# Breeding boxes



## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

What do you use for your mice too have there litters in?or do your mice make nests on the cage bottom.I use the plastic hamster houses what you can halve.The doe makes her nest in that and you can observe the young easily.I also use the wooden Zebra finch nest boxes the mice love them. I had alot of these left over when I sold My birds just a nice size too put in tanks cages etc. When the pups are old enough the fronts of the nest boxes are shallow enough for them to climb out.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I don't use anything.


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

I tend not to use anything either, and if I do it tends to be something like a cardboard box, or a cereal box cut in hald and pushed together so it makes an odd shape which keeps the heat in. I've recently bought some hamster cages, so that the heat can keep in when the does have their pups in the winter. It doesn't get too cold in there, but it's mainly to keep the draft away, also with me opening the door and cold air getting in


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## ian (Oct 3, 2008)

I dont use anything now but at the start I did have a few wooded bird nest boxes. I found that in cold weather the condensation from breathing built up in them very easily. I find allowing the nests the mothers make just out of newspaper are very effective and keep heat in well but also allow good ventilation.


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## Marjolijn (Jan 1, 2009)

I don't use anything either. Plastic and wooden houses just get damp and I don't like that. I use paper as bredding, if you put enough in the cage, the mom will make a nice warm nest with it.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Another vote for nothing here! 

I give mine hay, they use it to weave awesome nests. Interestingly, if you give them more than one type of bedding (ie hay and shredded paper) they will layer it. Typically my does make their nests with hay on the outside, shredded paper in the middle layer, and hay on the inside.

Sarah xxx


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

I normally use hay with safe bed paper wool (not actual wool!!) and they layer it aswell  With my last litter I found that the hay reacted with their eyes, so I only use it with adults now, who absolutely love it!! They get so excited  Mine layer it so it's hay on the inside, paper wool on the inside (It's lovely and soft and spreads out nicely)


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## kerryann (Oct 4, 2010)

i use hay


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

I used hay but the mice were that comfy in it you hardly seen them lol they wouldnt come out .My naked mouse had a litter of two on Saturday her first litter, she has made a nest its like a volcano the bulk is nearly all the bedding megazorb of the base of the tank, and the top of the nest is shredded tissue paper .Exactly they dont need elaborate breeding boxes do they as long as they can keep the pups warm shredded paper is enough.I tear the paper into rough shreds the Doe shreds it into tiny pieces in no time.


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## jessierose2006 (Dec 1, 2010)

nothing i do give them tome thin strips of cut newspaper to make a nest with tho.


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## Twotails (Nov 4, 2010)

I don't give my mice anything, they just make a mound of bedding and then dig a hole in it! :lol: the boys don't dig right, they dig into the side of a bedding mound and then the bedding falls on them!


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

I have some breeding cages now I just put some tissue in and the Doe makes a nest.


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## shiremice (Dec 16, 2010)

Marjolijn said:


> Plastic and wooden houses just get damp and I don't like that.


Aside from urine getting wood damp, how would the plastic get damp? I would imagine with only 4 or 5 does and a weekly washing this wouldn't necessarily be an issue? I'm curious - I've got my 4 does in with a plastic igloo and (after picking it up and checking the inside as well) it's not damp.


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