How to Raise Mice

You can raise mice for various reasons. One is for pets. A second is to provide a source of food for snakes and other carnivorous pets. The third reason to raise mice is for sale. You will differ in your approach when raising mice as a business.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Cage
• Water bottle or dish
• Flooring material
• Places for the mice to hide, like a box
• Mouse toys and exercise equipment
• Rodent food

1. Provide a 3 foot square area for 4 to 5 mice. Wire cages are the best, but aquariums can be used. It's best to provide multilevel for climbing and places for the mice to hide.
2. Make certain the mice have some sort of stimulation and running or exercising area, such as a wheel. Provide soft tissue or hay for nesting.
3. Clean the cage frequently but always leave a bit of old material in it. Mice are territorial and need to have their scent present. The frequency of cage cleaning can be judged by odor. Glass enclosures require it more frequently than mesh or wire cages.
4. Provide a source of water for the mice. Commercial hamster or rodent food is available at all pet stores. You can supplement the diet with fresh fruit, crackers, pasta, or sunflower seeds. Occasionally peanut butter an be given.
5. Breed mice by putting one male in a cage with 4 females. The female can begin to breed at the age of 6 weeks and ceases at a year. It is best to have several females (2 to 4) per male. Litters can be produced every 18 to 28 days.
6. Set up various breeding stations with staggered ages of mice, starting at 6 weeks. The mice take 5 to 6 weeks to be weaned so each new batch can start a new area. All mice in one cage should be the same age. Once you have breeding and weaning continuously, you can begin to sell the mice.
7. Calculate your cost of raising the mice and compare it to the average selling price. You must decide whether you want to sell them as "pinky" mice for snake and lizard food or to wholesalers and retailers. Find the average market price to see if you are competitive. The most inexpensive type of mouse to raise is the pinky, since it's sold early in life.

Tips & Warnings

• When calculating the cost of raising the mice, consider the cost of food for the parents during the gestation period divided by the number of mice in the litter. It's important to add in this cost to the actual cost of raising the mouse.
• Lack of environmental stimulation and appropriate environment can render mice abnormal in behavior patterns, one of which is breeding.
• Don't feed the mouse junk food such as potato chips. Chocolate is toxic to mice.
• Remove the male mouse before the female has her babies. He may kill the young. Keep him in another cage with a non pregnant female.