# Newbie breeding box question



## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

Hi

i want to make/ build myself some breeding boxes.

thing is i have loads of suitable wood sat in my garage i could use, so i am tempted to make wooden boxes, probably with perspex viewing window.

any reason i really should choose plastic tubs/RUBS?

can i coat the wood in anything?

thanks for your responses in advance and sorry if this question continually comes up.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Many traditional fanciers use wooden boxes. I have a feeling they coat them in some sort of wood varnish but I am not sure what. I personally prefer plastic as it is much easier to clean and disinfect and lighter to lift. I also find that mice raised in transparent containers are tamer as they are used to movements outside and don't just hide away all the time.


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

sound good reasons

plastic winning so far


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

I'm not a "traditional fancier" (I live on the wrong continent), but I've also used home-made untreated boxes that I made from birch (or beech, I can't remember). Here is a picture:










I'm not very handy, so they came out pretty ugly but the reason I liked them was that you could raise the lid without moving the box, and it disturbed the babies much less than if you were moving the whole box to get a peek.

After a few months, the boxes got really dirty and hard to clean, so I gave up on them. Now I use cardboard (disposable) or plastic (easily washed) boxes, depending on what I have available. Sometimes though I still get a mother who prefers to have her babies right out in the open and ignores whatever kind of box I give her.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Jack, boxes in the UK refers to the actual cage, not a nest box


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

Oh! I knew that. It's been a long day! 

(Told you I lived on the wrong continent!)

Sorry!


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## unicorn (Feb 14, 2010)

Hubby made wooden boxes to begin with for us with a perspex front that slid up and down and already 5 weeks later we have made rubs, so much easier to handle and clean.


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

decided to go with converted plastic boxes

building a shelving unit today. I will be able to fit about 10 boxes on.

will post pics of my unit on the show us your setup. probably next week at this rate!

also i am using Finacard for the cage floors, i've used it for ages with my rats and always liked it, i presume its ok for mice too.

I always remove it from the packaging and give it a good airing to get rid of any potential dust and i don't find that it smells too much even with my four big male rats (who stink anyway).


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## Jemma (Mar 11, 2010)

I use Finacard just now and it does the job. Mind you, I don't have many mice so I'm not sure how well it'd work on a larger scale. Personally, I found that Aubiose (hemp) controls the smell a bit better but it is messier so it depends which you're more inclined to compromise on!


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