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feeder mouse problem

P

Pygora

New member
I don't think its the cage that was the problem I think its the male mouse. I think he's killing off my females! Is that even possible? There are no visible wounds on them they're just appearing dead in the cage. UGH :-( I had previously thought it was the critter trail now I put them in a new cage and its definitely not the cage. I guess this would mean that he is not breedable? He doesn't even appear mean. When the 1st female died he was taking care of the newborns. It figures he would be a nice looking mouse brown and white with fluffy type hair. I was really looking forward to seeing what his pups would look like. :-(
 
I don't think he can kill them without there being wounds. Have you tried just getting normal lab mice?
 
I have been pretty successful with mouse raising until this batch with this particular mouse. I had 1 small 1 die in 1 of the other boxes but it was a baby of the 1st female who died with this male and I had fostered it off to another mom. I had 1 more die before I switched the cage. Then I looked this morning and another female that hadn't been in the other cage with him was dead this afternoon. I really don't know what's going on with him. Right now the other cages seem fine just this one the females keep dying on me. I don't know whether he's doing something to them or what is going on. I had 2 other females in with him now that had been in there with him and the other female when I changed the cage out. I'm really at a loss as to what to do.
 
Pygora said:
I have been pretty successful with mouse raising until this batch with this particular mouse. I had 1 small 1 die in 1 of the other boxes but it was a baby of the 1st female who died with this male and I had fostered it off to another mom. I had 1 more die before I switched the cage. Then I looked this morning and another female that hadn't been in the other cage with him was dead this afternoon. I really don't know what's going on with him. Right now the other cages seem fine just this one the females keep dying on me. I don't know whether he's doing something to them or what is going on. I had 2 other females in with him now that had been in there with him and the other female when I changed the cage out. I'm really at a loss as to what to do.
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yeah i would be looking at sending that male mouse to the snakes dinner plate. u done gone tho what 3 or 4 females with him. in my eyes as a breeder and for my business that male have cost me money and thats not good. what kind of cage u putting them in and how many u have with him?
 
I would think that there would be wounds, and cannibalism also if he were killing them. I had my females (long time ago) gang up on my male and eat him. However, a few weeks ago, I had three mice just up and die. No signs of injury and no cannibalism. This lead me to think that something had made them sick and die. Perhaps there is something in the food? Can wild mice get in to where you are keeping your domestics? I know from a friend that breeds lots more mice that if wild mice even get in to the same room it can be a health risk. At least he said so, and I think it makes sense.
 
yeah alicat is right i lost 1500 breeding mice becuz of a wild mouse that got into my breeding room. i would say that it only took about a week and half where dead. so i just killed the rest and cleaned everything top to bottom and started fresh.
 
I'm almost thinking that now since it is quite a bit colder that they have caught cold????
The male still seems fine. He's so fiesty he's trying to get out of his cage every chance he gets. I switched rooms so they can have more sunlight and have even started turning the heater in the room on for them. I almost think I'm going to go with getting rid of whomever was in the sick boxes and clean them with bleach. I'm like 50/50 on getting rid of the male because I'm not sure if he is carrying a sickness? That may be a possibility because everyone that he has had in with him has died. Is it possible for him to carry a disease and not show any symptoms??? But how does that explain the other box that they're dying in? I still have 3 healthy boxes so I'm going to *try* to hang onto those but if it comes down to it I will take them down, disinfect, and maybe start from scratch. Not sure on the whole ordeal yet. I'm kind of bummed that after so long I am having a HUGE problem now but it does coincide with the colder weather too. Maybe this apartment is too drafty. I had noticed that sometimes even with the windows and sliding doors shut there is still a nice cool breeze. :-(
 
They're in plastic not glass. I don't think they're too hot. I think they might be too cold. It's confusing because out of 5 boxes only 2 boxes have had deaths but some of the 2 boxes look perfectly healthy. I just changed them to this room thinking they needed a bit more warmth and light. But now that I've got them there some appear sick and others don't. I don't know whether my females have gotten old or are sick or what the deal is. At first I thought the male was doing something to them now I'm almost thinking they might be sick. I had 2 small babies die too but they were on the real small side and I don't think the rest of the crew were letting them eat properly. I'm not sure whether to save the ones who don't look sick and hope for the best or just get rid of the boxes before the healthy ones get whatever it is. I'm just so new to this only been breeding since July that I just don't know what's going on with them. I even read something about reabsorption? I don't know if that's what the females are doing? I've never had this much problem with switching them around before. I'm just about to throw in the towel with this male even though he looks perfectly healthy. I'm not sure but he might be carrying something and just not showing symptoms but if that's the case what is up with the other box? Grrr I just don't know enough! :-( Maybe I just had great beginners luck with breeding up til now. Who knows.
 
Squamish has a point with heat maybe being an issue. I have seen serious issues with my mice whenever temps get over 80. However, cold doesn't seem to be an issue. I have them outside right now, with temps ranging from 35 to 60 and no problems. Maybe try taking the temp in the tub with the most problems to see if that's a possibility?

That's the only idea I have. Good luck, hope you can get it figured out and under control!
 
In the summer I had no problems and at times it got over 80-90. It's only been the last month when it got to frost temps. I know I walk out into the liv rm and I'm cold. I also feel drafts from the windows and sliding doors. Lucky me no storms for this place. But I am trying the thermometer to see. I'll also try it later when it gets colder to see.
 
I think there were a lot of factors it could've been. It could've been too hot/ too cold ( the house temp after I got a thermometer read anywhere from 82-70 during the day and 60 or so at night), overcrowding cause too many had pinks all at once, water bottle leaks which probably led to crappy bedding. I've put them back in the room with no sunlight (they were ok there all Summer with no problems& its cooler but not cold by any means) and I'm taking the lids off the bins when its super hot and putting on ceiling fans. (Hopefully they stay in!!!! If not Hubby will be doing a LOT of electronics patching.) I did put the male that I thought may be a problem all by himself again. He sleeps all day and runs on the wheel all night. (I know he runs all night because he kept us up last night and was still on it when we got up.) So far crossing my fingers...Everyone *LOOKS* healthy now.
 
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