# Do Older Babies Attack Younger Babies ?



## jammin32 (Jun 14, 2012)

Probably a daft question but hey ive asked a few already lol

Can older babies between 2-3 weeks hurt or attack newborns ?


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## candycorn (Oct 31, 2011)

probably not really. Are you thinking of fostering newborns to a mother with older babies?


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## thewesterngate (May 22, 2012)

Not typically, although you do have to be extra cautious because the bigger babies might overpower the younger ones for milk, resulting in stunted runts.


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## jammin32 (Jun 14, 2012)

No one of my females with a litter of 5 few week old babies is in with another female who gave birth last night and 2 have vanished presumed eaten


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## besty74 (May 26, 2012)

its most likely the adults not the older babies.


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## jammin32 (Jun 14, 2012)

I just wanted to be sure as they seem to do it when ur not watching little so and so's !


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## Louise Bygrave (Aug 27, 2012)

I am a breeder and yes you have to be careful. It is not usual but on the rare occassion can happen. I had a litter of 5 weeks in with a newborn litter and one of the babies attacked half the litter. If the bed area becomes crowded this causes the problem as the mother will throw the older babies out to suckle the younger ones. The older babies then see the younger babies as competition, it only takes 1 to ruin a litter! Note: if the older litter are fully weaned this isn't such a problem and it only seems to occur when the mother mouse is the mother of both litters.


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## sugarmice (Jul 24, 2012)

I have never had babies attack babies personally, but I have had mums kill babies (culling down their own litter to a more manageable size)


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