Its just not working...

3520 Views 21 Replies 10 Participants Last post by zany_toon, Oct 13, 2010

quadrapop

Discussion Starter · Oct 12, 2010

What happened to the days where you could have a group of girls together? None of mines get on and its getting crazy having everyone seperate. The max I can get is a pair any more and after a couple of days peace they start fighting so its not like its the initial introduction. My plan was one group of females and 1 or 2 seperate males with space to move girls when they had young due but Everynight at the min Im having to take a girl out or move someone. Im used to squabbles and leaving them to sort it out but blood is being drawn so I wont leave them. Anyone else had this problem, I have pairs of girls and pairs (male female) getting on fine but add another and thats it.

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Roland

· #2 · Oct 12, 2010

quadrapop said:
What happened to the days where you could have a group of girls together? None of mines get on and its getting crazy having everyone seperate. The max I can get is a pair any more and after a couple of days peace they start fighting so its not like its the initial introduction. My plan was one group of females and 1 or 2 seperate males with space to move girls when they had young due but Everynight at the min Im having to take a girl out or move someone. Im used to squabbles and leaving them to sort it out but blood is being drawn so I wont leave them. Anyone else had this problem, I have pairs of girls and pairs (male female) getting on fine but add another and thats it.

Take the girls you want to combine, and put them together in a very small and empty cage. Just give them food and water and little space to hide. They will be a little bit stressed and will stay together without fighting. Keep them in this stress cage for at least 3 days and put them together in a very well cleaned bigger cage, but with little room to hide. Add the "furniture" after a week, not earlier.
It works!

Best regards, Roland
Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red
The place where science meets fun!

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quadrapop

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 12, 2010

Hmm ok might try but still have to think about heat as they are outside and its hitting 0 easy. Although a massive pile of hay should be ok.

Roland

· #4 · Oct 12, 2010

quadrapop said:
Hmm ok might try but still have to think about heat as they are outside and its hitting 0 easy. Although a massive pile of hay should be ok.

I did not know they were outside. Since it is a small cage, bring them in for some days.

kerryann

· #5 · Oct 12, 2010

what i do and it always works for me. everyday for about a week i make a playpen somewhere new they have never been with lots of interesting toys. put the ladies in for around 10mins(keeping a close eye) they are to interested in their new place and new toys than eachother.its a way of making them little friends without them realising it

ian

· #6 · Oct 12, 2010

I just chuck mine in together but they dont have any tops or anything exciting to fight over anyway, also I dont use food bowls so no teritorial fighting or anyone being bullied away from food as it is spread out. I had to remove a doe the other day, she is very dominant and instantly attacked another doe, I hadnt had to seperate any out before. Ive read that the best thing to do it remove the dominant doe and introduce her to another group rather than taking out the victim as she may also have issues moving into another group.

quadrapop

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 12, 2010

Thing is, i do neutral introductions, i do remove the dominant one but another just becomes the bully. I cant bring them inside unfortunately, hay piles should be fine though, the shed is warmer than outside by quite a bit.

WillowDragon

· #8 · Oct 12, 2010

Don't have problems with my girls or young males at all honestly... but i'm the same as Ian, I don't really have anything in the cages they can be territorial over!

W xx

moustress

· #9 · Oct 12, 2010

Does who have been bred can be fiercely territorial, especially if they have their daughters in the same tank where you try introducing a new doe. Removing everything but the water bottle often does help. Good luck!

Wight Isle Stud

· #10 · Oct 12, 2010

I have never ever had a problem-if I put a doe suddenly in with a doe thats on her own there will be a bit of antisocial behavoiur for a while, blood has nevr been drawn though. Fool proof way of doing it is to put all the mice you want to live together in a cage that is foreign to ALL of them, at once.

zany_toon

· #11 · Oct 12, 2010

I've had one squabble introducing girls but that's it. They all go in a new (to them anyway!) small cage with just hay, water and food. That's it for a week. If all is okay they go into a bigger cage - with all the old bedding. After a week I add one toy, if all is okay by then I add a toy or two every few days until they have a furnished cage

quadrapop

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 13, 2010

Theres no mums and daughters, none of them have bred yet either. As far as putting them all together in a neutral tank at once thats the first thing I tried as its generally how you introduce but the intro and first few days goes fine. I dont want them living with out anything like toys etc in my oppinion (dont mean it has to be just my view) mice need stimulation and should have toys and houses etc to be happy.

Loganberry

· #13 · Oct 13, 2010

ian said:
I just chuck mine in together but they dont have any tops or anything exciting to fight over anyway.

I also find that not giving mine tops, or shoes, or nice frocks to fight over stops that initial house mate squabbling. Funnily enough, i never need to take tops away from the boys - they just wear the same thing, day in, day out, no problem. Give them a pack of crisps and a wide screen TV and they're sorted.

Matt Haslam

· #14 · Oct 13, 2010

Loganberry said:
ian said:

I just chuck mine in together but they dont have any tops or anything exciting to fight over anyway.

Click to expand...

I also find that not giving mine tops, or shoes, or nice frocks to fight over stops that initial house mate squabbling. Funnily enough, i never need to take tops away from the boys - they just wear the same thing, day in, day out, no problem. Give them a pack of crisps and a wide screen TV and they're sorted.

PMSL :lol:

quadrapop

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 13, 2010

haha

Loganberry

· #16 · Oct 13, 2010

Seriously though, you've been given some good advice so heed it if you want your does to stop fighting - they're fighting over territory, not because they're not 'friends'. They don't need toys to be happy. Toys are the reason they're fighting - 'the wheel is MINE so sod off, beatch! Squeak!' - so take out the toys for a few days and leave them to it. They will talk amongst themselves and all will be fine.

quadrapop

Discussion Starter · #17 · Oct 13, 2010

I apreciate the advice and I will try what is suitable to my situation. I dont know if the bluntness there was because I had an opinion or something else. Its not like this is my first lot of mice Ive had them on and off for 12 years and always had does share without fighting and with loads of cage furnishings! I cant have them with nothing in the cage because of the temperatures as I have mentioned. Even with a pile of hay this will still become someones territory. For a few days it might work as long as they dont become territorial over bedding.

Loganberry

· #18 · Oct 13, 2010

yes, leave the bedding in, but take out the objects.

the bluntness is just me.

WillowDragon

· #19 · Oct 13, 2010

Yes, Loganberry may be blunt, but I have never known her be wrong about mice yet! hehee

I agree with the advice given here.

W xx

Loganberry

· #20 · Oct 13, 2010

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