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Post by harrisi on Feb 16, 2009 17:30:35 GMT -5
I read about the dry ice method once, and pics. anyway this was for rats, but I think it would be the same. a large kritterr keeper fillde with a large hunk of dry ice, and put into a cooler on its side (lid on). add rats. Another way is to take a large plastic bag, like a large lip-lock bag, but baking soda on the bottom and a measuring cup with vineigar, seal and put a hose, about 2 feet long, and put in sealed container, add bedding and seal. pour the vineigar through the bag, and wait about a halfhour or so. I have heard it works well. It is more difficult then that. You need to make sure you get the exactly right measurements of baking soda/vinegar mix.
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Post by nwheather on Feb 17, 2009 14:06:09 GMT -5
But if you just put in a piece of dry ice here and there you will most likely suffocate the rodents, as opposed to them "falling asleep" and it is definitly not a humane method. Its simple as if all you are bothered about is killing the rodents but if you do want humane effects then cannisters are MUCH better, unless you want to be dealing with crushed dry ice and risk fainting yourself Lol. LOL-that would be bad... I think the cannister sounds better, if I'm not letting the weasels dispatch all of them.
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Post by nwheather on Feb 19, 2009 14:24:06 GMT -5
Another litter of 10 born last night! It's weird how you can see the milk in their stomach. Kinda creepy, almost. LOL I am still trying to figure out the sexing thing. I am getting better, but it can be difficult some times.
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Post by fuzzymom on Feb 19, 2009 14:50:29 GMT -5
I find it better to sex them when they are 2 weeks old or more. Pinkies are hard to sex since all of them look like pink squiggly jelly beans.
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Post by harrisi on Feb 19, 2009 16:51:20 GMT -5
Yeah I too find they are easier to sex over 2 weeks old however I can sex at pinkie/fuzzy stage if need be. I prefer to wait until they are fuzzys and females have obvious bare patches where there is nipples, male dont.
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Post by nwheather on Feb 20, 2009 16:35:06 GMT -5
I saw at one stage there was a female I could easily see her nipples, but then later, it was hard to tell. How long are those bare patches supposed to stay?
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Post by harrisi on Feb 20, 2009 16:45:01 GMT -5
Well they stay there forever, but if you have fluffy coated mice then its more difficult to see. If you brush the hair backwards you will probably be able to see.
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Post by nwheather on Mar 3, 2009 14:52:06 GMT -5
I am not sure I am going to continue breeding my own. I am getting tired of the smell. I sold all of my small colony bin setups, & I do still have 4 large ones, & I have the recently weaned mice in one "baby" bin, & I have three bins that all have litters & a couple still prego moms. I did reduce the number of males that I have, & I still am thinking I may not continue. We'll see. I will keep my supplies & maybe start back up when I can sell this house & get into another house where I can build an insulated outbuilding to keep them in & not in my house.
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Post by fuzzymom on Mar 3, 2009 16:40:47 GMT -5
Mice do smell a bit, but what are you using as bedding? How often do you change it?
I find that rats and african soft furred rats are the least smelly. I really want to get into breeding african soft furred rats but I can't find any around here. They are supposed to be very low smell. Many people report no smell. You could always give those a try. I hear they are very aggressive though. I have two males and I handle them with gloves.
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Post by nwheather on Mar 4, 2009 20:32:45 GMT -5
Mice do smell a bit, but what are you using as bedding? How often do you change it? I find that rats and african soft furred rats are the least smelly. I really want to get into breeding african soft furred rats but I can't find any around here. They are supposed to be very low smell. Many people report no smell. You could always give those a try. I hear they are very aggressive though. I have two males and I handle them with gloves. I have been using shredded paper. It's free =-) I am in the process of moving my mice & ferrets down stairs, before the weather gets warmer, I was thinking maybe just keeping 2 breeder bins, & two extra bins, one for girls one for boys (only till the boys are bigger). The mice room was almost directly across the hall from my room & that got stinky. I'll give it more time.
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Post by fuzzymom on Mar 5, 2009 8:13:13 GMT -5
The paper is the reason it is so stinky. It doesn't absorb odor and urine well so the stink just floats on out of the enclosures and into your house. I recommend a wood pellet bedding. I get a huge 30lb bag for $7. It's cheap and lasts a long time for just a few groups of mice. I experience very little smell with my rodents when using this. I highly recommend it.
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Post by nwheather on Mar 9, 2009 14:06:04 GMT -5
The paper is the reason it is so stinky. It doesn't absorb odor and urine well so the stink just floats on out of the enclosures and into your house. I recommend a wood pellet bedding. I get a huge 30lb bag for $7. It's cheap and lasts a long time for just a few groups of mice. I experience very little smell with my rodents when using this. I highly recommend it. Interesting. I thought the shredded paper would help. How do the momma mice deal with the wood pellets, don't they want something soft for the babies? I already use the wood pellets for my cat & ferret litter, so it's already in my house.
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Post by harrisi on Mar 9, 2009 16:03:09 GMT -5
I just leave in some whole cheap toilet paper rolls, they shred it for bedding/nesting and get fun out of it.
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Post by fuzzymom on Mar 25, 2009 14:02:11 GMT -5
As for something soft for them to make nests with, I use paper towels or toilet tissue. Just rip off a few squares and give it to them. They make nice soft nests out of them.
The wood pellets break down into a dust instead of remaining wet, so the bedding actually doubles in size if you leave it in there too long. It works great though and really keeps the smell down. Not to mention its super cheap.
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Post by horse656 on Apr 12, 2010 16:02:21 GMT -5
where would you get the wood pellets? i have 5 mice that i am about to breed, and my parents are complaining about the smell of the male mouse
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