LIBRARY 



Uni -ted.. states iDepartment of the Interior 

 Fish and Wildlife Seirvice 



Wildlife Leaflet 214 



I V/ashiAgten, P.. C>. 





\M RECORD 



OF ASRiGUlin' 



March 1942 



^I CAES' OF -.WHITS MICE AITD BATS '. 



Prepared in the Section of Ihar Resources 

 Division of Wildlife Research 



White mice and rats are raised principally for use in medical labora- 

 tories in testing remedies and in determining certain types of disease; 

 though they are also raised as pets. The information in this leaflet is 

 based chiefly on the food and breeding liabits and the' housing requirements 

 of white mice, but it will apply in a general way to white rats also, 



- . ■ : . ' . ■.: . FOOD. ...... '' \ ■ 



Many commercial firms that raise v/hite mice and rats feed them 

 specially prepared pellets containing a variety of ground cereals and soy- 

 bean meal or other protein supplements. These can be obtained from a 

 local feed dealer, A mixture of whole grains and soybean pellets may also 

 be fed. Lettuce, chickweed, or other green feeds, and boiled carrots, 

 potatoes, or parsnips should occasionally be furnished in small quantities^ 

 and fresh water should be supplied in every cage. All dishes should be 

 kept clean and should be disinfected frequently by scalding, 



BEEEDING 



The mice and rats attain sexual maturity at 2 to 3 months of age. 

 The gestation period is about 21 days. Pemales produce litters of about 

 5 young every 30 days until they are about 18 months old. Usually, 

 however, it is better not to breed them again until they have ceased nurs- 

 ing the previous litter, for they soon break down under the strain of sup- 

 porting two litters at the same time, The young are weaned when 20 to 25 

 days old. Under this plan each breeding female would produce successive 

 litters at intervals of 6 or 7 weeks, and in the course of a year would 

 produce about 40 ;^'0ung. Each male may have in his cage 3 or 4 females 

 if they are without young. Each female is removed to a separate cage 



ImOTE: This leaflet supersedes Biological Survey Leaflet Bi-263 

 issued in December 1927 by the Bureau of Biological Survey under the 

 Department of Agriculture, 



