Hello
I just recently decided to breed feeder mice to feed to my king snake and to sell as feeders or pets because the pet shops here sell them for way too much.
My question is this. Since I plan on selling them as feeders or pets, I want to sex the newborns b4 I sell them off as food, and sell only males as food. I will be keeping mostly females to grow to full size and feed to my snake and to sell.
I know I cant touch them so early in life or the mother will eat them, so my plan was to use a spoon to pick them up, and small metal probe to move their tiny tails so I can tell the sex.
The only problem is, I don't want any scent on the instuments that I use so that there will be less of a chance that the mother will eat them. What should I use to sanitize the instruments? I am trying to make this as cheap as possible, so a homemade sanizter works best for me. Any suggestions as to what I can use that will, a. take any smell away and, b. not be harmful to the mice.
I posted this on the rodent forum, and everyone flipped out. too funny. Im sure they all set mouse traps, eat meat etc.

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Chynawhyte

I cant say im overly keen but aslong as the babies are dead before they are given to snakes (big no no for me to live feed)

I would personally use something called hibascub i think it spelt like that, its a very good cleaner and its also an anti-b scuff that keeps things clean. I would soak the things in it then dry.

Its very very hard to sex newborns so it will be very hit and miss and you can only normally tell when they are a few weeks old i think

Just please be humane when killing them

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Owner to-
lots of rodents
2 monster dogs
1 slinky cat

its illegal to feed live mice just to let you know.

it is VERY hard to tell the sex of mice when sooo young as there is only a small gap between the males genitals which when they are sooo small is extremly difucult to see.

also if you disturbe the nest then the mum is likely to get stressed and kill her babies, so best to leave them until around 2 weeks old.

Just curious? Where are you that its illegal to feed mice to your reptile naturally? You know LIVE! I never wanted to feed my Ball live, but she wont eat any other way..I suppose the mouse dies or she does of starvation eventually..BYE BYE LIL MOUSE!

it is not illegal to live feed as long as your doing it in private as some snake's will only take live feed like pythons from states are fed live then shipped here ,but again i feel its cruel to live feed , so as long as youre not intention on betting on which will killl who and not recorded like for ytube ect youre in youre rights to live feed its a very touchy subject, but zoe dont you think its not just as cruel to let snake die? look mans kills more sexing the mice wait at least 3 weeks to sex as they are not weaned till there about 3 weeks

Ya, I live in Canada. I really dont think feeding live is illegal here. It is recommened by pet stores for breeds such as pythons. Ever try to get a python to eat frozen food Not happening. I however, own a king snake, and she eats frozen so its not an issue in my situation.

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Chynawhyte

I have fish as well as snakes and dogs and cats. I cry for days when a fish dies and I have to call a friend over to fish it out of the tank and flush. No worries about humanity here.

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Chynawhyte

I used to have a ball too, so I know the feeling. I would drop and mouse in with her, and it would like in the tank with her for weeks sometimes b4 she would actally decide to eat it. They would cuddle up together and sleep and everything. cute but morbid all the same.

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Chynawhyte

Im the same lol This is why one of the reasons we wont get a ball python unless from birth because of the difficulties with feeding. We have a very fussy boa who can go months without feeding but i think he would be eaten by the mouse/rat before he'd get around to eat it so we couldnt feed live we have fed him freshly killed rats before from OH's friend who had feeder mice and rats which works well


I know its not illegal here in the uk as long as its done in your own home and the mouse doesnt suffer for no reason. It isnt something i totally agree with yes it natural but in the wild the mouse/rat also has an opitunity to escape were as in a viv they do not

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Owner to-
lots of rodents
2 monster dogs
1 slinky cat

i dont understand what makes one life more inportant than anothers??

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MY beautiful Zion