Economy Mouse Colony setup

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but what can I say, I'm a glass half-full kind of guy! No matter that the glass itself keeps getting smaller...

Anyway, I'm very encouraged that Butter ate a live mouse the other day, and that while administering his daily oral meds, his mouth has been mucus-free for the last several days. If he eats the two remaining mice I have in a (too small to keep anything in long term) Critter Keeper, I am strongly considering setting up a small breeding colony. I have oodles of frozen pinkies and fuzzies for the remaining bunch of snakes, but as they finish off those, as long as I'm keeping adult mice for Butter, I might as well think about breeding enough to cull appropriate sized mice for them as well. Suddenly Rolling my Own seems to make more sense. Live mice at the local store aren't unreasonably priced at just under $2 per, but I can still save money in the long run and probably sell back excess (probably in frozen, vacuum packed form - I need to ask them to be sure).

So, what I'm asking after that extended prologue, is for advice (and pictures) of what I need to get to set up a breeding colony to produce enough mice to keep 6 bellies full. I read that at least Susan (Susang) has mice in Sterilite bins with hardware cloth in the lids. That seems economical (any other inexpensive suggestions?), but what size and how many? I'm totally guessing, but I figure I'd need one bin to keep a 1.2 or 1.3 breeding clan in, plus two additional bins to seperate male and female feeders in while they grow to whatever size I need before culling. Then maybe a 4th bin to make cleanup a little easier - transfer the living contents of one bin to the extra one that's already clean and restocked. Clean and sanitize the first bin to get it ready to rotate the next bin's mice to, and so on. Size I'm guessing something approx 20"x10" and tall enough that I don't have a mass escape as soon as I open the top. Advice is always welcome.

If using sterilite or anything else that's solid sided, what's the best way to afix the water bottle(s)?
What bedding do folks use for feeder mice? Will shredded newspaper work?

Again, I know I'm getting ahead of myself and I'm not going to run out and put all this together today, but if Butter insists on live and starts putting on weight that way, I won't try to butt heads with him over converting to f/t until he's much healthier and robust.

I gave up trying to breed mice, as they were WAY too stinky and I had to keep them in the snake/reef/frog/computer room. But, if I wanted to semi-seriously breed a few, I'd buy three of these:

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Rodent-Cages?sc=2&category=4#

I'd get the medium size. A little spendy to start out, but ease of use will make it worth it, IMO. Maybe even get 4, one to switch to when cleaning one.

Agree that's probably the best way to go (the whole 'do it right the first time' adage), but it is a bit spendy.

Thanks!

Still chewing...

Bruce,

I have just over 20 corns in my collection. And I have 4 colonies of mice that take care of all my feeding needs. Here's how I do it. I use small plastic cat litter trays from Wal - Mart . They cost $2 bucks each. They are made by the company calle Van Ness. These trays slide in and out of a homemade rack system. I keep 1 male and 4 females , sometimes 5 females / per colony. 1/4 " wire mesh is used for the top. There is a food hopper above, that holds the block rodent food. The mice chew at the food through the wire. This prevents them wasting the food and also pooping on it. I use Mazuri 6 F. Also forgot to mention that I also have a couple of LARGE cat litter trays that I use for grow out tubs. Meaning I grow out the young weanling mice for future breeders.

I'll try to take a few photos of my set up tomorrow sometime. It's pretty basic , but it works great for me.

Raising your own mice is definetlly the way to go. Yes, it will stink a little. And yes, it will take a little bit of work. But in the end , you'll have any size you need , when ever you want !!

Good luck, Stephen

I put my water bottles through the wire mesh ( I cut out a small square to put the metal sipper through). This is in the same area were my block food goes.

I use pine shavings. A large bag is 2.66 cu ft. Cost me $ 7.00 . Try to get the kind that is dust free. Meaning it doesn't have small particles of fine pine powder or dirt specks in it.

I went out side tonite and got some photos. My mouse room doesn't have any lights. I'll go ahead and show you these, and try to get some better ones Sunday.

Stephen29 said:

I put my water bottles through the wire mesh ( I cut out a small square to put the metal sipper through). This is in the same area were my block food goes.

I use pine shavings. A large bag is 2.66 cu ft. Cost me $ 7.00 . Try to get the kind that is dust free. Meaning it doesn't have small particles of fine pine powder or dirt specks in it.

I went out side tonite and got some photos. My mouse room doesn't have any lights. I'll go ahead and show you these, and try to get some better ones Sunday.

Click to expand...

Very great idea:laugh01:

I've been wanting to do something like that. Thanks for sharing.

One question: you block food is just put on top of the flat wire mesh, they can just eat through the wire? you don't need to cut bigger holes for them to feed? Cuz I bent my wire into a "V" shape similar to the professional cage and cut the wire to have bigger holes. I thought they need the "V" shape in order to eat.

Tks.

amon said:

Very great idea:laugh01:

I've been wanting to do something like that. Thanks for sharing.

One question: you block food is just put on top of the flat wire mesh, they can just eat through the wire? you don't need to cut bigger holes for them to feed? Cuz I bent my wire into a "V" shape similar to the professional cage and cut the wire to have bigger holes. I thought they need the "V" shape in order to eat.

Tks.

Click to expand...

The " V SHAPE " you are refering to, probably helps the food block FALL or SLIDE down near the bottom were the mice can eat it easily.

As far as my set up , the mice seem to be able to get to the block ok, through the wire. You could always cut out one or two SMALL squares, to possibly make it easier, but probaly not really necessary.

Also, I'm low on rodent food now. I have more ordered, and I usually have the food hopper filled to the top. The weight of the block food on top , will press down on the food at the bottom , causing some of the food to poke throuhg the wire. Easier for the mice to get.
Hope that makes sence.

Stephen

Today is sunday, and I tried to go out and get some better pictures. Unfortunately it was raining. But here they are anyway.

pic 1. top view of mouse rack

2. T rail that holds the trays

3. top view of tray

4. label of tray

5. mouse and pinks

Thanks! Helpful pix.