you can run young does of different ages on together but all introductions must be done on neutral territory.I keep big groups of does together prior to breeding and split them off into twos and threes when they are to go in with a buck.The second part of your question on who to pair with who requires more info on your goals.What are your reasons for breeding,what are you hoping to produce?
making up your pairs/trios
I have a question about who to put with who? How much age difference can you have between the does that are kept together that are not related? In other words can I put newly weaned babies in with babies that are a month or two older all who have not been bred yet? Do you house newly weaned babies together until you make up your pairs/trios? Or can you put one does newly weaned babies in with another mom?
Then, when deciding how to make a pair/trio of does, do you put in all sisters together or mix and match from other litters and other colors to be bred to the same male? If they are other colors then I can see being able to maybe tell whose pups are whose but if you have two the same color and they deliver close then you would not be able to tell who is who. It seems different litters together would give you more ways to use one male at the same time so to speak.
Then, when deciding how to make a pair/trio of does, do you put in all sisters together or mix and match from other litters and other colors to be bred to the same male? If they are other colors then I can see being able to maybe tell whose pups are whose but if you have two the same color and they deliver close then you would not be able to tell who is who. It seems different litters together would give you more ways to use one male at the same time so to speak.
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That's understandable for sure but I wasn't wanting specific mice to specific mice question. More of a do you put different colors does as a pair or trios. Like do you put like colors together in general. Or what if I have more than one goal and want to use those two very different colored does with the same male. Is it easier to just put those together in the beginning or to move the male around to different groups of does? Does that make sense? Should all the does that are housed together be bred to the same male? Or do you separate them to breed and them put them back in their group? Right now I am just starting and have no idea what colors I am going to produce between two. So I guess right now my goal is to find out what colors I am carrying and what they are going to produce along with working on type and temperament. Mine are pet store mice except the couple I just got from a breeder.
OK thanks about the different age question. I've been wondering as the new babies I do have get weaned if I could put them in with the ones I bought recently. They are fairly young also and will be out of quarantine by then also. But also won't quite be old enough to start making pairs/trios yet either.
Don't put bucks into a cage with established does,they might give him a hard time and put him off.Introduce in his cage or a neutral cage.It doesn't matter if you move him or the does on when they are pregnant as long as the does are in the cage where they are to give birth a few days before so they can build a nest and settle.You can mix does that have been bred to different bucks .If you want to know whose babies are whose though you will need to keep them separate.Only mix does that are due at or around the same time.
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