# Abortions in mice???



## mousefan (Nov 3, 2012)

I hope this is the right place for this post, anyway...

I read that mice can very easily abort a litter, even by just rubbing there bellies on something like a shelf or a wheel. Is this true? Did this ever happen to anyone?


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## candycorn (Oct 31, 2011)

no, that is not a problem. But they can abort if very stressed. I handle my calm expecting mice with no issues.


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## mousefan (Nov 3, 2012)

But the site said that a pregnant mouse can easily hurt or kill her babies, even accidentally rubbing her stomach on an exercise wheel.


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## AyJay658 (Jan 15, 2012)

Which site? I'm afraid you cannot believe everything you read. Its possible the author was scare-mongering or that they were not properly educated and were guessing. The regular breeders on here (of which candycorn is one) are most likely more experienced than many websites listing mouse care info.


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## candycorn (Oct 31, 2011)

mousefan said:


> But the site said that a pregnant mouse can easily hurt or kill her babies, even accidentally rubbing her stomach on an exercise wheel.


no idea what site you are quoting...but there are several that are known to publish incorrect information. If that was true...wild mice would never breed! I would take away a wheel with a nursing mom so she stays with the babies instead of running. But running while expecting will not hurt her.


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## NikiP (May 7, 2013)

Agreed, need to be careful. Before I found this site I was basically tiptoeing around my mice because of a site I found information at :roll: Probably the same site. Didn't handle the babies early, tried not to breath or eyeballs at mom....

It's much more fun being able to relax around them, handle, & let them *live*.


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## mousefan (Nov 3, 2012)

the site may have been wrong, though i would take caution, and keep the breeding tank VERY SIMPLE (like a hospital) LOL


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

if that was true there would be no wild mice in the world lol as there normal day to day climbing and squeezing would be more rough than rubbing there belly on a wheel.
I have had pregnant does running, jumping, squeezing threw holes, regualr handling ect with never any problems. You would prob have to wack there bellies against an edge or realy push the belly down as you draged it across an edge to cause that which would mostlikley also injure the doe too. 
As said stress can cause it but day to day activities wouldnt.


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## mousefan (Nov 3, 2012)

Thank you I wont be as worried in the future.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Like a hospital!

Ha!

I think more new mothers are driven mad by being stuck in a tiny boring sparse hospital room than are saved from accidentally aborting their babies by taking a jog on the treadmill.


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## mousefan (Nov 3, 2012)

Maybe...


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## YuukikoOgawa (Jul 26, 2013)

I wouldn't be too worried about them bumping into anything and hurting the babies that way...

But as others have mentioned, stress might cause a miscarriage in any mammal. Other likely causes are lack of adequate nutrients; in nature, if the mother's body senses that there's not enough food to go around then it might sort of "let go" of the fetuses in order to try again later when there's more food.

I've also heard that the number one cause of mother mice eating their babies is simply lack of enough food, especially protein. Apparently they really like a bit of well-cooked chicken now and then, and maybe a little extra dog kibble?

You don't want to keep her in too sparse a cage or anything like that, because she'll still need both physical and mental stimulation to keep herself and her babies healthy.

Think on what advice they give new human mothers: exercise a bit, as long as you don't exhaust yourself, and find something to keep your mind active so you don't stress out from boredom.


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