# Pregnant? How can I tell?



## Mage_Yewoqirife (Mar 1, 2011)

So, I have three little girls (and yes I am sure they are all girls) that I got last week. However, one of them was chubby when we got her and I thought she was just going to be a bigger mouse. I've noticed she doesn't like pulling herself up much, she is obsessed with running and eating and she pees alot! She has gotten a little bigger and one of my friends, who breed feeders for her snake, thinks she might be pregnant. How can I tell? I did not sex all the mice in the pet store tank, so it's possible, and probable, that there was a male even though they were all supposed to be females. Here are the best pictures I could get of her (she's still a little skittish since I haven't had her long):

Summer:



























Also, my friend pointed out one of my others that she said looked like she might just be starting to show or might be pregnant with a small litter

Jesabelle:


















I have never planned, or wanted, to breed mice so I am unsure of how to react.

Currently they are in a 10 gallon aquarium on aspen wood shavings. I have food bowl, water bowl, and a runner (that they use as a toilet) and a little box. I tried to give them paper towels for nesting, however they took half of the strips and stuffed them in their water (the bottle I bought them isn't working, so they have a bowl).

If it turns out both are pregnant, should I separate them? Or would keeping them together be ok.

Also, on of my roommates is having a reaction to me baking the bedding to kill mites and we have no room in the freezer. How can I kill possible mites without baking/freezing the wood chips? or would switching bedding be easier?

Sorry about the load of questions. I'm just not sure how to react to this situation. I bought all females to avoid this problem.


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## thekylie (Mar 6, 2010)

I've thought this several times coming back from pet stores... but usually with mine it seems like they have access to good food, gorge themselves, and then get little bellies. You also have colors that are prone to obesity, so you really shouldn't be surprised if they do turn out to be heavier mice. Brindle, your bottom one there, is a color that is really prone to obesity, and your top one could be an under marked brindle, or a recessive yellow, both of which can have problems with obesity. There is a type of brindle (sex-linked) that doesn't have obesity issues that I know of, but that's not what your little girlie is. 

You should still keep an eye on them, because I have gotten preggers mice from places like Petsmart that supposedly separate genders (only one out of about eight though, so chances are lowered). Usually if they are pregnant they will get distinctively round around the middle, but not always. If you notice this, separate out the one that is pregnant and set her up in her own enclosure. Really, you just have to wait it out though. If it's 24 days from the day you brought them home, and there are still no bubs, you are in the clear.

I can't help you too much with the mites. I use diluted Iver-on that I get from tractor supply to treat the bedding. I don't take any special precautions other than just spraying the bedding with the spray if I feel it's needed. If you search this forum for "mites" you'll probably get much better answers lol.


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## Mage_Yewoqirife (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks!!

Honestly, I'll be relieved if she's not preggers. We do know there was a boy in the tank after I got them, however I have no idea if he was in the tank at the same time. I'll keep an eye out on them. Thanks!


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