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Post by lnsybean44 on Mar 5, 2010 13:17:01 GMT -5
So the actually colony isnt starting for a while (May to be exact) but I got in my first tanks. They are not the rat cages I was waiting for but he decided to give me both. So here are small sized cages. They are about height of my deodorant and probably not good for much except keeping a few growing females that I would want to breed down the road. I am debating how I want to set up the actual breeding. I was going back and forth between keeping two males and moving the females into the males tank for breeding or just keeping colonies with one male per four females. The substrate in the bigger cages will be dirt. That way I can build it up so they can use the top feeders and water holder. I am still looking at where I can buy rodent block. www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2380185&id=9031117&l=07605f4ef4
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Post by fuzzymom on Mar 5, 2010 13:35:48 GMT -5
I'd say keep 2 females per cage and move the males. Moving females around, especially when pregnant can cause a lot of stress. I would set those up with 2 females each and designate 1 male to breed a certain number of cages (2-3 cages).
Where are you located? Lab block is available in many places. Took me forever to find the place that could order it in for me and it happened by chance that I found out they could order it, but I could try and help you find a place. I know that you can order Mazuri 6F lab block online and have it shipped to your door. 50lb bags! Online they only cost around $25-30, but shipping is a ton because it weighs so much. To get it shipped to my door, it was $55, but of course, that is only a little over $1 per pound, which is less than what it would be if you bought block food at the pet store (here the same food is $7 per 2lbs in the petstore, so its MUCH cheaper to buy the 50lb bags, even from online.)
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Post by lnsybean44 on Mar 5, 2010 16:11:58 GMT -5
Hmm, I hadnt even thought about moving the male. The females wont kill him? But it would certainly be alot nicer to have less males.
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Post by fuzzymom on Mar 5, 2010 16:46:58 GMT -5
As long as the females have fresh food and water and there are no other stresses, they shouldn't kill him. There may be a bit of squabbling at first as the mice assert dominance but there should be no bloodshed. Though if the male smells like other females in heat, they might be nasty to him, so make sure to give him a small break between switching from group to group. (I just thought about how that might be an issue. It might, it might not, but just to be safe I'd give him a small break of maybe a few days)
I've never really had females kill males. I've had males kill males when they were living together and were too close to another cage of females in heat. I've also had females kill other females. Its good to get some young females and introduce them early or away from any males, and have them as an established pair or group and don't introduce any new females to that group. Only introduce the male to the group for breeding.
You can also do a harem set up. One male to 2 females and leave them in all the time. This does put more stress on the females as they will be having litters more often, but you won't have to worry about separate housing for individual males and you won't have to worry about territorial issues. I use the harem method and it works fine.
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Post by goingpostal on Mar 5, 2010 18:05:35 GMT -5
I would agree, switch out the males, much easier. I wouldn't mind running male in 24/7 but I'm trying to keep down the smell and males stink and pee all over the cage. If you do harem 4 females is too many IME, babies get eaten or ignored. I do mine in pairs.
Mazuri's website has a dealer locator, I'm not close to any of them, nearest is 1.5 hours away but it's still cheaper to order it in through them $23 a bag and stock up. We get dog food in the same town and go shopping so it works out, I was shipping it in before that but you just go through way too much and shipping prices kill.
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Post by fuzzymom on Mar 5, 2010 18:49:42 GMT -5
4 females to one male isn't too much really. I just wouldn't put a young/small male in with that many. I'm about to put a male in with 6 girls. Of course everyone's experience is different.
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