considering breeding

[Squidbert]

I think it would depend on what you're breeding for.. if you're going to breed a litter to keep all the babies for yourself and you have no way to obtain rescues in your area.. I can understand that.. if you're really going to take responsibility for all those little meese then go ahead..

However if you plan to actually start breeding more than one litter and plan to sell or give them away I would say I don't agree.. breeding any animal from a pet store is not a good idea.. The only reason I think it would be ok if you were keeping them all and it was a one time thing then you would be the only one affected.. however you could still be producing mousies with genetic problems that you can't predict at all since you don't know their lines.. and that would be bad for all mousies involved..

Either way it's a very big responsibility.. you really really need to know any problems that can arise and have a vet that you can rely on if anything goes wrong.. and of course all the care and blah blah blah.. which I'm sure you've considered..

If you really want to get into it you should consider looking for actual mouse breeders.. get a couple mice from reputable breeders and go from there.. communicate to those breeders and then you'll have people to help you out and do it the best way possible

 

[Whisper]

I think it would depend on what you're breeding for.. if you're going to breed a litter to keep all the babies for yourself and you have no way to obtain rescues in your area.. I can understand that.. if you're really going to take responsibility for all those little meese then go ahead..

However if you plan to actually start breeding more than one litter and plan to sell or give them away I would say I don't agree.. breeding any animal from a pet store is not a good idea.. The only reason I think it would be ok if you were keeping them all and it was a one time thing then you would be the only one affected.. however you could still be producing mousies with genetic problems that you can't predict at all since you don't know their lines.. and that would be bad for all mousies involved..

Either way it's a very big responsibility.. you really really need to know any problems that can arise and have a vet that you can rely on if anything goes wrong.. and of course all the care and blah blah blah.. which I'm sure you've considered..

If you really want to get into it you should consider looking for actual mouse breeders.. get a couple mice from reputable breeders and go from there.. communicate to those breeders and then you'll have people to help you out and do it the best way possible

Well said. I agree.

 

[joce]

OMG! I love those guinea pig clothes.

My boy died but he loved dressing up in doll clothes and riding his pony scooter

I miss him

That sites making me want another guinea pig!

 

[jess2416]

umm go ahead i guess lol, ive never heard of mouse rescues, so i dont think there are mice out there looking for homes or anything lol so why not breed ur mouse if shes healthy,happy ect..?

same reason you dont breed a dog or cat if its happy or healthy..

why do it ??

 

[ToscasMom]

LOL! Joce. So I guess it must be a booming business.

 

[mojo-rizin]

You do not realize how fast those little buggers reproduce!! As soon as the female drops a litter, she can get pregnant again the same day!!!! You MUST remove the male before she has the litter to ensure that you have only ONE litter. Also, your female is now getting a little old for breeding. Their prime breeding time is 6 weeks of age. Three months is probably okay, any older and you are risking small litters and matricide, and even dystocia.

To be responsible, you would have to separate the pups from mom no later than 21 days, and make SURE you sex them correctly and separate males from females. Otherwise, you will have a big mess on your hands.

Anyway, I am not sure that I would recommend breeding mice. You have to be on top of things and really do your research. Good luck.

 

[mrose_s]

i read that its 3-9 months of age is ideal breeding time. 6 weeks! thats so young. they're only ment to leave their mothers at 5 weeks!

and i know how fast they reproduce. i would breed them, then remove the pregnant mother to hetr own cage again

 

[juliefurry]

Ok, I don't want to scare you but let me tell you a story. I gave my friend's brother one of my female rats. Well he decided to breed my female to a male that he got for free (he didn't have the male when I gave him my female). The female gave birth to 13 baby rats. Everything was going great until the babies started nibbling at solid food. The babies, for some reason, decided to turn on the mother. The babies killed the mother and then ATE her. The kid was so upset because he loved that rat I gave him that he killed every single one of the babies by hand.

 

[dogsarebetter]

if i was you i would breed her, if thats what you want.
try to have homes lined up for the babies before you breed. and maybe take both mice to an exotic vet (yes they WILL see mice) to make sure they are both healthy before breeding.

i have had bad luck with momma mouse eating the baby mice, and i was doing everything right. i guess that happens sometimes.

read up on it and if thats what you want, then do it.
if you want to keep the majority of the babies i know how to make a monsterous mouse cage that looks cool and can hold 12 mice! and it will only cost you about 10 bucks.

 

[Whisper]

Ok, I don't want to scare you but let me tell you a story. I gave my friend's brother one of my female rats. Well he decided to breed my female to a male that he got for free (he didn't have the male when I gave him my female). The female gave birth to 13 baby rats. Everything was going great until the babies started nibbling at solid food. The babies, for some reason, decided to turn on the mother. The babies killed the mother and then ATE her. The kid was so upset because he loved that rat I gave him that he killed every single one of the babies by hand.

Gah. . .when I was a lot younger I had a hamster who had 15 babies and then she ate eleven of them. My poor mom had to pick their skeletons out of the cage. They were too small and the mom wouldn't care for them at all. None of the rest of them made it either.

 

[smkie]

Ok, I don't want to scare you but let me tell you a story. I gave my friend's brother one of my female rats. Well he decided to breed my female to a male that he got for free (he didn't have the male when I gave him my female). The female gave birth to 13 baby rats. Everything was going great until the babies started nibbling at solid food. The babies, for some reason, decided to turn on the mother. The babies killed the mother and then ATE her. The kid was so upset because he loved that rat I gave him that he killed every single one of the babies by hand.

I have heard of the reverse but not the babies killing the mama. That is just horrible. His reaction was too. That whole story is just awful. Mice tend to communially nurse. They haven't the infantcide rate that hamsters do. We had a killer rat at work. We would come in and a few more would be dead each morning. WE finally found the crazy rat and put him down so that stopped.

 

[Southpaw]

I recommend reading this...
http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/forum,rat/topic,4218.0

It's about rats but the same stuff can happen with mice...