that eat only live are on large fuzzies/small hoppers. I have only pinks. I went to the pet shop and picked up 4 large fuzzies, but I only needed to feed 1 today. I want to keep the other 3 alive for the next few days, until they need to be fed off. So I put them in with my established colony. The moms are allowing the new fuzzies to feed, and the dad has insepected them...smelling them, licking them, and stood there hovering over them for a few minutes.

My question...has anyone had any experience with successfully fostering mouse young? Do I need to be worried about the established colony killing and/or eating the 3 "foster children"? Since the mothers are already allowing them to feed, and have put them "in the pile" with the newborn pinks, do you think this will be a successful foster?

I want the fuzzies to live, and, obviously, if they are killed by the mothers or father of the established colony, my goal is for nought. What are your thoughts and opinions?

Well, I have almost no experience with mice, but... I would think that if they passed an initial inspection and there's been no signs of aggression towards the new babies, then you're out of the woods. If the mothers are letting them suckle, they've probably been fully assimilated into the colony. The only reason the mother might reject them now is if there's a sudden food shortage.

I know rats can be very successful foster parents, so I would assume you can expect the behavior in mice too.

Well...they've been in there for about 3 and a half hours, and there is no signs of aggression towards the fuzzies. I just checked on them and all three mothers were feeding, one had 2 fuzzies and a couple pinks, the other two had pinks, and the third fuzzy was attached to a nipple somewhere, but I couldn't get a clear view.

I think I have a successful fostering going on. Hopefully when I get home from work tonight, they will all still be there...

They should be fine

When I raised my own feeders I did this a lot with both mice and rats. I would keep my mice at 1.4 per cage (cat litter box). Sometimes 3 or 4 females would give birth at once so I would only leave 12 and place the rest in cages with smaller litters. If you were raising them to grow larger things would become very over crowded (and smelly) in a couple weeks.

By the way, you might want to try lab block. Most feed stores can order (Purina/Mazuri brand) it. It's usually around $20 for a 50 lb. bag. Just don't let it sit in the heat to long or beetles will show up inside.