# moved just in the nick of time!



## dangermouse (Oct 4, 2008)

This evening I had decided to move our male into a seperate cage (I was going to do this on wednesday). What made me change my mind was our female making a nest franticly. Anyhow just checked on her and saw one baby...... this all happened in less than an hour after I moved the male. I have no idea how many she has had........ and did not expect to see any babies tonight because she was not very big at all........ this is her first litter. I am also worried to look in incase it scares her ..... advice please?


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## daisy (Oct 4, 2008)

make sure she's got plenty of food and water available to her, and otherwise to be on the safe side just let her get on with it for a few days, she wont need your help so looking in prematurely will only create the potential to disturb her and make her an angry mummy.

after a day or so coax her out with something yummy, scoup her up and put her in a seperate box (or get someone to hold her out the way) and then gently move the bedding and have a look at the pups, they should have a line of visible milk across their tummies. pop the bedding back how you found it and let mum back.

its good to give mum some extra protein right now, (i usually give bread soaked in lactol) but you can use some scrambled egg something like that if you dont have lactol.

good luck


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

For future litters if there are any, you should really aim to remove the buck after 2 weeks of being in with the doe. This allows her time to settle and prevents any post partum mating. I remove bucks regardless of whether the doe looks pregnant or not because as you say sometimes they aren't very big.

As long as she is a calm doe who trusts you, leave her alone for three days - just change her food and water. Then you can look at her babies following the proper procedures.


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## dangermouse (Oct 4, 2008)

Thankyou ....... keep you fingers crossed that all goes ok please..... I am just a bit worried about all this talk of mums eating their young ....... I used to breed guinea pigs ...... but that was totally different as you know they are fully haired and mobile etc with eyes open, and ours never killed their babies.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

You may find the following helpful:

http://www.fancymice.info/breedfrontpage.htm
http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/index.cfm


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## dangermouse (Oct 4, 2008)

Thanks again ............... I have not peeked but have heard slight squeeks....... she is also spending most of her time in her nest ...... only comming out to eat etc now and then..... I assume all sounds ok by this, but still think she has had a small litter. Before birth she spent lots of time exploring out of her bed.


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## dangermouse (Oct 4, 2008)

babies five days old today......I still have not disturbed the nest so still dont know how many. Mum seems to be looking after them well she is eating and drinking well too and looks good, but is very nervous when she hears a noise and runs into her nest, this is why I have not disturbed her. any ideas when it will be ok to look? I would hate her to kill her babies out of fright. She also keeps blocking the nest enterance with sawdust and shredded paper and had piled it ontop of the nestbox so it looks like a sawdust hill. I keep hearing little squeeks so i know they are still alive....... and her underside looks like she is nursing young too.


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## daisy (Oct 4, 2008)

you should really be getting your mum used to you being about now and start handleing the pups, they will be opening their eyes in another week and you'll already be able to see thier colours, coax mum out with something tasty, or put a loo roll tube in her tank and wait (for ages maybe!) until she has come out and gone into the tube, then scoup it up to get her away whist you look at the pups, you can rub your hands on their bedding to get their smell on you first. she shouldnt eat them at this age really, and aslong as you take her out and distract her with something yummy all should be fine


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## dangermouse (Oct 4, 2008)

I looked......... as I thought not many ..... two infact ...... looking good...... they look like they are going to be same colouring as mum.... infact one has same markings wich are even broken marked.... and one only slightly smaller than the other, she was very reluctant to come out but when we returned her she stayed out for a few mins and played with us, so all ok ... i think .... hope ....fingers crossed and all that. Thanks for your advice.


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## daisy (Oct 4, 2008)

sounds good,  with only 2 babies they should get nice and big! 
although i handle mine from a few days old i find it most important to handle them at 12 days old just before they open their eyes, although watch out beause it is not uncommon for them to go through a 'popcorn' or 'flea' stage at this age where their instinct is to get away (and fast) from anything which might be a predator - hands included! and boy can they jump like little slippery soaps!!


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

A high percentage of mine (especially the big selfs) open their eyes around day 11. I know all the books say day 14, and that was true when I had pet quality mice, but the show ones seem more developed earlier. Just a warning


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## dangermouse (Oct 4, 2008)

so are you both saying i should be handeling them? as of yet i have not touched them


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

If they're five days old (I think that's what you said?) then yes, I'd recommend you start handling them. If you leave it too long they will be jumpy and hard to handle, especially as their eyes start to open.


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## dangermouse (Oct 4, 2008)

well my babies are now 10 days old being handeled and got fur and moving about alot, but most of you know how they develope. Sorry I am just so exited .... they are lovley. Im pretty sure they are both bucks too as before they had fun no nipples to be seen ... is this correct? I have looked at the pics on site.Handeling them is becomming a bit tircky because they are so livley and I have to be careful not to hurt them, and when we put them back in the nest they try to escape......... :lol: mum mouse dosnt mind use touching them too .... infact thinks she likes the break and goes to play on her wheel.


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

Can you get a pic?I'd love to see them!


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

this thread is more than 2 years old.


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## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

lol


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