# Long labour and cannibalism



## Lyra (Mar 1, 2013)

Few months ago (she's around 5 months now), I've bought a beautiful black tan doe, much bigger than mine, and with really nice type. I tried breeding her before, but she didn't get pregnant in the 3 weeks she stayed with the buck. 
I put her back with other does and waited few weeks (I always try to have litters when I have a lot of free time to handle the babies daily) and reintroduced the pair. She finally conceived, but as I haven't seen the mating, I'm not sure when she's due - sometime around now, as I can't imagine her getting bigger. 
Few days earlier, I separated her from the buck and put in a cage with another doe she knew before, that proved herself before as a great nanny. I gave them tissues for the nest, and from the moment the pregnant doe was put in the breeding cage, she started high protein diet (cat food).

The problem is, at around 4:30 pm today, I've heard some loud baby squeaking. I looked into the cage, and there was the future mum, running away from the nest with baby in her mouth. When she finally stopped, she was cleaning it in hurry, and then she suddenly ATE IT... I mean, in one moment she was licking it over, and the next she ate his leg, and in a second a whole half of it. It was so quick and unexpected! Then she dropped it, groomed herself, and started to eat her NORMAL food... 
The other doe was sleeping in the nest at that moment, but I took her away from the cage after that, and prepared to look how the pregnant one treats another pup. The problem is, she's not looking like she's in labour anymore. If I hadn't seen her eating that pup before, I couldn't tell the labour even started. She's rearranging her nest, eating her food, trying to escape from her cage (nearly all of my mice are escape artists, though) and sleeping, and she looks... great. And still very much pregnant. No panting, no signs of distress, no blood. This is a first time it happened to me - until now, all of my does gave birth quickly, and ate only the pups damaged during the labour. I have no idea what to do with that one.

Is it possible that the first pup was born premature, scared the first-time mom so she ate it, and the rest will be just born later? I'm getting worried - I'm sure I won't find here any vets able to do mouse a c-section, and I really don't want to cull her


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

How long has it been since she was with the buck, if she is still looking preg and doesn't appear in pain or distress I'd leave her be and see if any more tomorrow I've had a dog give birth to 3 one morning then the next morning there was 9. 
However she could have had more and munched them.


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## Lyra (Mar 1, 2013)

Thank you for your help, PPVallhunds, I actually read your post after all has become clear, but I have to admit it helped me to stop feeling bad about leaving her alone - I mean I know I couldn't really help her during labour, but that's just a way I am - I hate being helpless.

I've taken the buck after I was sure she was pregnant, less than a week ago, as didn't want her to trick me like the last time.
I didn't disturb her more yesterday, and today before noon the rest of her litter was born - all of the remaining pups (around 8-9) have their bellies full - such a relief! 
With my other does, I would normally check the litter already, but as she's quite skittish, I'm too afraid to touch them now - she looked like she enjoyed the taste of her newborn and I don't want to encourage her to eat more... I guess I would take a peek when they're around 3 days old and only then cull them down a little. It's a shame she's no longer with the nanny, who helped other doe with nursing before.

Still, the fact that she gave birth to one baby, ate it in such a hurry, and than had others after more than 16 hours and care for them? It is just weird for me...


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