What-toFeed.com

what to feed breeding mice

by Ellen Toy Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Bok Choy
  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Berries
  • Cabbage
  • Corn
  • Tomatoes
  • Citrus fruits

What household food can you feed your mice?

Some mice will develop preferences to certain items, but you can offer your mouse apples, pears, bananas, melons, peaches, plums, oranges, and berries just to name a few. Vegetables - There are also many fresh vegetable options that can be fed to mice.

What kind of food do mice like best?

  • Hot dog: These all-American treats appeal to more than just kids and baseball fans. ...
  • Syrup: People love it on their pancakes, and mice love it too. ...
  • Bacon: Don’t use dry bacon bits from a jar. ...
  • Peanut butter: Who can resist peanut butter? ...
  • Candy: Again, mice have a sweet tooth, so candies make great bait. ...

More items...

What vegetables can you feed mice?

Vegetables:

  • Carrot
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Chicory
  • Sweet peppers
  • Cucumber
  • Cress
  • Courgette
  • Peas

What kind of food should your pet mouse eat?

What do pet mice eat?

  • Chocolate
  • Avocado
  • Walnuts
  • Alcohol
  • Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons or grapefruit
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Grapes or raisins

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How do you breed feeding mice?

11:3321:50Small Scale Mouse Breeding: Housing, Feeding, and Watering.YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipInside the cage then by all means you could just give one of these don't put the divider in and justMoreInside the cage then by all means you could just give one of these don't put the divider in and just cut it to size like so. And put it together you certainly can do it that way.

What do you feed feeder mice?

Mouse feeding guideMice should be fed a combination of fresh fruits and vegetables and good quality mouse/rat pellets or cubes. ... Fresh food should be removed from the housing within 4-6 hours if not eaten, to avoid spoilage [3].More items...•

Can I breed mice for snake food?

When the young mice are weaned, you can remove them to their own cages to become new breeder groups or feeder mice. Males and females can breed for about up to one year of age. Feeder mice are typically euthanized with CO2. They can be stored in a freezer until your snake is ready for a feeding.

How do you start a mouse breeding colony?

To establish your breeding colony, you'll need to do a little forecasting. It will take roughly 12 weeks to generate a new litter – three weeks gestation, three weeks weaning and six weeks to reach maturity – so plan accordingly. A single, giant cohort can be unmanageable if your testing takes several days or more.

What should you not feed mice?

These foods include walnuts, raw beans, rhubarbs, onions, raisins and grapes. Never feed a mouse any of these foods, period. Wheat, lettuce and corn are all also inappropriate for mice, as they can bring on tummy distress and loose stools in the poor little guys.

What is mice favorite food?

Of all the foods included on the mouse menu, chocolate is hands-down the favorite, followed closely by peanut butter. In fact, candy including the combination of the two is almost irresistible to a mouse. Other food items such as bird food, pet food and cereal are also high on the list of preferred mouse foods.

What is the fastest way to breed mice?

If you are trying to breed quickly, you can rotate a couple of different females in each male mouse's cage every 1-2 weeks. This will likely increase the number of females that become pregnant.

Is it profitable to breed mice?

Feeder mice are in high demand in many places because of the time and space it takes to raise them. This makes feeder mice breeding profitable. Reptile owners need the mice, but many pet stores do not have the resources to raise them.

What age should you breed mice?

6-8 weeksMice are first mated at 6-8 weeks of age and it is best to mate females before 12 weeks of age. 2. What age are breeders retired (male and female)? A breeding pair is retired after they have produced 6 litters (about 8-9 months of age).

Can you keep two pregnant mice together?

For many strains, two pregnant females and their litters can be housed together until weaning, although you may find that particularly fecund strains like CD1 require that the cage be split to avoid overcrowding.

Can you breed brother and sister mice?

Brother-sister inbreeding has been useful in producing genetically uniform mice and has yielded a large number of inbred strains. Various systems of mating for preserving heterozygosity at a specified locus have also come into general use.

