# mouse had babies



## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

My black and white female just had the 2nd litter, the 1st lot got eaten, but this time she has built up a nest and is doing really well, im keeping a close eye on them and have spent some time in the mouse room, can sometimes hear the babies squeeking lol.

When she first has them i took a look to see how many there were, they was only 4, but she is only about 3 months old still, would that affect litter size?

When do the baby mice start leaving the nest for a wonder around? they were born a week ago.


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## Pro Mantis (Apr 7, 2007)

I think they start to wean at about 3 weeks so I would expect in the next week possibly?

Goodluck with the mice.: victory:


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

ok cool, do they need any special kind of food? i give them hamster food and fresh veg now n then.


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## sami (Oct 23, 2006)

that's about right  

we don't feed ours anything different, just make sure they always have plenty of food and water at all times. 

they open their eyes at 14days  that's the best time! 

they're so cute

sami


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## greenlikegecko (May 18, 2007)

i give my gerbils and rats mealworms not sure if mice will take them tho jen, hamster food and fresh food should be fine for them also make sure they never run low on water as this can make them kill the babys also, congrats on you new lil babys have you thought about how your gona kill them yet? i use a CO2 chamber there quite easy to make(you can get instructions online) before i made it i used to just suffocate them takes abit longer but i dont think its that bad a death for them, also if there small enough i was told holding them by the base of tail/ass and hitting the back of there neck off the edge of a table works, iv heard that freezing them alive works but can give them iceicles in there blood which is v painfull


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

ahh cool, so got about another week before they come out.

NO dont tell me they are cute lol. They are rep food, gawd its gona be horrid killing them, but if i get any pretty ones il keep them and sell them.


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

greenlikegecko said:


> i give my gerbils and rats mealworms not sure if mice will take them tho jen, hamster food and fresh food should be fine for them also make sure they never run low on water as this can make them kill the babys also, congrats on you new lil babys have you thought about how your gona kill them yet? i use a CO2 chamber there quite easy to make(you can get instructions online) before i made it i used to just suffocate them takes abit longer but i dont think its that bad a death for them, also if there small enough i was told holding them by the base of tail/ass and hitting the back of there neck off the edge of a table works, iv heard that freezing them alive works but can give them iceicles in there blood which is v painfull


i can not bring myself to freeze them live. il prob use the wizz bag method. if i can even do that, other wise they all get sold lol.


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## greenlikegecko (May 18, 2007)

its a dirty job but someones gotta do it jen... just remember the ones you buy were alive at one point, but atleast you know yours were treated properly and with respect before they died.

p.s. whats the whizz bag method sounds fun but am guessing the names misleading


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

its a kind or flick up and bang on a hard surface. 

i know hun, i just will feel bad at first.


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## Pro Mantis (Apr 7, 2007)

Just remind yourself that that's what they were bred for. The first kill is alwways the worst, but it apparently becomes clockwork after a while. SO the wizzbag method involves no bag?


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

i was taught the two handed (or fingered) neck break the other day.. its a bit more hands on than the big swing, but i have to admit its just as fast and a lot less messy.. now i have the knack i have trying it out.

not sure about it with large rats though, have to get hands too close to teeth!

N


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

no i dont think so, unless u bang too hard n end up with a mess 

guess it will take practice


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## LouiseK (Mar 17, 2007)

Neck breaking sounds like the most humane if you know how to do it properly...

I imagine the other methods like the CO2 and freezing cause discomfort before death but banging them around and hope they die before they feel too many of their bones breaking sounds awful 

Good luck with the litter though


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

yeah coz im gona keep banging it around like that, 1 hard hit on the head should be enough. not just slapping it over and over again on a wall.


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## greenlikegecko (May 18, 2007)

LouiseK said:


> I imagine the other methods like the CO2 and freezing cause discomfort before death


freezing can cause alot of discomfort aswell as suffocation but CO2 knocks them out then they die from not having oxygen when there passed out... never heard of ppl putting a hose from there car exaust in there car window n leaving the engine running? its just like being gassed, infact am sure hitler used CO2 on the jews!


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## greenlikegecko (May 18, 2007)

punky_jen said:


> yeah coz im gona keep banging it around like that, 1 hard hit on the head should be enough. not just slapping it over and over again on a wall.


lol just had mental image of you bashing danger mouse in a bag off the wall again and again to kill him, but failing and breaking all his bones but he didnt mind cos he is invinsable ne ways... maybe a should seek a shrink lol!


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

Do you have a link for the CO2 chamber??
My mice disposed of their first litters but there are more on the way hopefully these will survive. At least until I decide to dispose of them!!!!
When you use CO2 for gerbils do they die just as quickly as mice??
The trouble is my litter of gerbils are so cute I've already got pet homes for two and I'm keeping the cute little white one and the cute little silver one and the cute little brown one and the other cute little white one.
No really I have homes for two but the others are going to have to go for food or it's pointless breeding them.


