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Africabound   Repfanatic   EvilTrailMix   Fairy Frog Mother  
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 #2113429


Africabound
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 Breeding feeder mice?

I have two corn snakes that eat adult mice weekly. I was wondering if anyone here breeds and cares for their own feeder mice. I’ve read a few online care sheets, and having my own little mouse colony would save me some money. My main question is this: my snakes eat f/t mice. How would I euthanize the mice? I’ve heard about little gas chambers, but that seems a little complicated and would probably cost quite a bit. Are there other humane ways to kill a feeder mouse? Thanks.



01/13/10  05:47pm

 #2113462


Repfanatic
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   Message To: Africabound   In reference to Message Id: 2113429


 Breeding feeder mice?

I buy my mice from somebody else since I hate having them in my house. They stink and go canabalistic for no reason. I’ll stick with my ASFs. I use this method to euthanize them: http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/. I use a paint ball gun tank instead of making the gases though. Doesn’t cost much at all.



01/13/10  08:34pm

 #2113521


EvilTrailMix
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   Message To: Africabound   In reference to Message Id: 2113429


 Breeding feeder mice?

I used the same method of euthanasia when I bred my own mice. I improvised a bit though and used an old plastic ice cream bucket with a hole cut in the lid for the tube, and a tiny hole to release the oxygen. It’s not expensive, just baking soda and vinegar, and you can euthanize lots of mice at once.

Caring for mice is pretty easy too. Food, bedding, and water. Small cardboard boxes make great hides and give them something to rip up too. You’ll need at least 3 tanks; one for your male, one for your females, and one for your feeders to grow up in. You’ll need to clean the tanks at least weekly so ammonia doesn’t build up and make your mice sick. Other than that, just don’t disturb your pregnant or new mama mice, and you should have a healthy mouse colony in a month or two.

You can check the "mice and rats or other rodents" forum on the website for more help if you need it.



01/14/10  12:31am

 #2113613


Fairy Frog Mother
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   Message To: EvilTrailMix   In reference to Message Id: 2113521


 Breeding feeder mice?

I dont breed mice for my snakes. I breed them for working at Faire.

With the cost of bedding and food, you save a little bit, but if you figure in your time for caring for them- cleaning cages, sexing and seperating them etc...Its a lot of work. And yeah, after about 4 days the males cages stink and 6-7 the females stink.

Cannibalsm is generally from stress. Mice are sensitive to temperatures, overcrowding and scents. They are also territorial. Having a colony of sisters with males from a different genepool helps. Insuring they have adaquate space also lowers cannibalism. The males are generally very protective of the female baring their young too.



01/14/10  11:09am


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