# pregnant doe possibly grooming me?



## wildrose (Apr 27, 2011)

A little about my mouse...This is by far the weirdest mouse I've ever had. I bred her from pet store stock myself and have hand tamed her since she was a pinky. I bred her about a month ago to a nice buck I found and she's now visibly pregnant, expected to give birth any time now. She's one of only a couple I have that I'm breeding... hoping to get better mice shortly for that purpose.

Since she's been pregnant and living on her own, I gave her a plastic igloo to nest in. She hasn't been using it... instead she sleeps ON TOP of the igloo. She has plenty of dry bedding, her water bottle isn't leaky and her cage is clean. I have no idea why she does this or if she plans to give birth on top of the igloo or what. I'm really hoping not for obvious reasons.

Also, every time I stick my hand in the cage for whatever reason, she comes right up to it and starts licking it. At first I thought she was biting it and being a normal, protective pregnant mouse, but it doesn't hurt. If she is biting, its very gently. My hand is wet where she does it... which makes me think she might be licking it. Its very similar to what you see when you notice mice cleaning/grooming each other. It's very weird.

When she lived with other female mice, she didn't do any of this.

Insight?


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

That sounds so cute! I wish my does did that! They only groom themselves.  Maybe she misses other mousie company...? Maybe she had a cagemate before, and she has a habit of grooming other mice in her cage? My mouse, Suki, sleeps ontop of her hut too! Occasionally.


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## bethmccallister (Mar 5, 2010)

My mice like the taste of salt and perhaps her pregnant self is having a craving for your salty skin


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## george (Aug 24, 2010)

bethmccallister said:


> My mice like the taste of salt and perhaps her pregnant self is having a craving for your salty skin


i was thinking the same thing


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## bethmccallister (Mar 5, 2010)

Yeah, give her a lightly salted soda cracker and she'll love you forever!


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## wildrose (Apr 27, 2011)

I gave her a cracker and she grabbed it and started digging in. :lol:

I'm just waiting now until she has her babies on top of the igloo :roll:


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## wildrose (Apr 27, 2011)

Pinkies born last night under the igloo thank god. I took a real fast look and it's a large litter (more than 10 I think) with small babies. :? Mama is definitely interested in caring for them though. I saw plenty of milk bellies and right now she's moving nesting material around to cover the igloo.

Might ask for help sexing the little newborn pinkies. I usually wait until they're older to cull but this is such a big litter and I want to get rid of some boys.


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

When you have a chance, I would love to see some pics!!


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## wildrose (Apr 27, 2011)

As soon as they start to get fur I'll dig out the camera


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