# Help :(



## jenniferm202

Hey , well am only 16 . i dont have a clue about mice but a was walking past a pet shop and well a woman was going to feed a mouse to a snake and me been an animal lover asked her if i could buy it and i did and cought a cage now av brought it home and i fear its pregnant its bellys like a a wee bump and its being getting bigger each day , a just need some advice on how to look after the babies and help the mum out , please help me ! x


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## FeralWolf

Well, how big is she now? When exactly did you get her? Does she look happy, curious and active?


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## jenniferm202

A got her from a pet shop , she's small herself but her bellies getting more like a tennis ball everyday and wee bits are poking out the side , she's fine to hold just a wee bit nervous sometimes and she's in her bed most of the time but when she comes out shes fine .


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## FeralWolf

Alright, well, do you anything about how to take care of her and the babies? We could start there.


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## moustress

It sounds like she may have the babies soon. Give her a few squares of toilet paper or Kleenex, so she can make a nest ball if she wants to. Give her a little dried bread or dry cereal soaked with a little milk once or twice a day in addition to her regular diet, to provide a little extra protein and calcium. When the babies come, peek if you need to, but don't handle them for the first couple of days. Be sure she's out of drafts, away from too much noise and commotion, and the area she's in should be at a temperature that you would find comfy, maybe a little warmer.

Usually litters come off without a hitch; if there are any other questions, feel free to ask.


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## Autumn2005

Hi, welcome, just to let you know we like pics


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## Cait

The information here should help: http://www.fancymice.info/breedfrontpage.htm


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## jenniferm202

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/phot ... =1&theater is she pregnant ?

^ facebook


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## Cait

I get an error message when I click on the link.


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## jenniferm202

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/phot ... =1&theater


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## Cait

It still gives an error message. If you upload your image to Photobucket or a similar site, then copy the messageboard code and paste it into your post here the photo will appear in your post


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## jenniferm202

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/phot ... =1&theater


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## jenniferm202

am not to good with things like that , have you got a fb account ? i could add you could look at the pictures i have of her . am no expert but from the pictures i think she is pregnant . her belly's gettin bigger everyday . just type in facebook Jennifer Mclaren i should come up ! .


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## Cait

Just tried it but there are tons of Jennifer McLarens :roll: and I didn't know which was you. If you go to http://www.photobucket.com and sign up it will let you upload photos from your computer (free) and then all you need to do is copy and paste the image code it provides you with into your post here.


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## jenniferm202

here  http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa3 ... /katie.jpg


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## jenniferm202

this was her yesterday


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## Cait

Ah yes she does look pregnant! And not too long to go with a belly like that. She looks in good condition though  Have you got her in a solid walled cage? If not and she's in a barred cage you'll need to change that before she gives birth as otherwise the babies can be pushed out through the bars by mistake, which is fatal if they are not found and replaced in the nest very quickly. You can also start supplementing her diet if you aren't already.


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## jenniferm202

this is her today


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## jenniferm202

Well today i changed her cage but shes still in a barred cage because the tank i have hasnt got a lid and she tends to jump out it , am kind of freaking out here i actually dont know what i'd do without your help . what could i use as a lid for my tank ? the barred cage i put her in has alot more room and alot more bed places but if i have to move her then i will how long do you think she has to go ?


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## Cait

If you have a glass tank it's easy enough to make a lid. All you need is to make a wooden frame and staple some wire mesh (5-6mm square) over it. If you're in the UK then Wickes sell this, and so do some branches of B&Q and I think The Range as well. If you think that the glass tank you have would not be big enough for her and her babies until they are at least 4 weeks old (remembering that an average litter is probably around 10 or so) then another tank could be obtained free or cheaply through Freecycle or eBay, again you'd just have to make a simple lid


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## jenniferm202

a dont mean to keep going on but are you sure she's pregnant ? al add some more pictures for you's too help me out more & a bought a glass tank for her . so , can i keep the females with the mother ? can i keep 3 males to a cage or just 1 , cause i only have 4 free cages  and what should i be feeding her ? am feeding her mouse musli just now .


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## Cait

She definitely looks pregnant in that photo, yes. The does (females) can stay with the mother as long as you want, for life if necessary. You will need to separate the bucks (males) from the does when they are 4-4.5 weeks old to stop them impregnating their mother and sisters. At this point yes I would advise you to split the bucks into one group, just be aware that you'll need to keep an eye on them for fighting as they may need to be separated as they get older. As for food, you can add seeds such as millet and sunflower, powdered milk/SMA, scrambled egg, cooked chicken/turkey, dog biscuits/complete dry food amongst other things.


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## jenniferm202

thank you so much for your help and al keep you updated on how katie and her babies get on !


