# Expecting! Couple questions



## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

I am planning on breeding my not so-new-any-more doe and buck! Pics will come soon, I promise. :lol:

Few questions:

1. If I let the doe live with, say 3 of her daughters, would they be ok together? As in no fighting?

2. Is it alright to remove the pregnant doe's cage mate while she is pregnant, and then return her afterwords? Or would they fight?

3. What sorts of food should I feed the pregnant doe? In the U.S.A.?

4. When is it safe to separate the pinkies from mom? When it is ok to give them away?

5. When do I have to split the bucks from the does?

That's it for now. I am planning on putting the buck with the doe in a cage for one week starting on the 20th of Feb if all goes as planned.

Lastly, I wasn't sure where this post should go, so I put it here. Please correct me if I am wrong!


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

Oops! Forgot a question!

6. When can I begin to handle the pinkies?


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

A doe and her daughters make an ideal group to live togther in the same tank. It would be harder to introduce any other mousies to that group because the mother will see it as her and her daughters territory.

If the cage mate is a female who is not going to be bred, it's OK to leave them together through the pregnancy and beyond. She may act as a helper with the babies. Some folks always have an 'auntie' with the expectant mother for this reason.

Whole grains make the basis for a good diet with the addition of some extra protein in the form of cooked egg yolk, dry cat or dog food, preferably something with a high protein and no corn. I use Professional Brand Puppy Chow, myself. Soymilk with small chunks of dried bread are another good addition during pregnancy and while the doe is nursing. Fresh foods can be given in small quantities as well, like cooked chicken, tuna, greens, non-citrus fruit, cooked veggies, etc. The bulk of the diet should be whole grains, in my opinion, say 80%. Rolled oats, barley, whole wheat, millet are all good. Most commercially prepared diets found in stores have way too much sugar and the ingredients often are not good quality.

By the time the abies are ready to be adopted out, they will no longer be pinkies, of course, but I know what you mean. Baby mousies are partially weaned by the time they are three weeks old, and by the age of five weeks old, will be nearing age when it is technically possible for them to breed. I usually separate the boys from the females at that age, if not sooner. By the age of five weeks any of the babies will be ready for adoption to new homes.

The buck may be removed as soon as the doe is showing.

You might want to wait a couple days after the birth, although it's usually not harmful if you need to handle the babies right away. Just give mom a treat to distract her so she doesn't see the Horrible Hand grabbing the little eekers.

Have I covered it?


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

I keep a non breeding female with My nursing mums and they do help out when mum goes too feed she will keep the pups warm and cleans them too.


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

Thanks, and yes that covered it!


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