# New litter acting wild



## Andrew (Aug 28, 2013)

I bred from a new female recently. I don't know her background to be fair, she was a rescue, so I know it was risky, but she is such a lovely sociable girl, I was quite willing to take it. Turns out this lot are almost too much to handle though. They're eighteen days old now and in the midst of a flea stage I've never seen before. We all know they can be a bit unpredictable at this age, but they're so flighty I'm at a loss of what to do for fear I may lose any! They actually even look wild, all black and brown.

Could they have roots in the wild? How would I know? And could a wild litter ever be tamed? How do I go about this, any ideas?


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## Fantasia Mousery (Jul 16, 2011)

Some babies are just like that... they can have the loveliest parents and then be little devils themselves. I wouldn't worry too much about there being wild mice in the background, because it's unlikely (not impossible), and even if there is, you can do nothing about it. Usually they start to calm down again around 4 weeks, but if they don't calm down at all I wouldn't breed them. Just continue handling them inside the cage until they stop all of their jumping and skittishness


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## Zamwyn (Apr 29, 2015)

I agree with all of the above.

Currently have 3 litters which are all siblings, and the oldest ones I was so dissapointed in when they were little. Their parents are lovely and both come from old lines known for their excellent temperament, so I had quite high expectations that came crashing down. Most of them calmed down as they got older, and the 2 younger litters I didn't have a problem with at all despite them all having the same parents.

For the females, I'd consider putting some calm, very tame mice in with them as they get older and see how the babies behave with a bunch of social mice. Sometimes that can rub off a lot on the insecure ones.


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## Andrew (Aug 28, 2013)

Thank you, that's encouraging. I think I've possibly been lucky up to now, they've always been quite easy to handle. In fact the flea stage has been so mild in my others I almost forgot it existed. Now this has brought me crashing down to earth.

I put my best doe in there with them last night, hopefully her wonderful temperament will sort of rub off on them as they grow and start to explore.

Good thing is that the litter is 7 female and 1 male so I can keep most together for longer.


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## WoodWitch (Oct 18, 2009)

I get the odd litter like this and it's a bit of a head scratcher, but they always calm down after weaning. Have you heard of hybrid vigour? Crossing two unrelated lines of mice can make for some really fit babies, this could go some way to explaining your jumpies, bristling with health and vigour


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Since nobody else has mentioned it: you can tell a half-wild litter first and foremost because they're all agouti! Or, if you're super lucky, you'll get agouti-white-belly.


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## Andrew (Aug 28, 2013)

Thanks, after worrying at first, as expected they have calmed down now. They're still ultra jumpy, but normal. Separated from their siblings, they quickly settle when holding them.

There's three agouti, the male and two of the females. I should have expected them really, their great uncle is a gorgeous dark agouti - a complete oddball from his ginger siblings, so I kept him. The other five girls are black, like their mum's sister aunty Rita


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