# breeding issues!!!



## reecef (Nov 28, 2012)

I am having real difficulty in breeding my mice, sounds daft!

I put my satin siamese mouse to my female and after 4-5 weeks and no sign of mating the breeder i got him from traded him for a large siamese show male. Mainly because he wanted satin lines back also.

So the new male has now been with the siamese female around 4 weeks and again still no signs of mating have occurred.

i can't understand whats wrong they are on a quality diet, constant fresh water, out in a standard room and so get plenty of daylight. they are on shavings also.

The obvious is that it maybe the female, but seems very unlike after research. Also just put my male and female tan together around 1 week ago so only early stages but they also don't seem to have done the deed.

Both pairs seem to just be friends than anything else!


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## onionpencil (Jan 6, 2013)

all i can tell you is sometimes it just doesn't happen. sorry. maybe someone else can offer some tips to try. good luck.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

Temp and daylight hours are also required eg 75 F and min of 12 hours daylight.

try this remove the female from the male and place her in a cage on her own, thoroughly clean and disinfect the males cage so no scent of him is left in the cage, place another male in the reluctant males cage for 2 days then remove and place the original back into the cage introduce the female into the males cage 12-24 hours after.

Add cod liver oil (high in vitamin E) to their diet at the rate of 1 tsp (5ml) per pint of feed


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

It could be the female, I've had a female take 5 months of solidly being with a buck to get pregnant.


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## ThatCertainGlow (Jun 23, 2012)

pro-petz said:


> Temp and daylight hours are also required eg 75 F and min of 12 hours daylight.
> 
> try this remove the female from the male and place her in a cage on her own, thoroughly clean and disinfect the males cage so no scent of him is left in the cage, place another male in the reluctant males cage for 2 days then remove and place the original back into the cage introduce the female into the males cage 12-24 hours after.
> 
> Add cod liver oil (high in vitamin E) to their diet at the rate of 1 tsp (5ml) per pint of feed


Seconding the light and scent methods for getting breeding going. I didn't notice temp making a difference for me, but it was most often on the warm side. The cod liver oil sounds interesting, the Vit. E is for sure useful. The light seemed to work for any does who were not kindling, even when the buck was obviously trying. I've read someone else who's mice are still stubborn after trying the lights though.

Good luck,
Zanne


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

Vitamin E is supposedly good for increasing fertility, found that my bucks if given the cod liver oil soaked seed do tend to be more anxious to breed than those on none soaked seed.


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## Runaway Mousery (Jul 5, 2012)

You can try adding a few drop of raw apple cider vinegar in the water - it works wonders for my rabbits. Also, flax seed is fantastic for regulating hormones and boosting fertility. Mice love it, I use it as a part of their regular diet daily.


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## ThatCertainGlow (Jun 23, 2012)

I also use flax seed, in my sprouting mix for the mice, based on research. Haven't been feeding a mix long enough to have anything else to say about it though. What has the ACV done for your rabbits? They don't mind it in their water?


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## Runaway Mousery (Jul 5, 2012)

Particularly in the winter when light is low, I have had some does that just don't want to lift for a buck to breed them. It's just some weird old rabbit advice, if a doe won't breed - put ACV in her water and try again the next day. It has worked everytime I've used it - when I come in the next day the does will be so keen to be bred they will lift almost too high for the bucks! Why or how it works, I have no idea but I love that it does!

I have been had flax seed in my mix always, not alot - about 5-10%...it's something I wouldn't recommend over feeding, so I really don't have a control on whether or not it makes a difference, but I have yet to have any trouble getting my does bred. Mine always seem to take within the first 3 days of pairing like clockwork.


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## Sizzlea89 (Jan 19, 2013)

I don't seem to have a problem iv even had males escaping and turning up in females cages and the next thing I know females that I wasn't planning on breeding have had a litter. I have my mice in a cupboard and a heat lamp on instead of a light bulb for 12 hours a day and that seems to keep them at a good temperature. Although iv kept snakes for years and the ritual of 12 hours lights on is habit now haha!


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