Post by LadyViper on Nov 16, 2006 15:55:18 GMT -6
MOUSE CARE SHEET
By David Wheeler
dwheeler@cox-internet.com
RAISING FEEDER MICE
OBTAINING BREEDER STOCK
Mice can be purchased from local pet stores, but you will most likely pay a substantial price. Local reptile hobbyist and mouse dealers, many of which advertise in reptile magazines, are usually cheaper sources for mice that can be used to start a colony. The male/female ratio will depend on the size enclosure you choose. Only one male per enclosure is suggested. More than one male in the enclosure typically results in constant fighting, an injured (usually sterile) male mouse, and/or nervous females. For large enclosures, one buck can be placed with six or more does. Most breeders usually prefer a one to five ratio in smaller enclosures. If you have the opportunity to pick your own mice, look for graceful, sleek racy bodies, clear eyes, long thick tails, and smooth skin. Common ailments include: mice that run around in circles having inner ear infections, red and/or runny eyes may indicate conjunctivitis or an infirm mouse. Thin tails are a result of a mouse not feeding well. Mice constantly scratching may have parasites. Mice are notorious for getting tumors. Once a tumor is observed, replace with a healthy mouse.
ENCLOSURES
Many breeders use stacking trays with automatic watering and feeding devices. These are great time savers if you can afford this type setup. Most smooth bottom enclosures work fine if they are tall enough to keep the mice from jumping out or can be covered with a well ventilated lid. I use Sterilite twenty gallon tubs. These are large enough to hold one male with five to eight females. Your mousery needs to stay dry, draft free, and out of direct sunlight with as little temperature variation as possible. A pint rodent watering bottle will furnish enough water for about seven days. Using cages with smooth bottoms keeps the mice from chewing through the enclosure. I use pine chips obtained in bulk from a local feed store as a moisture absorbing bedding. Discounts stores usually carry pine shavings and wood chips for small animal bedding. Although cedar shavings cover the scent of a mouse colony, they contain oil that rub off on the mice. Changing bedding at least once a week promotes healthier colonies, along with keeping neighbors on speaking terms. Adult mice, especially males, definitely have an unpleasant odor.
FOOD AND WATER
Mice are omnivorous seemingly able to eat almost anything. You can purchase lab blocks, biscuits, and other pelleted foods made especially for rodents at pet shops, feed store, and discount outlets. These can be suspended off the floor of the cage keeping it form being soiled. I keep my colony in healthy breeding condition using equal proportions by weight of: oats, wheat, corn, small oil sunflower seed, and dry dog food or lab blocks fed once each evening. Mice's teeth continually grow. Gnawing on these hard grains will help wear down their teeth and limit cage destruction. This recipe is also cost effective. Mice become most active during the night, so evening feedings are suggested. They soon learn a schedule, and will wait near the standard feeding location. Never feed more than your mice can eat in one day. Food is quickly soiled by a colony of mice. Fresh water is a must. Putting a tablesthingy of vinegar per quart of water might help cut down on the ammonia smell associated with a mouse colony. Mice tend to regulate their population. Lack of fresh food, water, and/or overcrowding will reduce the litter size-besides being unhealthy for the mice.
