# Eaten tails



## Little Whiskers (Apr 13, 2012)

Can anyone tell me if there is a reason for why some mothers have a tendency to eat the tails of her young. I had a litter once where the tails on the babies were either stumps or nothing at all but they were born with normal tails.

I've recently come across this again and wondered if anyone else had experienced it or knows of this happening sometimes.
The babies are 6 weeks old and other than looking like manx, they are happy healthy little mice.

I always thought a mouse needed it's tail for balance but I'm assuming as there are manx mice, this isn't so


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Stressed mums often "overgroom" their babies, and go from cleaning them gently to nibbling on their toes/tails/ears. And the mice will be fine without their tails, but there's a possibility the line will continue the overgrooming behavior.


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## Little Whiskers (Apr 13, 2012)

I did wonder as it was the same female that did it last time. I thought it was most likely to be a first time mom thing but obviously not. I'll leave her out of my breeding group now as she is a bit of a manic mom when she has a litter.

I'm pleased to know the babies will be ok without tails. They appear not to be bothered by it.

Thanks for your help


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

ive had the same thing with one of my girls, she nipped the first litter so i culled it to a more managable number and one of them was one with a stump tail. then her second litter she munched them. Never bred her again and the one with the munched tail never had any problems.


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