# housing males after breeding



## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

hey guys (sorry if this is in the wrong place dom)

was just wondering what u lot do with ur males after breeding, as ive gone and brought some smaller rubs to house the males in on their own after theyve been bred and then just grab them out again when needed.

but ive heard that some breeders just put their males back in with all the other males when theyve used him and then just get him out as and when needed...

is this right and will it work?

i currently have a big tank set up that has 7 bucks living in it, could i try putting the other boys back in there with them?

any help would be great,

ta  xx


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## Mark (Oct 3, 2008)

I had 3 males living happily together ( used to be four but i sold him in a trio)

Anyway i took one out bred from him and put him back no problems, then when the group was back together i took a different buck out bred from him and put him back in the male group no problem no im just hoping this male thats in with 2 does at the moment goes back in nicely with the other males.

Also got 2 dove tans males which im going to try and get in with them.


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## ian (Oct 3, 2008)

Have to say I've shyed away from trying it, also my bucks are generally in with does 95% of the time. Although I have got a tank which I pop all my surplus adult mice in before they go off to be culled and I find that there is no problem with the bucks being together, just a bit of squeaking and chasing and then fine, although they also have females in there which might make a difference.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Be very careful if you try it, it could all end badly. I don't bother reintroducing bucks into a group after they have been bred as they move around between does so much in some cases that there's no point. Also if you're breeding you shouldn't really have excess bucks, thus avoiding the problem. It is of course easier said than done.


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## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

i dont have any excess bucks i plan to use them all for breeding, but not all at the same time 
and i dont really ant them on their own as 1 i dont think its very fair and 2 it takes up a lot of space x


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

x.leigh.amber.x said:


> i dont really ant them on their own as 1 i dont think its very fair and 2 it takes up a lot of space x


Technically, being either alone or with does at all times is the natural state of a male mouse. The dominant buck will get a little harem of does and the submissive bucks are kicked out and often live solitary lives, fighting off any other bucks they may encounter. It is us humans who have decided that they must have company to be happy.


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## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

ok so do u reckon itd be worth trying, or just leave them in their own tubs x


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Up to you, by all means try, just keep a very close eye on them for a few days afterwards.


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## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

ok, i think ill try it, but i have rubs as back up
would i need everything to be sqeaky clean before introdycing new boys, ive never done it before x also would i need lots of toys and hidy holes etc


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

In my experience, use a bare cage at first with no smells of any of the bucks. Once they have accepted each other (if they do) then you can add more things in if you want to. This way if they're going to fight, they will, as it forces them to interact.


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## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

ok  am nervous now...
all the boys i have are pretty laid back so hopefully itll all go well


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## Le Necrophagist (May 27, 2009)

I worry if the chasing is too stressful. I have housed my 8 week old males together after one being with females and what happened was just a bunch of chasing and some squeeking. I find it pretty cruel to make it "tolerate" bullying if that is the case.


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## NaomiR (Feb 9, 2009)

Having considered all the options (and tried most of them too!) I'm going to continue keeping young bucks together while running on but living seperatley on reaching puberty or having sired a litter - one of my best pew bucks got a nasty nick in his ear this weekend which renders him un showable :roll:

At the moment my big champagne and blue self bucks are living on their own and they seem perfectly happy, I have had to give them wheels though to stop them gaining too much weight :lol: but they potter round quite happily and continue to eat, drink and sleep


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## april (Apr 8, 2009)

Well I only have 2 bucks, 1 which I only keep because the other is UFA. But I don't keep my bucks together because my buck attacks any buck in sight :lol: If I were to have more than 1 buck, I would just keep several individual cages for each of them because once you take them out to breed with a doe, they might de-clan which is what happened with my buck.


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## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

well i gave this a go the other day, with the bigger group it didnt go very well admittidly. there was a long of tail bashing and chasing so i took the new ones out before anything bad happened, so the 7 original boys are back in their tank.

however i did have success with 2 of my smaller boys, my little bec and my little chin boy they went in together fine and even involved padfoot giving petrey a guided tour of the cage showing him where the food bowl is, lol..

ive been checking on them everyday since but everythings fine with them..

i suppose it just depends on the mouse :roll: x


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## calimiller13 (Jul 13, 2009)

When I had males I kept them all seperate.... I have had absolutely horrible luck with housing males together, even 3 brothers that grew up together. So I stay away from it entirely.


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## vickyholt13 (May 30, 2009)

i leave my males running together from been young then when i take one out to use for breeding it then remains on its own all mine seem contented with there little house to them self and the daily attention when feeding i tried intoducing a buck i had used for breeding in with a young buck. i did it on neutral grounds all cleaned no smell just ended up in constant chasing and them a bite at base of tail so don't bother now trying to introduce them


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I think that generally speaking keeping males together will cause those individuals stress.I know there are exceptions but it can't be recommended on the whole.


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## Aly-Lou (Nov 14, 2008)

I find with males it is all about the pecking order and the ages.

I had a dad and two of his sons in together before they get re-homed and they were fine. I then introduced a runt male I didn't have the heart to cull and it all went haywire. It did settle down but recently after females escaping and getting them all eager, there was ALOT of bullying the Dad, who is my profile picture, bless him got bitten and humped by the two sons.

I had to move him after a torn ear and bleeding paw, Now he has his own cage rule with the runt (bottom of the pack) and two 5 1/2 week old boys (who are also at the bottom). What is the most surprising thing is, that they are all really friendly mice. They run up to your hand when you put it in the cage and take food from you. Come up to the glass when you call "Micey Micey". It's bizarre the ways in world of the male mouse. But all is calm at the moment. The Sons are happy together and their Dad has three new friends, who come into the nest and get him out when they see I am busying around outside their cage, I hope the 5 1/2 week olds don't grow up to be as boisterous as their cousins.


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

I plan on only housing my bucks in pairs or alone.

I'm also very determined not to get attached to male babies! LOL

Willow xx


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## Maplewood Stud (Jan 2, 2009)

thats half my problem, i prefer bucks, as in my opinion theyre more loving and more exciting than the does  x


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

I have always tended to veer towards male animals.

The first mice i owned were supposed to be two boys (but ended up being boy and girl, yes babies ensued), the majority of my rats have been male, and the hamster we have now is a boy =oD

Oh... and all my cuddley toys are boys! LOL

Willow xx


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## calimiller13 (Jul 13, 2009)

x.leigh.amber.x said:


> thats half my problem, i prefer bucks, as in my opinion theyre more loving and more exciting than the does  x


I disagree, I think the does are more exciting/iteresting to watch BUT I still prefer bucks because in my experience, bucks have always been sweeter, more gentle, and way more people-friendly than any of my does ever have. Even the bucks I've picked up at hole in the wall pet stores in the past have been super friendly! I don't get it, but when it comes time to let someone hold their first mouse, I'll always bring out a buck.


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