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## FeralWolf

I know this is kind of a "glass half full" type thing, but you will get to see what cool coat colors you get!  I am taking a guess at the color... champagne? Please correct me because I am probably wrong. :lol:


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## jenniferm202

al put pictures up when i can . Am worried because i got katie from a pet shop and she was mixed with other boys guessing there her bro's and sisters , if she's inbred then will her babies die ?


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## SarahY

No, they'll be fine 

Good luck with her!

Sarah xxx


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## jenniferm202

Av woke up this morning to her down , she seems very tired , and she's kind of draggin her self about but she's eating and stuff is such thing is mouse labour ? her breathings really worring me , her bellies moving really fast , she just seems to be cleaning her self alot .


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## SarahC

are you sure the babies are not already born.She looks much smaller in that pic.Can you hear squeaking.


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## jenniferm202

No when she walks around she still has the big pear bump and i hear no squeaking , but why is she breathing so fast is that normal ? she's away into her bed so maybey shes away to have them now but i cant look , i just hope she'll be ok !


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## SarahC

panting/quick breathing is normal.Distress is usually indicated by the fur standing on end and a hunched appearance..


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## jenniferm202

yeah that describes it but she's away into her wee house am rather excited :O she could be having her babies right now !


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## jenniferm202

well its the end of the day and still no sign of babies hopefully there not long to wait am so excited  she keeps flinching alot and drinking . and she keeps making a wee nest


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## FeralWolf

Well, stay patient, and keep us posted! If everyone is like me, we all can't wait to see how she turns out!


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## moustress

Some does start making nest balls and remaking them for days before they pop. And they get huge you can't believe it!

(Ain't I a wonder of comfort?  )


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## jenniferm202

Well , she's still not popped but she's constantly making her wee nest


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## jenniferm202

Well , i've just woke up and kartie came out her nest 10 times skinner ha ! but she came out for something to eat , now am just worried incase she's eat all her babies but i cant look  i dont here anything .


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## Cait

You won't always hear babies so don't worry. If you wait a bit longer, say until tonight to give her a chance to get used to motherhood (!) then if you pick up the mum when she's out of the nest and pop her in a holding cage for a minute, you can gently lift up the nesting material or house or whatever she has and have a peek. I wouldn't say to touch at this stage as you've not had the mouse long, but you'll at least be able to see that she has babies and roughly how many. Then put the nest back as it was and put the mother back in.


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## jenniferm202

a just couldnt hold my water i carefuly took her out she seemed fine a put her in a wee carried box , had a peek in and theres at least 10 wee moving pink mouses lol , but there rather see through and they have like a white thing in them a dont know if its an organ or somethings wrong . well i never touched the babies , i only touched the nesting a little she should be ok ? shes in the nest just now . i didnt think such a small wee mouse could have like that many babies :O !


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## SarahC

the white is a belly full of milk.The skin is so tissue thin that you can see it.So glad they have arrived safely


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## jenniferm202

so what do i do know ?


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## SarahC

nothing,leave the mother to do her job.


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## Cait

Exactly! Now you just feed the mother well and in a few days you can start handling the babies.


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## jenniferm202

thank you very much when i can all get some pictures up


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## jenniferm202

here they are 1 day old


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## jenniferm202

she had 12 :O


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## FeralWolf

12?! Wholly cow! :lol: :shock: That's a lot! My doe Suki had her first litter, and she only had one! :shock:


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## jenniferm202

there all well too  and full of milk , cant really have a close look because a dont want to stress mum out but they looked alove and moving ! but a just hope everything goes ok for her & the babies !


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## FeralWolf

I hope so too! They seem good in the photo, very cute and pink! Congratulations on the successful litter! :gwavebw 
Are you planning on keeping them or do they need homes? :love1


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## jenniferm202

well i have homes lined up fro 5 of them and am keeping one female but the rest will have to go back to the pet shop am afraid  my mums not letting me have 6


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## jenniferm202

day 2 , there all still alive and well & katies great 2 !


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## jenniferm202

Hey . I think somethings wrong with Katie , she seems to be like jumping every so often for no reason and twitching but shes eating and drinking normal and look ok , but these weird jurking movements are kind of concerning me


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## jwitfield

Ya my female mouse does this.. I noticed this right around the time she decides to start playing with her nesting area...

I call it a twitch for obvious reasons.


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## jenniferm202

aww ok so its normal ?


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## jwitfield

I would think so.. She only twitches when she wants to do something to the nest, other than that she is a normal mouse.. runs around, plays, eats, sleeps..


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## FeralWolf

My buck, Blaze, does that. He jumps up, and then runs for about 2 seconds... :lol: :?:


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## jenniferm202

yeah she does what you's are explaining so thats ok  relief ...


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## jenniferm202

This is Katie's babies , now 4 days old . do they look ok ?







and this is one of the babies , their so cute .

I never touched any of the babies , i simply rubbed a spoon in all the sawdust and heated it up a little with my hands and scooped one up at a time . Katies seems fine with them . and it turns out theres only 11 ha !


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