# First litter questions



## CorySpaceCowboy (May 31, 2011)

My mouse just had her very first litter. One has died making the total 12. Is this normal? I pulled it out with tweezers... was that bad? I haven't done anything else but moved her cage gently once.

But more importantly, the babies are sepperated, one in one corner zero in another, 5 in the other two, is this okay/normal? It appears one of the groups of 5 are the only ones being fed, should I intervene?


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## MouseHeaven (Oct 25, 2010)

How long has it been since the momma gave birth? I stick my hands in the cage the first day- but if I know their very newly born, I give them a few hours. You want to look for big white milk bellies, if the ones in the other corners dont show anything soon - I would GENTLY pick them up and put them in the corner with the others. If the momma still refuses to feed them you should try rubbing some of the smelliest bedding from her cage onto them and placing them back into the corner. Although, it's natural for the mom to want to narrow down the litter size. Sometimes the babies will come out stilborn, or die after birth; you dont have anything to worry about.


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## CorySpaceCowboy (May 31, 2011)

Its been about five hours now. Oh I do see them only on some of the ones in the corner I was mentioning. Should the mom be around them constantly? Because she seems to be doing alot of laying on her food which I've never seen her do before.


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## MouseHeaven (Oct 25, 2010)

No, most mommas won't lay in the nest all the time, they take breaks but will still frequently visit the nest whenever they think the babies need another feeding.

If she didn't take a break they'd probably suck her dry! :lol:


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## CorySpaceCowboy (May 31, 2011)

HAHA! Makes since.

Thanks for answering all those questions, I went ahead and moved them all to that corner since I can't see milk in the other bellies, hopein for the best.


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## MouseHeaven (Oct 25, 2010)

Best wishes for your new borns


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## ccoryjohnn (Jul 2, 2010)

Hey let us know how everything turns out!


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## CorySpaceCowboy (May 31, 2011)

The babies are doing great and the mother is doing an excellent job, I'm really impressed with her.


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## Lesley (May 7, 2011)

Phew!
Continued best wishes - first litters are special - here's to the future for you and your mice.


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