BREEDING
It is important to keep a colony together without constant switching males and females. New adult mice are seldom accepted without fighting for the first few days. Often the new member will be injured or killed by the established females--especially if they are pregnant. A male will often kill another male's offspring. Although one buck can be kept with a dozen does, a smaller male:female ratio is preferred. Once the colony is established, you can expect pinkies in about twenty-two days. The doe is able to get pregnant right after delivering her litter. Females often swipe newborns from other litters or share in the nursing of other litters. They will also accept young mice from other colonies that are still nursing. New colonies frequently have part or the entire litter of newborns eaten or killed by one of more adult mouse. Several reasons may account for this. Occasionally, new mothers will kill part or all of her first litter, but not subsequent litters. Observing, moving, and touching the enclosure; "helping" makes females nervous which often lead to killing offspring. Lack of food, water, space and being frightened may contribute to loss of pinkies. Having a male in the enclosure that is not the father of the pinks will usually lessen the chance of a litter surviving. Sometimes a mouse will seem to be cannibalistic, killing every baby hatched in several litters. This rouge mouse will have to be removed. Older females that show no signs of ever having nursed are generally the culprit and need to be removed. Occasionally, a female mouse will develop a stocky male appearance once mature. I have found that these females hardly ever produce litters and often are the very ones that are cannibalistic. Otherwise, leaving the enclosure alone and letting nature take its place will usually turn out large healthy litters. When removing pinks to feed or freeze, it is best to select a few from each enclosure; not using the entire litter. The female mouse will keep the mothering instinct and the few remaining will be healthier from lack of competition. Age descriptions vary among breeders. Generally speaking newborns are called pinks or pinkies. At five days, hair begin to form and skin pigment contrast can be seen. Once they are covered with fur, they are referred to as fuzzies. On day nine, the eyes are opening. After two weeks they are scrambling and bouncing around and are usually called hoppers. At about six weeks, nursing has stopped and ears stand up - they are referred to as weanlings. Remove male weanlings from the enclosure to curb competition for females. Female weanlings can be used to increase the colony population. Identifying the sex of a weanling occasionally can be difficult. Young males have a knack of ascending their testes making identification difficult. Observe the mouse scampering about or have the mouse dangle with its back feet on the edge of an object. This will usually cause the testes to drop. Requiring more experience, the length between tail and genital area is longer for males than females.
EUTHANASIA
For a large quantity of older mice, carbon dioxide can be used as one of the quickest and humane ways of euthanasia. Carbon dioxide may be purchased in the form of pressurized containers, dry ice, and air rifle cartridges. Mice are placed in an airtight container and then carbon dioxide pumped in. The mice suffocate quickly. Another widely used method is to place a rod shaped device (pencil, screwdriver, etc.) between the mouse's head and shoulders. Pressing down with the rod at the same time pulling the tail will quickly sever the spinal cord causing instant death.
home
By David Wheeler
dwheeler@cox-internet.com
RAISING FEEDER MICE
OBTAINING BREEDER STOCK
Mice can be purchased from local pet stores, but you will most likely pay a substantial price. Local reptile hobbyist and mouse dealers, many of which advertise in reptile magazines, are usually cheaper sources for mice that can be used to start a colony. The male/female ratio will depend on the size enclosure you choose. Only one male per enclosure is suggested. More than one male in the enclosure typically results in constant fighting, an injured (usually sterile) male mouse, and/or nervous females. For large enclosures, one buck can be placed with six or more does. Most breeders usually prefer a one to five ratio in smaller enclosures. If you have the opportunity to pick your own mice, look for graceful, sleek racy bodies, clear eyes, long thick tails, and smooth skin. Common ailments include: mice that run around in circles having inner ear infections, red and/or runny eyes may indicate conjunctivitis or an infirm mouse. Thin tails are a result of a mouse not feeding well. Mice constantly scratching may have parasites. Mice are notorious for getting tumors. Once a tumor is observed, replace with a healthy mouse.
ENCLOSURES
Many breeders use stacking trays with automatic watering and feeding devices. These are great time savers if you can afford this type setup. Most smooth bottom enclosures work fine if they are tall enough to keep the mice from jumping out or can be covered with a well ventilated lid. I use Sterilite twenty gallon tubs. These are large enough to hold one male with five to eight females. Your mousery needs to stay dry, draft free, and out of direct sunlight with as little temperature variation as possible. A pint rodent watering bottle will furnish enough water for about seven days. Using cages with smooth bottoms keeps the mice from chewing through the enclosure. I use pine chips obtained in bulk from a local feed store as a moisture absorbing bedding. Discounts stores usually carry pine shavings and wood chips for small animal bedding. Although cedar shavings cover the scent of a mouse colony, they contain oil that rub off on the mice. Changing bedding at least once a week promotes healthier colonies, along with keeping neighbors on speaking terms. Adult mice, especially males, definitely have an unpleasant odor.
