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Post by msav on Oct 23, 2014 23:18:56 GMT -5
when my mice ate the babies, they did not eat all of them. some the just killed and left the bodies, I would think you would have some evidence it they had killed and ate some.
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 24, 2014 0:08:49 GMT -5
Yeah, I don't think it's likely but it's always a possibility.
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 29, 2014 20:57:25 GMT -5
1.5 weeks old
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2014 5:56:03 GMT -5
OH GEEZ, THE MAD SCIENTIST! lol
I think i would have to put a blanket over the carton. Too many dead bodies at one time for me!
great idea for being humane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
R they completely dead now---no having to break necks?
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 31, 2014 8:42:47 GMT -5
?? Nothing has been killed yet. They are only 1.5 weeks old. I am waiting until they are adults (approximately 2 months old or older).
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 2, 2014 10:35:43 GMT -5
Eyes open (for most of them) and they are starting to wander outside the hide. As you can see, they seem to have relocated themselves. They have also quieted down which is nice.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2014 16:55:35 GMT -5
would be very interested in seeing the cost analysis on this system! is there a lot of noise? what research was the most useful to you when setting this up?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2014 19:12:29 GMT -5
Aww they're so wittle!! I too am interested in knowing around about the cost of raising your own mice? Whole prey was something I considered, but due to cost wasn't realistic. I'm looking at $150 per month at least, if I bought whole prey online (free shipping) for my 3, lol NOPE. Even though I've spent $250 in the past 2 months on raw meat for the ferrets, yikes!
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 8, 2014 16:51:47 GMT -5
Well I have now branched out to include a 1:3 (male:female) colony of ASF's thanks to Kristopher Dobson (from the Rat, Mouse & ASF FB Page) who hooked me up. I'll post pictures tomorrow. First impressions...ASF's are waaaaay calmer than mice. If they truly smell less as well, I may just abandon my mouse colony and just do ASF's for now.
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 8, 2014 16:54:40 GMT -5
Depending on how you want to do your setup basically my conclusions are as follows:
1. It will cost you quite a bit to setup (tubs, water, bottles, food bowls, bedding, etc. 2. The savings are looooong term. You have to be breeding a while to make back what you paid to setup the breeding colony.
Therefore if you really are in it for the long haul, you WILL see savings down the road but it could take significant time to start saving. I'm going to get all the numbers worked out and when I do, I'll post them.
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Post by msav on Nov 8, 2014 17:10:18 GMT -5
I believe you will be ditching your mice.
The smell from mice and ASF rats is night and day. Even ASF rats can stink But it take a whole bunch of them in a tiny cage or weeks of not cleaning the cage.
I could never go longer than a week with the mice without them smelling. I still clean the Asf cages weekly but I know I could go longer without them smelling.
And if you get good females you will get 14 to 16 pups per litter.
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 9, 2014 12:17:49 GMT -5
My new ASF'S:
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 9, 2014 13:15:05 GMT -5
The mouse pups are starting to eat solid food now:
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2014 13:37:36 GMT -5
Cute! Too bad they're dinner.. lol. I can second the smelling of mice, I had some as ppets a few years back and I chose ferret smell over them any day.
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 9, 2014 19:19:04 GMT -5
My current setup...
BTW, the resin shelves are 18" deep. You need that size specifically to fit the 99 L Sterilite tubs.
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