keeping mice as breeders/pets

[Elsa]

Hi,
My hamster died a few days ago, so now i have a spare tank that would nicely house a few meeces.
i would like them as primarily pets, but was thinking it would be good to produce some pinks/fuzzies of my own aswell.
so before i even attempt to ask my mum, could someone answer a few Q's please

1. Would 1 male and 2 females be an OK group?

2. What would happen if i left the male in all the time? would he just constantly annoy the girlies even when pregnant?

3. is there a way i can keep say 1 male and 2 females, and not produce anything i have to let get bigger than a fuzzy? so i don't want to be keeping/killing mice about 4 weeks old, i would like all the offspring to be culled when small, but would this do damage to mum?

thanks,

Elsa

[Mischievous_Mark]

Im quite suprised no one has answerd this yet.

1. a ratio of 1.2 is okay to have

2. Female mice can become pregnant after giving birth and back to back pregnacies is a lot of stress on the mother shortening her life span.

3. Personally i think its best to let the mother go through her milk cycle, You can sex the pinkies and only keep the girls to sell on. I normally cull litters down to 5 giving big healthy babies ads they wont have to fight for milk.

Originally Posted by Elsa

Hi,
My hamster died a few days ago, so now i have a spare tank that would nicely house a few meeces.
i would like them as primarily pets, but was thinking it would be good to produce some pinks/fuzzies of my own aswell.
so before i even attempt to ask my mum, could someone answer a few Q's please

1. Would 1 male and 2 females be an OK group?

2. What would happen if i left the male in all the time? would he just constantly annoy the girlies even when pregnant?

3. is there a way i can keep say 1 male and 2 females, and not produce anything i have to let get bigger than a fuzzy? so i don't want to be keeping/killing mice about 4 weeks old, i would like all the offspring to be culled when small, but would this do damage to mum?

thanks,

Elsa

[Elsa]

ok thanks

[mantidboywonder]

to be honest go with multi's as they don't smell anywhere near as bad as mice and are really nice almost tame well mine were

[Mischievous_Mark]

Originally Posted by mantidboywonder

to be honest go with multi's as they don't smell anywhere near as bad as mice and are really nice almost tame well mine were

they produce more babies than fancy mice dont they aswel, never kept multis though so im not usre if thats true or not

Or you could get hold of some lab mice as they tend to produce high numbers of ofspring aswel.

[Reptilover]

Originally Posted by Elsa

Hi,
My hamster died a few days ago, so now i have a spare tank that would nicely house a few meeces.
i would like them as primarily pets, but was thinking it would be good to produce some pinks/fuzzies of my own aswell.
so before i even attempt to ask my mum, could someone answer a few Q's please

1. Would 1 male and 2 females be an OK group?

If you want to keep them as pets then no, realy if your looking as them as pets and want to be able to handle them and socialise with them then you dont want them breeding all the time. I recommend keeping two females together. But in terms of breeding then this is a ideal ratio.. some larger breeders keep 1 male to 6 females which i think it just a little over the top.

2. What would happen if i left the male in all the time? would he just constantly annoy the girlies even when pregnant?

If you allow your females to be constantly bred then there lifespan will be shortened alot. Mice generally only live for a year so for a continously bred mouse your looking at 8 months. Some people might not consider this as keeping them as pets and keeping them to breed for food.

3. is there a way i can keep say 1 male and 2 females, and not produce anything i have to let get bigger than a fuzzy? so i don't want to be keeping/killing mice about 4 weeks old, i would like all the offspring to be culled when small, but would this do damage to mum?

You can cull a mouse when ever you want, mum may be abit weary for a few hours or a few days searching around the cage and possibly bi*** fighting with the other mouse to see where they have gone but will soon get over it and before you now it she will be popping enougher 7-20 babies out. You want to kill the babies a day after there born as there born with lower nutritional value, wait for them to suckle for atleast one day then there nice and full up.

thanks,

Elsa

Reptilelover.