# Predicting Pregnancy



## ian (Oct 3, 2008)

Im not sure if this would be the right section.

So I want to find out more about how everyone can tell whether thier does are pregnant. I usually judge by observinng growth around the stomach but really its unpredictable, Ive had some does give birth earlier than I had expected because they just didnt get big bellies.

I have a doe at the moment who I hope is pregnant, her belly is rounded and feels firm all over. I also have a few other does which have soft bellies with small firm masses inside and others with no swelling or masses. Is it a trustworthy way of telling or not? 
At the moment I feel like the only way I can tell they are pregnant is when babies arrive, I used to be able to tell really easily just by looking but Im having so few litters I think I've lost the knack.


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

After putting the doe with the buck, I check every morning for vaginal plugs. Almost invariably, 19-21 days after the plug is seen, babies arrive.

I've found that simply palpating the belly isn't really always an accurate way to gauge pregnancy since some mice (particularly if they've had a litter before) are kind of flabby and don't "show" their pregnancy as much anyway.


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## nuedaimice (May 26, 2010)

I guess its just like humans, some of us get huge and lose our shape after pregnancy, some of us can pop out 10 kids and make every woman within a 100 mile radius hate them.

I have to wonder what the other mice say about them. "Ugh, will you look at her! She's had 25 kids and STILL has the figure, it just makes me sick!" 

Anyway, sometimes babies can shift too, and make a doe look "less pregnant" than she was the day before, which can drive a person mad.

Plugs are a great way to tell, if you can catch them before they fall out or don't have bucks that take 6 weeks to mate with a doe. And of course, if you "colony breed" then you may not catch it either. It really depends on your breeding program and personal schedule, whether or not you'll see it.


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## ian (Oct 3, 2008)

I always look out for plugs too, Ive seen quite a few recently so fingers crossed the mating actually result in babies. I really need to see some litters coming out or I'm going to be in trouble of losing all my lines.


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## windyhill (Jan 19, 2010)

I check for plugs as well.
Since I breed alot of brindles, I cant always tell if they are getting big becouse of pregnancy or not. 
I just always assume they are pregnant to be on the safe side.

Theres some breeders that say they can tell early, but I dont know if its true or not, it might just be luck


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

Yeah, those conversations would be crazy:

Mouse 1: "Did you hear that Minnie had another litter of great grand children last week?"
Mouse 2: "Oh yeah? How many does that make?"
Mouse 1: "Six thousand and four."


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## nuedaimice (May 26, 2010)

> Mouse 1: "Did you hear that Minnie had another litter of great grand children last week?"
> Mouse 2: "Oh yeah? How many does that make?"
> Mouse 1: "Six thousand and four."


LOL! Exactly! (I would hate to be Minnie at Christmas time, you couldn't even afford to give each of the grand kids $1 like my great aunt Sarah does)


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