breeding wild mice

Question
What is the best way to catch and breed wild house mice. I
want to have tame so I figured to breed them then tame the babies at least to the point where they don't bite me then do again with new babies and make tamer.


Answer
Dear Amanda,

The best way to catch wild mice is with a live trap such as a Havahart.  The following post discusses different humane ways to catch mice and includes a link to the Havahart site.  (Please do not use the glue traps mentioned!)

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2008/9/Freeing-mice-glue-traps.htm

To breed them all you need to do is keep a male with a female in a comfortable cage.  The male mice look like they have a big butt; that's the testicles.  The females are neat behind.

The mice can have a lot of babies so be sure you are prepared for that.  Here are some links to various posts in my archives.  

First, about mating and gestation:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2008/8/mouse-reproduction.htm

pregnancy:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2008/7/pregnant-1.htm

raising babies:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2008/2/mouse-babies.htm

Among other less relevant topics, how to become intimate with your mouse:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2008/8/hand-raising-mouse-playing.htm

It will be a lot of work to tame the babies, especially since the momma mouse will not want to let you near them.  Then you have to figure out what you are going to do with all the extra mice:  If you let them all live together you will have far more babies than you can handle.  However, male mice often fight and will fight to the death.  Thus males often have to each have a cage of their own.  

You are taking on quite a project.  Are you sure you don't want to just buy a tame mouse?!

Good Luck!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha