# Birth Cage



## Radical Mice (Mar 24, 2013)

I currently have my male and female mice together, hoping for a nice litter. This will be the first time I bred mice so I was wondering about the cage where my female (crystal) will be giving birth. Should I give her a nice little box and play things or should I just leave it bare? My friend who use to breed mice just had her pregnant females in an empty cage with bedding (and of course food and water dishes).


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

My birth/raising cage has a nestbox with a small opening to get her feeling secure, but a removable rear side so I can check in whenever needed.
A water bottle as there's risk crawlers (blind but moving pups) could drown in a water dish.
Instead of toys I put a pile of hay, toilet paper, and cardboard in for her to busy herself with, and hide some extra protein treats inside cardboard tubes.
Since it's winter I also felt-line the nestbox so the babies retain a soft warmness better when Mom's out, but that's just a personal preference and I imagine they'd be 100% fine without it, just me being a worry-er.


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## ThatCertainGlow (Jun 23, 2012)

I wouldn't give play things that could trap a baby, or not be rearranged to mom's specifications, like plastic items. Things like kitchen rolls cut in half, small cardboard boxes, etc. are great. She can fuss with them, or tear them apart, at will. I would not use a water dish.


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## Radical Mice (Mar 24, 2013)

Thanks you guys, I think I'm going to have her tank mostly cleared out, with a food bowl and a water bottle. Then a little shelter for her to feel safe, maybe a few little play toys but nothing heavy.


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