How do you take care of a feeder mouse?

Place your mice in a separate container. Remove all the bedding, any cardboard toys, and food and water bowls. Use dish washer detergent and water to wash the insides of the enclosure, as well as food and water bowls and plastic toys. Allow everything to dry completely.

Can you keep feeder mice as pets?

So named for their smaller size and typical use as food for snakes and other pets, feeder mice can still make great pets. They will also likely be cheaper than other options. Feeder mice typically live closer to 1-2 years due to their smaller size.

How long do feeder mice live as pets?

3 yearsCharacteristicsCare DifficultyBeginnerAverage Life Spanup to 3 years with proper careAverage Adult Size3 inches long, not including tailDietomnivoreMinimum Habitat Size20" L X 10" W X 12" H tank or wire mesh cage for up to four mice; narrow bar spacing

How do you take care of a baby field mouse?

0:001:42How to Save a Baby Wild Mouse - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLine a small box with clean rags and carefully place the mouse in it. Make sure to wash your handsMoreLine a small box with clean rags and carefully place the mouse in it. Make sure to wash your hands right after handling. It if it's warm out leave the box outside while you wait.

How to keep mice healthy?

To keep your mice healthy, you need to provide plenty of food and water.

How many mice do snakes need?

To keep a steady supply of mice for your snake, you will need between two and four female mice per male.

What are mice cages made of?

Cages for mice are available at pet stores, usually made of a plastic bottom and wire sides and lid.

How old do mice have to be to have sex?

Mice will not reach sexual maturity until they are six to eight weeks old.

How long does it take for a mouse to give birth?

The gestation period of a mouse is approximately 19 to 21 days, meaning somewhere in this timeframe, she will give birth.

Can you use mice to replace mice?

You might decide to use some of the mice to replace the mice you just bred, or you will use them for snake food.

Should mice be treated?

These mice should be treated with care, well cared for, and fed.

What is the best food for mice?

For feed the best and safest feeds to use are lab blocks intended for breeding mice. There are several brands available such as Mazuri and Kent. Depending on which rodent breeder you ask, one brand may be greatly preferred over others. In the absence of any statistical analysis, my assumption is they should all work reasonably well. Some people use dog food but you must avoid brands with red dyes. Doggie bag from Tractor Supply is a popular choice. My rodents seemed to have greasier coats when feeding on it, so I prefer to pay the extra for the rodent lab blocks. Check with any local feed supply shops or team up with another rodent breeder to get on their regular deliveries. You can also get small quantities of rodent food (20 or 40lbs, I believe) delivered from Reptile Basics. It will cost more than sourcing it locally because of the shipping but if you only use small quantities it may not pose much of a cost. I store the feed in 5 gallon buckets with a food safe lid. Each bucket will hold more than 30 lbs of food.

Do you need to produce your own mice?

If a local mouse breeder or shop maintains a constant stock of pinkie to hopper mice, you may not need to produce your own mice. However, having at least a small quantity bred ...

Can you breed your own mice?

If a local mouse breeder or shop maintains a constant stock of pinkie to hopper mice, you may not need to produce your own mice. However, having at least a small quantity bred yourself will likely save money and increase availability.

How old do mice breed?

Mice breed best if they are less than eight months old, so keep track of the age of your mice. Strains with reduced fertility breed best when they are young, but even the most robust strains don't breed well after they are a year old. Know what to expect from your strain: the Jax listingof strain characteristics is useful in this regard. The amount of fat in the diet can have a significant effect on female fecundity (more fat, more fecund), but increased fat can have a detrimental effect on stud performance. The ARC can provide your mice with an alternate chow with a higher fat content (standard diet is Purina 5010, a low fat chow; Purina 5021 is a high fat chow). Sudden noises can have a detrimental effect on breeding, as can poor air quality. Privacy provided by "love shacks" (K.L.A.S.S. 4960 Almaden Expressway, Suite 233, San Jose, CA 95118, USA. Tel: (408) 266-1235 mouse nesting boxes MB-01) or nestlets (VWR 10279-140) can help shy strains. The light-dark cycle has significant effects on mouse reproduction. Ensure that your mice are on the appropriate cycle (12 hours light, 12 hours dark). In some cases, extending the light period (14 hours light and 10 hours dark) can improve reproductive success.

