# FIrst litter that cannibalised ... any insight?



## holeinthewallmousery (Jan 26, 2011)

Hey guys,

So far I really like this forum and you guys seem really knowledgeable so hopefully you can help me out. I haven't been breeding all that long or much and most of the time its gone swimmingly (maybe I've just been lucky) Unfortunately, I had my first litter where all the babies were cannibalised by a rather skittish mom today.  I've been doing some research into it and I think it was a combination of reasons but I'm still a little alarmed.... So my question, for more experienced breeders than I, what do you do to prevent cannibalism in your mice?


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## evansrabbitranch (Jan 2, 2011)

I find that poor socialization combined with poor diet is usually the reason for eating babies. But there can be a tendancy to it too from certain mice. I don't usually keep mice that eat their litters and for something like that it is a one strike policy for me.


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Ive had one mouse eat the litter and it went the distance Im afraid.


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## bethmccallister (Mar 5, 2010)

If you really need valuable traits that the dame carries I would watch closely to see her give birth the next time then move the babies to a different mouse that was already nursing a litter. Try to make sure she has access to high protein nutrition and fresh water at all times if you want to let her try again. Sometimes too young first time moms will cannibalize. Also sometimes there might be something wrong with the babies that you couldn't detect but the mom could and culled them. Personally I don't breed moms that do this again but if I really needed the genetic traits for a project I would be very tempted.


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## holeinthewallmousery (Jan 26, 2011)

Thanks for the advice, I decided not to breed her again.


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