# Advice for big litter



## Lilly (Nov 21, 2015)

I am not sure if this is the correct place to post this topic so I apologize in advance if it is not.

One of my does had a litter around 3.5 days ago (born some time over friday night or early saturday morning so not sure exactly what time). I left them alone until about an hour ago because she got really skittish over the last week and since she is a first time mouse mum I did not want to risk munching.

So she was pretty happy to climb up my arm to get out of there for a little while and I took that chance to put her in another room with some food and take a quick look. She moved the babies from her favoured spot under a platform to a nest the other side of the cage this morning so I was a little worried and wanted to count them.

Anyway I have not touched/moved them as of yet but just gently moved some of the bedding to take a look/count and then very carefully replaced it. Problem is that she has at least 10 (possibly more if they were hidden in the back and under other babies but I don't think so) which I know is a lot although they do have 10 teats.

So since this is my first litter, looking for advice on whether I should risk disturbing them a lot to reduce the litter size now or whether I should leave them a little longer to reduce the risk of her eating the ones left if she smells me on them. I was planning on reducing if there was more than 4-5 anyway but if there was maybe 6 or so was thinking that I could wait a few more days until I can see pigment or fur starting to come in so I can get a better idea of any recessives her/the buck may have.

A couple of the babies were lying on their sides and squirming around a little and they at least had fat milk bellies although they look a bit smaller than the images on here

Thank you in advance


----------



## NexivRed (Nov 8, 2015)

Remove the smallest ones now, I doubt she'll eat the rest. The first couple of days will make all the difference for the remaining babies. If you wait till the fur comes in you'll have a lot of weaker, smaller babies that won't make as good breeding stock/pets/feeders or whatever they're destined for.


----------



## Lilly (Nov 21, 2015)

Thank you for your advice NexivRed, I did as you suggested (which too be honest was what I was thinking had to be done but wanted confirmation)

She had 13! Three of them must have been hiding bundled up, she had been doing pretty well though, all had milk bands although there were two that were noticeably runts (one of which was a little skinny as well as just smaller). I have left her 6 for now, I know even that is quite a lot but they were the biggest most active 6 with the best pigmentation but I hope even that should help mum and babies out a lot.

It was a difficult thing to do the first time 

Anyway of them about 1/4 were lighter pigmentation, I had expected black tan mostly unless anything was hiding and about 3/4 seemed very pigmented so look to fit that but I am not sure what the others will be, sadly they were also mostly in the smallest but I think I had one or two in the 6 that were kept. Buck was blue tan and doe black marked tan but maybe both had some kind of recessive that would cause lighter fur.

Now I guess we'll see if she copes with the disturbance to the nest, if she doesn't then probably a sign she shouldn't be bred from


----------



## Lilly (Nov 21, 2015)

Just a quick update, all 6 that I left are doing really well, 9 days old now, nice and chubby, vocal and able to move around pretty well in their own waddling way!

Seems that the Black pied doe was D/d since I seem to have two blue babies, although one of them is a darker blue similar to the buck and one is a lighter more silvery blue (which am I correct in thinking darker is better according to the standards?). Also both buck and doe are a^t/a since I have one little black self so I am pretty happy about that. The other three blacks are black tans with one being noticeably darker/shinier black than the others but the very end of its tail looks like it will have a tiny bit of white. Not sure if the blues are tan or self yet since their belly hasn't seemed to develop much (if any) pigmentation and is still pretty pink.

Looking forward to their eyes opening soon, they've turned from the round circles to looking like their eyelid are just shut.

Really need to get a better camera though... mine is so old it won't focus when i hold it close to the babies and when I hold it away you can just see small blobs!


----------



## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Six is a great number! I'm glad to hear they're doing well!

Dark is better for most any club's standards, yes! Evenness is also important, but can be harder to tell at this age. The darker/shinier black tan might be satin; it can be hard to ID satin on black. Belly pigment seems to come in around the edges first, and you can usually get a definite yes/no on it by day 10. I LOVE eye opening day. They are at peak cuteness!


----------



## Lilly (Nov 21, 2015)

Ok got a couple of ok-ish photos

























Their eyes opened today and so cute, doe is also seeming to be a lot happier with them now than when they were younger, being with them most of the time.

Are young mice naturally shinier? The doe seems very shiny (black pied tan) and their bellies are shiny but I have not seen other mice this young for comparison. The two blues gleam a lot more that the blue tan buck but again is this just age?

Sadly almost all have faults, white on tail or white toes/hairs on the vents but that is to be expected from pet shop stock.


----------



## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

I've never noticed my babies being shinier than adults. Any chance the adults are satin and just too dark to be able to tell?


----------



## Lilly (Nov 21, 2015)

Looking at the doe I think it is very possible that she is, the buck doesn't look it to me, compared to the two blue babies they are noticeably different to him, he looks a lot "dirtier" and less shiny, but then he could be carrying it and I just got lucky and had quite a few in the litter, or that the ones I kept happened to be satin (if they indeed are).


----------



## NexivRed (Nov 8, 2015)

Aw, they're gorgeous little bubs! Congrats on the satin. I love satin!


----------



## Lilly (Nov 21, 2015)

Now 4 weeks old










I think that shade of blue is actually quite pretty even if it is pale


----------

