mice problem

[daniel321]

i have a small problem when it come to my mice, they seem to be eating each other. how can i solve this problem. i always put food and water but they don't want to eat the food i put in they just kill a mouse and eat that. i am feeding them bird seeds.

and how often should i feed my 5 foot corn snake? my friend told me twice a week but i think thats to much.

 

[danielle]

An adult corn should eat every 7 days or so not twice a week thats even too much for a hatchling corn. You may want to offer more subtantial food to your mice than bird seed like rodent food, some dog food, and even table scraps while separating makes from the babies and each other.

 

[Buzzard]

Daniel321, .... As Danielle mentioned, You need a good diet for your mice. Bird seed is okay for a suppliment but not for a diet. Table scraps, Bread, rice, things like that. Dog food with no dyes in it. The dyes can cause liver issues over a prolonged amount of time. Check into some rodent block, it may cost a little more but it is full of the vitamins and minerals they need to be healthy.
As far them eating each other, How old are the mice? You might wanna start over with a young bunch. Or you can hook up with a breeders who might set you up with an established colony.(Many herp clubs have people who breed mice locally)
I agree with Danielle twice a week is way to much to feed a full grown snake. You could get a fat/unhealthy snake that way. I feed my smaller snakes once a week. My larger ones get a mouse every 10 days.(except during breeding season, thats another story)

 

[wade]

Stress and insecurity is the main cause of mice killing each other. I agree with the others on the feed issue. But make sure your mice are in an area that doesn’t get too much traffic or loud noises. Don’t mess with the all the time. Let them spend the majority of their time alone.

Adult mice get established in a group and won’t allow any new mice into that group. You need to start with young mice around 3 or 4 weeks old. Put them together and then let them grow into sexual maturity as a group. You can’t add anyone to that group. Start off with a male and 3 or 4 females. They will form a breeding colony and will produce for you for about a year.

 

[Hallie]

Agreed, for the most part...I only feed my full grown males once every 2 weeks and my adult females every 10 (breeding season is a little different, just like Buzzard said), but it would depend on the size of the prey item and the individual snake (metabolism can differ just like in people, I have some siblings that have been fed the exact same diet since they were babies, and one is twice the size of the other...).

As for your mice, quality food is key. Most aren't cannibalistic if they're getting the right nutrients. My mice and rats get a homemade blend of commercial rodent diet and whole grain cereals (oats, bran flakes, puffed unsweetened rice, etc.) that I found on a rat forum. I've been using it for 3 years with my rats (they are strictly pets) and have been using it for my mice since I started a colony about 6 months ago. So far, so good, for the most part (I've had some cannibalism, mostly first time mothers). Supplementing with a good quality dog food is also a good idea. You'll want to be careful what table scraps you give to mice, as I've read that some things are not good for them (even some of the things I give my rats as treats aren't any good for mice). I stick to things like small pieces of fruit, usually apples, and occasionally some sort of meat, like boiled chicken.

Now, if you start giving them a good diet and the cannibalism continues, it may be time to get rid of the cannibal mouse/mice and start over.

 

[daniel321]

thanks for the info i will try different food.
and i also though that twice a week is to much but thanks.

 

[ceduke]

Hallie, are you using Suebee's recipe? Just curious, I discovered it on a rat forum a few years ago and it was great for my rodents.

OP, aside from some better food, do your mice have wheels and hides? As mentioned, stress con be a huge factor in cannibalization.

 

[daniel321]

they do have a wheel to run on but nothing to hide in i will put something in right away
and as for Suebee's recipe i have no clue what that is lol

 

[Hallie]

Hallie, are you using Suebee's recipe? Just curious, I discovered it on a rat forum a few years ago and it was great for my rodents.

OP, aside from some better food, do your mice have wheels and hides? As mentioned, stress con be a huge factor in cannibalization.

You know...I think I am! It was so long ago that I don't really remember, but that sounds right.

And Daniel, hides and things to chew on are big for mice....I have little plastic igloos for my mice (the kind that the pet stores sell), but small boxes would work well too. Also, toilet paper/paper towel tubes are great. They play in them and chew them up, then you just replace them when they are dirty or destroyed.

 

[carnivorouszoo]

i have a small problem when it come to my mice, they seem to be eating each other. how can i solve this problem. i always put food and water but they don't want to eat the food i put in they just kill a mouse and eat that. i am feeding them bird seeds.

and how often should i feed my 5 foot corn snake? my friend told me twice a week but i think thats to much.

No way are they getting enough protien you need to add some lab block to the diet. They are starving on just bird seed. Once you offer better food (you may need all new mice at this point) you won't have as many if any canibal issues of adult to adult.