anyone here breed there own mice/rats?

[Mike D]

well since i am getting some of my breeding projects under way i want to try and get a jump start on some feeder colonies..

ive bred before using a 10 gallon tank and i think a 1.2 ratio of mice and it worked fine when i had my bearded dragons.

but im loking at starting a colony or two with around a 1.4 ratio.

my question is when i get the mice to the size that i need how do i go about saving them?. just put them in freezer bags and put them in the freezer? i will feed some fresh but i would like to also freeze some to save for later dates.. whats the best way to euthanize them?

 

[ceeej31]

a quick blow to the head is probably the quickest way

 

[RARE AFISHINADO]

If you dont need live its honestly alot easier to just buy frozen and hunt for bargains. I have bred tons of mice and rats only because I breed ball pythons and its easier to feed em live however I have stopped breeding in favor of buying live cheap from a friend of mine who breeds commercially. smelly smelly fockers lol ur time is worth money, consider that.

 

[Austin]

i bred my own for a while when i had all my snakes, but i didn't freeze, i fed live. i would say euthanize with CO2, it's cheap and readily available.

 

[sncboom]

I wouldn't let them freeze to death. Grab a slender and sturdy object [like the back end up a butter knife] place it directly behind the mouse/rat's head. Apply firm pressure straight down enough to hold it in place. Give the tail a sturdy, yet constant pull until you hear/feel the spine break. You're not cranking a lawnmower. Slowly pull until..well you'll feel and hear it.

 

[freeskierrocket]

Co2 is the cleanest most humane way supposedly.......but as stated above, they stink and are p.i.t.a........buy bulk frozen at a snake show....

 

[reptech]

buying frozen is the way to go for sure

 

[davo]

I don't think they stink that badly. Guess it depends on how you much you are prepared to clean 'em out and how sensitive your nostrils are.

 

[coreyweinkoetz]

Unless you have over 20 groups going it's cheaper to buy frozen It's really cheap if you have the freezer space to buy 200+ at a time your paying .10 to .50 cents an animal check it out live smell and are a lot of work cleaning even with a well desigined rack system But if you want to fill a shed full out door's in the south and have the time then you may save a buck or two

 

[Louie]

When I had 2 snakes and didn't order frozen like I do now with 6 snakes. I bought live as local pet store had them for $1 each as they didn't sell frozen.

I would wack the bag against garage wall and that killed them right away than freeze them in ziploc bags . You could put a few in the ziploc bag and they store great like that.

CO2 since your now going to breed in numbers is the best way .