# Breeding mums on the high side of protein give more bucks?



## Rainy_Days (Sep 30, 2014)

Does giving your doe too much protein cause her to give birth to a higher male to female ratio? I read it a few times and was wondering if that was true? Thanks!


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## Miceandmore64 (Jul 16, 2013)

I haven't heard this. But I calculated the ratio and mine is 2 bucks : 1 doe.


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## OrangeTyrant (Jan 17, 2014)

The most popular study conducting concerning nutrients and offspring sex was concerning carbohydrates vs. fats, and protein was held equal. That study can be found here: http://www.pnas.org/content/100/8/4628.full.pdf

It found diets very high in fat (around 60 kcal% total fat) resulted in more male-heavy litters, while lower fat, higher carbohydrate diets (around 70 kcal% total carbohydrate) resulted in more female-heavy litters.

Most of the commercially available lab-blocks that are fed to our mice are much more moderate than either of these diets, and it would be difficult to replicate these results.

There are other studies about light spectrums and their effects on offspring ratios which are likely more useful to the average hobbyist. I currently use flourescent lights in the daylight spectrum on timers set to a specific day:night cycle, as opposed to incancdescent bulbs, or cool white, or pinkish flourescent, and am having about a 60:40 or 70:30 result in female heavy litters.


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## Rainy_Days (Sep 30, 2014)

Oh that's very interesting thanks for sharing that info, I'm definitely gonna go check out that link!


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