# Early signs of wanting to mate?



## AliciaPNW (Sep 2, 2010)

One of the young boys (21 days old) has been sniffing the lady parts of his sister. He follows her around the cage and causes her to yelp for awhile while he does this. I really don't want the sisters getting pregnant this young. Should I separate them now or wait it out? These youngins are an incestuous offspring of my last batch. I know 21 days old is young but I really do not want them to breed. They have been eating from the food bowl they share with their siblings, aunts, mom and grandma mouse. They don't seem to be nursing anymore. Any advice would be great!
Alicia


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

Seperate them. I asked my vet once when's the earliest they can cope without milk and their mother (I was hand raising a batch at he time) and he said 3 weeks or maby a few days earlier. The milk after that is just to boost them up

Hope i've helped


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## AliciaPNW (Sep 2, 2010)

Thanks for the reply, I plan to put the boys into their own cage today. The cage was holding the grandpa satin dove I had, he died yesterday of unknown reasons. No signs of infection, bleeding, tumors. He was very lethargic and wobbled slowly around like he was drunk. Died in my lap after suffering a few seizures


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## AliciaPNW (Sep 2, 2010)

I just attempted a separation, but it would appear that all the babies are boys. I checked them all carefully and none had nipples that I could see. I even put a few of them in a small glass jar to hold up to the light so i could study them carefully. The parts all looked very similar. The knob on their parts were all sort of pointing to their tail and none of their parts were close to their anus like i've seen in the doe pictures. I'll try to take pictures, but they all take after their grandpa and their dad, they are serious HOPPERS. I had one little guy run into the closet of my room.
Oh and I thought i'd add, these are two litters born only a few days apart, born from two sisters. I don't understand how they could ALL be boys.


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