How to keep a mouse colony?

The size of your mouse colony depends upon your needs. Given the costs of keeping mice, you should keep your colony as small as is practical. For strains that you are not currently using, a small breeding colony of several cages is sufficient (letting it get down to one cage is living on the edge--don't do it). Mice that don't breed are a dead end, so make sure that if you have reduced your holdings of a strain to a minimum, that the mice are fertile and young. Schedule breeding of replacement breeders so that breeders may be replaced when they are 6 to 8 months of age. Cryopreservation of mutants and strains is highly recommended for insurance against accidental loss. The structure of a breeding colony will depend on your needs. For those who need timed matings, a set of stud males individually housed and cages of non-pregnant females housed five to a cage are essential. For maintaining stocks by breeding, breeding pairs (male and female and litter) are typically part of the colony as well. A nice discussion of efficient breeding strategiesto meet your needs is given by the UC Irvine Transgenic Core.

What causes transgenic mice to be blind?

The blindness in these strains is caused by recessive retinal degeneration by weaning due to the Pde6brd1mutation. A listing of the affected strains, and a discussion of how to cope with this problem is here.

How to euthanize a mouse?

In a chemical fume hood (i.e. an explosion-proof hood vented to the outside), put a cap-full of isoflurane on tissues in the bottom of a small chamber (an empty plastic pipet tip box for euthanizing single mice), place the mouse inside and close the chamber. When the mouse is immobile, open the chamber and perform cervical dislocation. Be aware that isoflurane is a health hazard, and exposure to personnel should be avoided by confining use to chemical fume hoods and anesthesia apparatus and by proper storage.

How to sex a newborn mouse?

It is easiest to sex newborn mice if the genital region of the mouse is fully extended: pick the mice up and gently bend the lower back slightly to stretch the genital region. In pigmented strains, male newborn mice have a spot of pigment over the scrotum.

How to stretch a mouse?

For gavage and injection, the body of the mouse needs to be immobilized as well: stretch the body of the mouse by gently pulling the tail with your right hand and hook the little finger of your left hand over the tail.

How to immobilize a mouse in your left hand?

The following instructions will result in a mouse immobilized in your left hand, with the right hand free. Place the mouse on top of the cage bars, with the bars running left-right. Grasp the tail with your right hand and then scruff the mouse with your left hand. Scruffing the mouse properly is the key to success.

What to feed a mouse?

They’re an animal that enjoys variety and fun, so keep that in mind when you’re feeding them! Combining liberal amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables and a small amount of mouse pellets for treats throughout the day are great ways to keep your mouse happy and healthy!

How to keep mouse from scattering food?

If you don’t want to scatter your mouse’s food, put it in a small ceramic dish. The bowl should be durable enough that it lasts and your mouse doesn’t chew threw it.

How to keep a mouse entertained?

It’s in a mouse’s nature to go looking for their food. In the wild, they would spend most of their day on the hunt for a meal. Scattering their food will also keep them entertained.

Can mice eat at night?

Try feeding your mouse at night. Mice are nocturnal, so they’ll be active and ready to eat!

Can mice have sharp teeth?

Mice can have sharp teeth, and giving them something harder to eat is a great way to wear their teeth down! [4] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source. An easy option is dog treats, which you can get from any pet store.

Is it normal for a mouse to eat its own poop?

