RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Fri Dec 09, 2005 7:36 am

I have had mice in the past and loved them, so now that things have worked out and I can keep all my animals, I want to look into getting mice again.

A local petstore always has pregnant mice in thier tanks. They are usually very pretty and I want to get one. This is the setup I'm planning.

A 40 gallon breeder tank (the kind with locking screen lids) for mom and babies, then move all the boys to the second 40 gallon breeder tank and leave the girls in with mom. Does this sound okay? I want to keep all the babies except a few girls my friend wants. If the males fight, I also have three 10 gallon tanks with lids and two crittertrail cages. Or I could always divide the top tank(that'll be the boy's cage) into sections with mech or plexiglass...

I'm not breeding her, but I'm hoping that they will all have a long happy life with me instead of the "ugly" babies being sold as feeders.

Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:15 am

Glad you are not breeding, there are so many unwanted mice.

I take in alot of pregnant mice and it's rare to have problems with the boys who are litter mates fighting. If they are raised in a caring, stress free environment they should be fine. Just seperate them early so you do not have any pregnancies. The boys may scuffle a bit, but they shouldn't fight.

Often the pregnant mice from pet stores are just babies themselves, it is their first litter and the litter is small, six or seven.

Good luck, that's going to be one happy mouse when you take her home.

Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:45 am

also sometimes mice on their first litters dont know what to do and panic...and well eat their babies even though the place is great and full of food, and water and is quiet. They just get overwhelmed and nervous. Keep in mind even as a first time mother she can have all the way up to 18-20 babies(rare but I had 23 in a single litter) and they could possibly all live. Shaz

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