# 1st litter



## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

well she was supposed to have them last night, but early this afternoon isnt too far off the mark. I reckon she had about nine, she let me have a peep in the nest with her in the cage too (so she could see what i was doing). I didnt disturb any babies, just moved the bedding and I counted about 9 wrigglers. and wriggle they do lol. She didnt seem to mind me poking about but when she got annoyed she came over to have a sniff and just put the bedding back how she liked it then went back to her biscuit. I know people say to remove mum before nosying but she didnt seem to care at all but if she gets obviously stressed and annoyed I know to leave well alone. Ill upload pics as I go (if i can find a camera that is lol) .


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## Loose (May 24, 2009)

yaay! Congrats, waiting on a few of my females to pop already, seems to take forever :lol: 
Bring on the pictures! :mrgreen:


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

piccies: 







the babies 








the lovely mum, Ash








and Winston, the dad


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## Loose (May 24, 2009)

awwww, babies  
wow... the mum looks really small, how did all them babies fit in her!! :shock: :lol:

What are you expecting from the litter?


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

Im not sure colour wise but I know that if Ash and Winnie are genetically creams then the babies will be PEW and BEW but as they have broken's in their families- Ash is related to a broken silver agouti and another PEW and Winnies brother is a broken lilac but in his litter he also had blacks, lilacs, agouti's and PEWs with him being the only BEW (btw even though I have 3 sisters and two brothers they are unrelated) The babies appear to mainly have black eyes so that's the only thing I'm certain of. Forgot to mention- she had ten not nine, I miss counted yesterday


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

Still 10 babies, some have dark patches on them so Ill have a lot of brokens. Im having one issue though, as I put a cardboard persil box in for mum to nest in, I cant pick the babies up and I have to disturb a lot of nest to get to them, mum doesnt mind the last bit but Im worried about hurting the babies and also when they start wanting to leave the nest, they cant. The walls of the box are really high so unless they can jump, theyre stuck. Any suggestions?


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

They'll get out however the mum gets out. Could you take the mother out and cut the top off the box (or hinge it by cutting three sides) to allow you to access the babies more easily? That's what I'd do.


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

okay ill do that  what is the best way to pick up babies? ur site says to scoop them up but Im finding it a little difficult with the box sides being high, the little beggers wont keep still either lol


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

How old are they? If they're pinkies they are easy to pick up with your thumb and forefinger on either side of their middles, just don't squeeze! If they are older you can pick them up by the tail to transfer to your hand.


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## sommy (Mar 1, 2009)

MouseBreeder said:


> How old are they? If they're pinkies they are easy to pick up with your thumb and forefinger on either side of their middles, just don't squeeze! If they are older you can pick them up by the tail to transfer to your hand.


Mine just turned 2 weeks and still the only way they let me pick them up is by the scruff, is this dangerous?


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## Loganberry (Oct 24, 2008)

It's not dangerous but it's quite awkward - use the tail to lift them, (try and hold near to the base of the tail) and keep hold of the tail when they're on your hand in case they decide to go for a ping - think of it as a handy, permanently attached lead!


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## sommy (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks,
I'll give it a try



Loganberry said:


> think of it as a handy, permanently attached lead!


 :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

they were born on thursday around lunch time


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

just had a go at sexing them and I think I have 5 bucks and 4 does (back to 9 again- no bodies so i must have miscounted) 3 with dark eyes and six with light. I thought shed culled down to seven when I was checking them out but shed cut two off and put them seperate to the others :? they were both a little cold and had no milk band- was I right to put them back in with the rest?

**6 bucks and 3 does**


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Sometimes they do separate them in order to make feeding easier, however I would also have put them back together as you did, just in case. If you are going to cull you will need to do so soon to get the maximum benefit, and I'd recommend removing the bucks if you have no preferences.


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

Im not going to cull as they will be just pet mice Im also a bit of a sap- I just couldnt do it, its against my beliefs (but I dont comdemn anyone else for doing it- its common practice in the mouse fancy, I just choose not to). If they were show mice I would probably consider it- or if I believed Ash was struggling with her litter but they seem to be doing fine 

I'll be posting them in the for sale section when they grow hair as, although I gave in to my mum and said I would give them to a pet shop- Id like to know for deffinate they are going to people who know how to look after them, rather then have them sit for weeks in a pet store to go to a snake or someone who doesnt have a clue. Again not saying I condemn an animal for feeding or people who wish to learn


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## danniixx (Apr 11, 2009)

found number 10  i cleaned out the cage and put mum with nest on my table like i normally do and she must have thrown him out. I know he didnt fall off the desk because I only counted 7 and then went searching for the other 3 and only found 9- he was dead on my floor. The impact must have killed him, he wasnt that cold and he had blood dots in his mouth and nose. When I looked for number 10 in the nest the only place I didnt look was the floor


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