# Pick of the litter!



## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

Hello there,

I have been talking to a local hobby breeder of mice and I have been offered the pick of the litter when his new babies are born. He let me know that 8 beautiful and healthy babies arrived safely yesterday.

My question is how many mice living together is too many. I've heard that male mice fight bitterly but that females get on fine. I don't know the sex of the babies yet obviously but I was thinking of getting all the females from the litter and if all 8 were female then I'd like to take them home. Atm I have a 4ft fish tank that will have a mesh lid and a few rotastak cages on top of that so that they have plenty to explore. I know a lot of people don't like that brand of cages but they will be just extra rooms for them to explore rather than their main home. I intend on expanding quite a lot too. So how many mice do you think could like happily in there?


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## Guest (Nov 13, 2011)

I always had the impression that mice shouldn't be in Tanks due to ventilation and that barred cages are best for them. If thats the case then I don't think it matters how big your set up is, it would still be unsuitable.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Tanks can cause issues with ammonia build up so I wouldn't recommend putting the extra rotastack cages on top as that will reduce airflow. However, if you are going to modify it by putting a lid on you could put the tank on it's side and make a mesh door as that will mean better airflow, reduced ammonia build up, make it easier to get into all corners for cleaning and allow you to put the rotastack on top of the solid glass top (this will also make it more stable and safer for when the mice are running around.) My vet has turned a four foot tank into vertical tower for that reason (I borrowed her photo to let you see, I'm sure she won't mind! ) if you use the same prinicipal but turn the tank on it's side it could work very well.
















(the door on this photograph is on the side you don't see.)

As for the number of mice, you would only count their main living space (minus any levels.) In this case the four foot tank is the main living area. If you go here: Mouse Cage Calculator and input the length and width of the tank in inches (I think ) it will give you an idea as to how many can live comfortably in your setup. Shelving and extra rooms aren't taken into consideration on the calculator as they only consider where the mouse will spend most of it's time - i.e. the area where they will get their food, run most, sleep, get water etc.

Hope that helps


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

Zany that is brilliant!! How has to fixed the door bits to it? 

Op are you able to do something like that? I think the satisfaction in making something that would would be fab! Makes me want more mice lol!

Girls I think you can have a nice group the cage calculater is fab, buy boys are a pain they need loads of room each to stop any fighting I'd be tempted just to get girls if you after a little group, it would hopefully stop any need for more then one set up


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## purple_x (Dec 29, 2010)

I love that cage on it's side, would be easier to find somewhere for it to go as well as having better ventilation 

I know a few people that have mice in tanks, although it's not something I would choose because my mice are happy in their hamster heavens, I think as long as you give them stuff to climb on in the tank (mice like to climb!) then they'll love it. 

Having the pick of the litter will be great, lucky you. Cant wait for piccies!

Oh if there are lots of females and one/a couple of males you could always take them all, get the boys neutered and keep them all together


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Daynna said:


> Zany that is brilliant!! How has to fixed the door bits to it?


The vet used a pet safe sealant (similar to aquarium sealant, I think it was called HA6) to attach the wooden batons to the tank on the glas slats where the fish tank lid normally sits. From there she then screwed the door hinges onto the wooden batons and attached the door  It looks fab doesn't it? The advantage is it will hold a lot more mice than a standard cage and allows you complete freedom as to layout without worrying about escapees(meaning it is safe for itty bitty pet shop mice and large mice bred for show)! I kept my first mice in a perfecto tank. They loved it, but I couldn't get over the difference in them when i switched them to a hamster heaven. They thought all their Christmases had come at once :lol: If I had been DIY minded though, I would have converted my fish tank like the vet did  The tank she used is 4ft, the same as you are going to use WelshYorkieLover  I hope that the vet's tank layout has helped you some


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

Thank you very much both!! Here are some pics of the babies that I posted on another thread!! Get ready to go awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!

Is it true that male mice fight if they live together?


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

Bugger I forgot the link....

http://www.petforums.co.uk/rodents/203948-look-my-babies.html#post1061592769


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

WelshYorkieLover said:


> Thank you very much both!! Here are some pics of the babies that I posted on another thread!! Get ready to go awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!
> 
> Is it true that male mice fight if they live together?


I was just about to read your other thread  
Glad the piccies were of help 

Generally it is true that males will fight although there are exceptions. Out of the 24 boys I have just now, I have only four groups living together. Two of the groups consist of neutered males (1) with an entire male (works everytime I've found as the entire boy doesn't see the neutered boy as a threat) and the remaining two groups are one group of 5 brothers and one group of 4 brothers. They all started as larger groups that started fighting. You can increase the chances of them living together by ensuring that you don't give them any levels (so no levels in the cage/tank etc) and have one of everything - I have one wheel for each boy in my groups. I don't provide them with any houses and I also scatter feed as you can find that they are highly likely to become territorial over food bowls and houses. Even doing that it is rare for it to work. You can try it, but seeing as this is (I'm assuming) your first time having mice I wouldn't recommend it. If you do want to try (and to be honest, boy mice are amazing, mine are so much more cuddly and people orientated than my girls) then you need to ensure that you check them at least once a day for any injuries (it's amazing how sneaky they can be) and separate them as soon as any fighting starts and have spare cages for each male you own incase you should need to separate them. If the fighting escalates into what is called ball fighting and not just a scuffle (a little chasing or squealing) then it can become dangerous very quickly. Boys will seriously hurt one another - my boy Trebor lost his tail when I was ill over Christmas last year because i didn't hear him and his brothers fighting. And in a lot of cases the fights can lead to even more serious injuries - abscesses, lost eyes (Mustard one of my boys had his eye permanently damaged by his brother Custard the night he arrived here) and in a majority of cases death. Sorry, hope I didn't overwhelm you with all that information


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

WelshYorkieLover said:


> Thank you very much both!! Here are some pics of the babies that I posted on another thread!! Get ready to go awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!
> 
> Is it true that male mice fight if they live together?


They can fight. If you give them plenty of room you will lessen the chance of them coming to blows, but it does happen.

If I where getting mice for the first time I would get 2 or 3 and let them settle in first. You can always add more to the group later on, and it saves you the heartbreak of losing 4-5 mice at the same time.


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

No not at all. I am loving all the information. I really want to give them the life they deserve. I am very excited but very nervous at the same time as I have never had mice before. Plenty of hamsters but no mice. I want to make sure that I give them all that they need so dont feel you are overwhelming me!!


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

WelshYorkieLover said:


> No not at all. I am loving all the information. I really want to give them the life they deserve. I am very excited but very nervous at the same time as I have never had mice before. Plenty of hamsters but no mice. I want to make sure that I give them all that they need so dont feel you are overwhelming me!!


:lol: That's exactly what I was like when i got mine  I hope that you realise though that once you get your first mice, there is no going back :lol:


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

He he yes I'm already addicted and I haven't even met them yet!! he he


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