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## greenlikegecko (May 18, 2007)

really there are quite alot of CO2 sites some sell them, some have instructions how to make not at home so dont have the links to best one i found but google and ul find them, with the CO2 i find they look like there drunk for maybe 20-40 secs then they look dead but arent(just passed out i thinks), after 5 there usually dead but if you keep them in for 10 there def gone!


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## baby_jabba (Jun 28, 2007)

yep it between 2-3 weeks they will start to wonder round as there eyes will open at 3 weeks old you can split them up from there mum as i do as they go in to a new tank ready to breed again (split each sex up at about 5-6 weeks to stop preventing fighting)
you might want to wait a day or 2 extra on the 3 weeks to split them up cos they may still be feeding off mum

if you would like any more information on mice then just email me at:
[email protected] and ill be happy to help you

you may want to record each mice and each litter as i do for the future and then you now there age

Dale:smile:


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## Issa (Oct 13, 2006)

I use a slightly beefed up version of the pencil method ( slightly thicker wooden dowel doesn't break every other use) for my feeder rats. If you are going to use co2 be a bit carefull with the amounts of ingrediants you use, as if you get the dosage wrong you can end up gassing yourself in the process.


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

baby_jabba said:


> yep it between 2-3 weeks they will start to wonder round as there eyes will open at 3 weeks old you can split them up from there mum as i do as they go in to a new tank ready to breed again (split each sex up at about 5-6 weeks to stop preventing fighting)
> you might want to wait a day or 2 extra on the 3 weeks to split them up cos they may still be feeding off mum
> 
> if you would like any more information on mice then just email me at:
> ...


jiys thanks for the advice, i have added you to msn.


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

yeah i think the co2 idea is a bit scary, its easier to wiz bang or break the neck. not gona be easy at first, but its got be done. might get the oh to do it lol.


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## Issa (Oct 13, 2006)

I nearly wiped out myself, my other half and entire collection of rats the first time I tested my reaper and I know others that have had similar experiances. My way is slightly more "hands on" so requires a slightly stronger stomach but the advantage is the worst injury I can suffer is a bite if Im not carefull as opposed to CO2 poisoning.


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## punky_jen (Feb 22, 2007)

Im gona use gloves incase of mess, and or bites, lol i dont like rodent bites, hurts like hell lol


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## Pro Mantis (Apr 7, 2007)

Remember that Co2 is heavier than oxygen, so if you haven't got a container yet the shallower the better but not so short in height that the mice become uncomfortable. Could you make cahs out of breeding snake food (mainly rats)?


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## Issa (Oct 13, 2006)

Pro Mantis said:


> Could you make cahs out of breeding snake food (mainly rats)?


You wont make a fortune but I sell frozen feeders to mates at roughly half the pet shop price and still just make enough to cover the rodent food bill. Plus any really cute ones I can sell or trade to local petshop.


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## greenlikegecko (May 18, 2007)

iv never had a problem with CO2 but iv decided to start killing only what i need on feeding nights, the 'hands on' method is abit harder but i found the rats died really quick...although dont forget to wash your hands before you feed!


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## baby_jabba (Jun 28, 2007)

:lol2: it is easier and better to kill them just before you feed because the mouse will still have the sence of smell on it which the snake should not disagree on :lol2:
Dale:razz:


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

Issa said:


> I nearly wiped out myself, my other half and entire collection of rats the first time I tested my reaper and I know others that have had similar experiances. My way is slightly more "hands on" so requires a slightly stronger stomach but the advantage is the worst injury I can suffer is a bite if Im not carefull as opposed to CO2 poisoning.


The reapers, in that respect, are a little bit dangerous. It's easy to muck up the measurements.

I would always recommend using regulated CO2 from a gas canister - I buy welding supply canisters, which last AGES - 3 for £25 I got last year this time, and I'm about a quarter of the way through the second one.


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2007)

Ssthisto said:


> The reapers, in that respect, are a little bit dangerous. It's easy to muck up the measurements.
> 
> I would always recommend using regulated CO2 from a gas canister - I buy welding supply canisters, which last AGES - 3 for £25 I got last year this time, and I'm about a quarter of the way through the second one.


how much was your regulator?


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

SteveL said:


> how much was your regulator?


Can't remember offhand. I think the online shop I got them from was "Welding Warehouse". I don't seem to have it bookmarked, though 

The one thing to make sure of is that you get the appropriate valve for the disposable bottles if that's what you go for ... because the valves/regulators for the standard bottles don't fit.


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2007)

Ssthisto said:


> Can't remember offhand. I think the online shop I got them from was "Welding Warehouse". I don't seem to have it bookmarked, though
> 
> The one thing to make sure of is that you get the appropriate valve for the disposable bottles if that's what you go for ... because the valves/regulators for the standard bottles don't fit.


Cheers ile go look around later on 

Steve


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## Doogerie (Jul 6, 2007)

punky_jen said:


> ahh cool, so got about another week before they come out.
> 
> NO dont tell me they are cute lol. They are rep food, gawd its gona be horrid killing them, but if i get any pretty ones il keep them and sell them.


ok this i gonna be really hard for you i remeber when ny gerbels came out of the nest(of course i was not gonna use them as food)thay could not see and kept on banging in to things and eachother


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