Fattining up mice?

[cornsnakekid92]

Well i am tring for a second time to try and breed mice. I got a trio at a show but they are still small, about the hopper stage. How long untill they should breed? Is there anything i can feed them to get them to grow fast and get to size? how many abaies and how often should i expect from a trio of mice? it is ok to just feed lab blocks right? anything else i should know ? randome facts? Tips to help thme breed? is 65-75 ok temps?

 

[Bobo's Mama]

I have my 3 set up in a 10 gallon tank with 2 hides, a wheel, a water bottle, and a bunch of wooden chews. Lab blocks are more healthy than seed mix because they are not just corn and seeds. Blocks are made of all kinds of grains and also have more protein content than seed mix. Don't bother with a food dish, because they will just pee and crap in it. Dump the lab blocks in one corner of the cage, but make sure its not under the water bottle, because if the blocks get wet they dissolve into a nasty mush. You should expect them to start mating around 8 to 9 weeks old, then the first babies come along about 23 or so days after. The first litters can be small and might get eaten, but its just first mom's who do that. And most times they don't do that in the second litter. One of the most important things you can do is nothing! Don't mess with them much at all. I think someone on here called it benign neglect, meaning you do just enough to feed them and water them and change the cage, but ignore them the rest of the time. I use Kaytee's SoftSorbent bedding mixed with rabbit food pellets. This is the greatest for keeping the smell down. I also feed mine a handful of dog food once a week, along with some peanuts in the shell, unsalted ones. It gives them something to do, a treat, and the peanut shells also become part of the bedding as well. That's what I do, and I was bored, so decided to tell you about it all! Good luck.

 

[cornsnakekid92]

ok, Thank you, i do not have to worrie about the food dish or anything though because i picked up one of those mouse breeder things at a show, that just has the divit down where you drop the food. I just weighted mine and they are about 15-20 grams and large hopperish size. Already weaned. How old are they about?

 

[Bobo's Mama]

They are probably about 3 1/2 weeks-4 weeks old. That seems about right. I also usually have a seed treat bar in there too. Just for variety sake. Good for them to gnaw on, and a treat too. I've heard of some people giving them cereal, like corn flakes and cheerios. They do like fruit, but its real messy and you have to take it out after an hour or two so it doesn't get the whole tank gross.

 

[Baba-Lou]

I weigh my mice and my weanlings are about that size. So deffinatly late 3 weeks eearly 4 weeks old. deffinatly.

 

[Kiriapollo]

I'm new to this forum, but I bred gerbils for 5 years and rats for 4. I found that they tend to do better and have more offspring if you also give them a little calcium in the form of yogurt treats 2-3 times a week. They also do better on the water comsumption if you give them some romain lettuce, not iceburg (that's nothing but water no nutrition). I averaged about 14-19 babies every 4 weeks with my rats for 3 1/2 out of the four years. The last 1/2 of a year they were just old maids enjoying the rest of their life. There was a couple of times I actually got 20 and 21 babies out of one of my females. I spoiled them rotten, when it came to food.