# Hypothetical Breeding Questions



## Vhendi (Feb 16, 2011)

I do not have any pregnant mice, nor do I plan on breeding any of my girls (except in my imagination, lol) ... but my mind has been wandering... and wondering...

1) When 1 female has a litter, I've read that other female mice will help care for the babies - does this mean the other females' bodies physically react to being around newborn pups... so that they start producing milk, etc?

2) What if one of the "nanny" mice got upset for whatever reason - stress, for example - but the mother mouse is fine... could the nanny mouse potentially cannibalize the litter or would/could the real mother mouse protect them?

Yep, my brain thinks odd things when I'm stuck at work with nothing to do. *whistles*


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

1; some people report that the other non pregnant doe has produced milk,I have never experienced this and I've bred thousands.

2; there is a risk of another doe eating the babies .A single healthy doe doesn't need help rearing her young from another doe.


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## Roland (Aug 17, 2009)

1. No, the nurses do not produce milk. Many breeders keep PREGNANT females together. If the young female gives birth (if possible a short time after the experienced females gave birth), the other "mothers" will care for all babies and the babies will not die, until the young mother has learned to care for them. In addition experienced females, even without own babies, take care of the newborn babies: They carry them back to the nest and keep them warm, while the girly-mother ignores them sometimes and after a short time of getting cold, the newborns would die. Dead babies get eaten and sometimes this is the start to eat them all.. (have a look to the nests after birth therefore and take away all "blue" babies).

2. Yes, there is a risk. If possible use females as nurses, which have shown a good quality as mother. In addition you should take care for all other factors, which are important to prevent baby-eating: did all mice in the cage get enough animal proteins? Did they get nesting material to induce nest-building activity short before birth of the litter? Did all get enough vitamins, especially folic acid? Do they have a source for calcium? Did you take away all dead babies?

Best regards, Roland
Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red
The place where science meets fun!


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## wildrose (Apr 27, 2011)

Hi! I'm new here but I thought maybe I could help answer your question. Yay I feel useful! 

I think its a rumor that nannies produce milk. It's never happened when I've bred. It doesn't make sense biologically either. And I think due to the fact that they can't produce milk, there's a much bigger risk than keeping two moms together. Sometimes nannies will fight over the babies, and I've even heard of them stealing some of the babies and keeping mom away. The babies starve in this situation or are weaker because they can't get to milk. I definitely don't do the nanny thing.

In my experience (which isn't an insane amount, but hey, for what its worth) if a nanny starts eating babies, mom joins in. Or vice versa. They usually plot their evil baby eating schemes together. And they tend to eat them all, or none. Maybe its just the pet store quality i've got over here.

I know what you mean about the random thoughts... Does anyone know if dad is more or less likely to cannibalize if kept in the cage with the doe? I've been pondering that lately. I've never done this before because of the whole post-partum oestrus thing... but its an interesting question.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

wildrose said:


> Hi! I'm new here but I thought maybe I could help answer your question. Yay I feel useful!
> 
> I've never done this before because of the whole post-partum oestrus thing... but its an interesting question.


I agree with your observations.I have only ever witnessed does doing the deed personally.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

I've had non-pregnant does feed the babies, but they were mated to the same buck at the same time as the doe who gave birth, which may be the reason why they have produced milk.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

It's the suckling on the nipples that stimulates milk production, not the birthing or pregnancy. So whether or not a nanny will produce milk depends entirely on the doe. If she allows the kittens to suckle, she will start producing milk, simple as.

Sarah xxx


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Yes apparently this is possible in humans too...


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Yes, hence why aristocratic ladies were able to employ a 'wet nurse' for their babies.

Sarah xxx


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Really... I always figured wet nurses were women who had had babies around the same time themselves.

I actually read a story once where an upper class family made sure the woman they had chosen to be nurse was pregnant too... anyway, I digress...


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Sometimes they were, but not always. There's more info on induced lactation in mammals here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactat...pregnancy.2C_induced_lactation.2C_relactation

Sarah xxx


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Human babies and mouse babies can they feed off another mother? .I didnt think a human baby could feed off another mother the same with mice?I must be wrong.


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

wouldnt there be a problem with nipple size ?


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

geordiesmice said:


> Human babies and mouse babies can they feed off another mother? .I didnt think a human baby could feed off another mother the same with mice?I must be wrong.


it's hormones, in this case pregnancy ones that create milk and enlarged nipples.It is possible to lactate without a pregnancy but it's in response to a phantom pregnancy/hormone inbalance.Otherwise we'd be in trouble every time a friend dropped a cute baby.Dogs frequently lactate after a phantom pregnancy.It's a hormonal response to being in season.They follow the same pattern as if they really were pregnant.In short it isn't a response to another mothers litter being born,although they may partake of the nurturing in other respects,it's a hormonal response.


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