Don’t be alarmed if your mouse eats its own poop! It’s actually normal and is necessary for their health. It doesn’t mean you aren’t feeding them enough! Thanks! Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0. A great thing about mice is they control the amount of food they consume, this means that you don't have to worry about overfeeding.

How old do mice have to be to reproduce?

Breeding and Reproduction of Mice. Mice reach sexual maturity at about 6 to 8 weeks of age. From this age onward, females and males should be housed separately. If you are planning to breed your mice, you should provide nesting material (tissue paper works well) in one corner of the cage. Females can have up to 15 litters a year ...

How many babies do mice have?

Females can have up to 15 litters a year and can become pregnant within 24 hours after giving birth. The average gestation time for mice is 19 to 21 days. Baby mice are called pups and are born deaf and blind. The average litter size is 10 to 12 pups.

Why do mice look small?

Within 2 weeks, the baby mice will look like small adults. Breeding and reproduction in mice can decrease due to various factors such as age, malnutrition, abnormal light cycles, cold environments, cysts on the ovaries, tumors, and inadequate nesting material.

How many pups are in a mouse litter?

The average litter size is 10 to 12 pups. The cage should be kept in a quiet place and the litter should not be disturbed for at least 7 days after birth, especially if this is the female’s first litter. Within 2 weeks, the baby mice will look like small adults.

When do mice reach sexual maturity?

Mice reach sexual maturity at about 6 to 8 weeks of age. From this age onward, females and males should be housed separately. If you are planning to breed your mice, you should provide nesting material (tissue paper works well) in one corner of the cage.

How to help mice breed?

Adding “white noise” to the room or playing music in the background can help to mask the shock of any loud noises that occur unexpectedly or that cannot be reduced or avoided.

What factors influence mouse breeding success?

If you are using immunodeficient strains, including NOD scid ( 001303 ), Nude ( 007850 and 002019 ), Balb/c scid ( 001803 ), and the most immunod eficient mouse strain, NSG ( 005557 ), you must be diligent in ensuring that the room where they are maintained is as clean as possible. For some strains, it may not be as obvious that they are more sensitive to pathogens in the environment, such as B6.129P2- Il10 tm1Cgn /J ( 002251) B6.129P2- Il2 tm1Hor /J ( 002252 ), and B6.129S7- Rag1 tm1Mom /J ( 002216 ), but they may not breed as well (and their phenotypes may also be affected) if the health status of the room isn’t sufficiently clean. You can find information regarding the pathogens that we monitor in our mouse rooms on our Animal Health reports, links to which you can find under the “Health & Care” tab of every strain datasheet. A more comprehensive description of our Animal Health Program is available from our website, too.

How long do mice stay on at JAX?

At JAX, all of our mouse rooms are maintained on a light/dark cycle of 14 hours on and 10 hours off. Many institutions use a 12 hour light/12 hour dark cycle, which is perfectly fine too. Just make sure that the mice have at least 10 hours of uninterrupted darkness. Once the lights go off, they should stay off!

How do mice affect humans?

Mice are sensitive creatures, so noises and vibrations that are unnoticeable to humans can greatly affect them. Making sure that your touchy breeders are not located near a door or sink where there may be heavy traffic or loud noises, and reminding caretakers to work gently, slowly, and quietly when handling the mice can markedly improve breeding ...

How long does it take for a female squid to deliver a second litter?

If the male is still present, the female may become pregnant with a second litter while she is nursing her first, and deliver the second 3-4 weeks later, increasing her productivity. If the postpartum estrus window is missed, the females won’t be receptive to mating until after their litter has weaned.

What diet supplement has been used to enhance breeding performance in JAX colonies?

A diet supplement that JAX investigators have used to enhance breeding performance in their colonies is so-called “Love Mash.”

How to minimize the spread of pathogens?

Disinfecting and changing gloves frequently also helps minimize the spread of pathogens. 2. Give them somewhere to hide (and play)! Think about it- when mice are out in the wild, they aren’t out in the open for everyone to gawk and point at.

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