# wierd nesting habbit with first litter?



## Shadowrunner (Sep 26, 2011)

My agouti doe had her first litter the other day ,nine babies all together.
I first noticed some odd doings the first day.
All of my mice before would make little divets in the bedding for a nest.
This doe used her back legs to kick up a huge pile,and then transformed it into a cave of sorts.
Second strange habit,every time she went to eat she would bury the babies,and twitch her tail over the spot until everything was flat.It was the most bizarre thing Ive ever seen.
No problems except she would forget where they were and we lost 6 of them after they got too cold.
We now have the remaining three with another doe who is nursing two week olds.
I'm wondering if this is inexperience or...just some kind of thing Ive never heard of.


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## m137b (Sep 22, 2010)

Other than losing the babies it sounds very normal. Every doe is just a bit different but I've had plenty that pile the bedding up and make a cave instead of just digging a hole, and most of my girls will bury the nest if they're leaving for any length of time like to eat or stretch it keeps the babies warm.

How old was the doe? How big was the cage and did you have any thing in it other than bedding/nesting material?


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## jadeguppy (Jun 4, 2011)

Yes, burying the nest is rather common. I'd say at least 50% of my does do that to-date. I won't be surprised if more do it as the weather cools. I've never lost a bub due to it though.


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

good mum. She should of put the young back in the nest though. When a Doe is as maternal as this one she will often respond to disturbance by trying to move the litter and all sorts. Sometimes with disasterous consequences. My advice would be to keep the cage as undisturbed as possible, and in darkness, just cover with a cloth or similar.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Some times the mothering instinct just isn't strong enough, particulairily with first litters. I always get a bit nervous when one of my does has her first, and end up kind of hovering when the litter is due.


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## Shadowrunner (Sep 26, 2011)

thanks for all the info guys. She is alone in the cage, as she is a little skittish with other females,and I generally keep the males away from babies.I didn't move anything and I keep her in a quiet corner of the house. I think it was just first litter troubles.It seemed like she really tried,but didn't know exactly what to do. the two that did survive are still with the foster mom,and doing really well(maybe too well,the little fatties).It looks like Ive got one white with black markings and another white,but with gray marks. I may be wrong,as they still don't have anything more than fuzz.


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