FOOD AND WATER
Mice are omnivorous seemingly able to eat almost anything. You can purchase lab blocks, biscuits, and other pelleted foods made especially for rodents at pet shops, feed store, and discount outlets. These can be suspended off the floor of the cage keeping it form being soiled. I keep my colony in healthy breeding condition using equal proportions by weight of: oats, wheat, corn, small oil sunflower seed, and dry dog food or lab blocks fed once each evening. Mice's teeth continually grow. Gnawing on these hard grains will help wear down their teeth and limit cage destruction. This recipe is also cost effective. Mice become most active during the night, so evening feedings are suggested. They soon learn a schedule, and will wait near the standard feeding location. Never feed more than your mice can eat in one day. Food is quickly soiled by a colony of mice. Fresh water is a must. Putting a tablesthingy of vinegar per quart of water might help cut down on the ammonia smell associated with a mouse colony. Mice tend to regulate their population. Lack of fresh food, water, and/or overcrowding will reduce the litter size-besides being unhealthy for the mice.
BREEDING
It is important to keep a colony together without constant switching males and females. New adult mice are seldom accepted without fighting for the first few days. Often the new member will be injured or killed by the established females--especially if they are pregnant. A male will often kill another male's offspring. Although one buck can be kept with a dozen does, a smaller male:female ratio is preferred. Once the colony is established, you can expect pinkies in about twenty-two days. The doe is able to get pregnant right after delivering her litter. Females often swipe newborns from other litters or share in the nursing of other litters. They will also accept young mice from other colonies that are still nursing. New colonies frequently have part or the entire litter of newborns eaten or killed by one of more adult mouse. Several reasons may account for this. Occasionally, new mothers will kill part or all of her first litter, but not subsequent litters. Observing, moving, and touching the enclosure; "helping" makes females nervous which often lead to killing offspring. Lack of food, water, space and being frightened may contribute to loss of pinkies. Having a male in the enclosure that is not the father of the pinks will usually lessen the chance of a litter surviving. Sometimes a mouse will seem to be cannibalistic, killing every baby hatched in several litters. This rouge mouse will have to be removed. Older females that show no signs of ever having nursed are generally the culprit and need to be removed. Occasionally, a female mouse will develop a stocky male appearance once mature. I have found that these females hardly ever produce litters and often are the very ones that are cannibalistic. Otherwise, leaving the enclosure alone and letting nature take its place will usually turn out large healthy litters. When removing pinks to feed or freeze, it is best to select a few from each enclosure; not using the entire litter. The female mouse will keep the mothering instinct and the few remaining will be healthier from lack of competition. Age descriptions vary among breeders. Generally speaking newborns are called pinks or pinkies. At five days, hair begin to form and skin pigment contrast can be seen. Once they are covered with fur, they are referred to as fuzzies. On day nine, the eyes are opening. After two weeks they are scrambling and bouncing around and are usually called hoppers. At about six weeks, nursing has stopped and ears stand up - they are referred to as weanlings. Remove male weanlings from the enclosure to curb competition for females. Female weanlings can be used to increase the colony population. Identifying the sex of a weanling occasionally can be difficult. Young males have a knack of ascending their testes making identification difficult. Observe the mouse scampering about or have the mouse dangle with its back feet on the edge of an object. This will usually cause the testes to drop. Requiring more experience, the length between tail and genital area is longer for males than females.
EUTHANASIA
For a large quantity of older mice, carbon dioxide can be used as one of the quickest and humane ways of euthanasia. Carbon dioxide may be purchased in the form of pressurized containers, dry ice, and air rifle cartridges. Mice are placed in an airtight container and then carbon dioxide pumped in. The mice suffocate quickly. Another widely used method is to place a rod shaped device (pencil, screwdriver, etc.) between the mouse's head and shoulders. Pressing down with the rod at the same time pulling the tail will quickly sever the spinal cord causing instant death.
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