YIKES! I think Minnie is preggers! UPDATE 02/12

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So, the babies are doing well... they haven't come out of the igloo yet but we're frequently serenaded by the little guys. We have 7 little ones:

one white with black spots
two self black
four self grey

Genders to be determined at a later date.

Does anyone know how long I should wait before handling the little ones? Minnie (mom) was easy going about me handling her before she had the little ones but she runs and hides whenever we come anywhere near her cage. I have caught her twice, just so I could lift the igloo and have a look at the little ones but I feel badly doing this (sort of, getting to see babies makes it a little better) but I haven't handled them yet because I'm afraid she may abandon them. Does anyone know when it's safe for me to pick them up? They're 8 days old I want them to be as socialized as possible when I wean them in two and a half weeks.

At one day old:


Eight days old - please don't mind the dirty cage, I was going to clean it the night before she gave birth but she was too skittish so I decided to wait a day... now I have to wait another week :doh:










And here's mom:


 
They are lovely babies. Looks like you have some nice beige ones, too!

It should be safe to handle them and to clean the cage, but check with the experts if you are in doubt.
 
Godmother said:
They are lovely babies. Looks like you have some nice beige ones, too!

It should be safe to handle them and to clean the cage, but check with the experts if you are in doubt.
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Can I? Or should I wait another week like Maple said?
 
With baby rats, you start handling them the first week after birth, for a few minutes at a time so that they get used to being handled and familiar with your scent before their eyes open. With baby rats, you remove mom in order to give her a short break and to clean the cage ... but not necessarily the nest. Babies are handled briefly during this time.
I would assume the same is true about mice but I really have no idea.
Some other members, experienced with mice may be able to tell you.
You also might want to check out a good mouse forum and see what they say.
 
Mum only needs a few days with babies in the beginning. At this point, when she is away from the nest, you can hold them, just make sure you return them to the nest. Holding is fine, but I wouldn't CLEAN the cage yet. (Sorry, I should have been clearer when I posted last)
They look great, you must be a natural pro.
Congratulations on the cute little bunch of babies. :D
 
she may have been impregnated the night before my husband found her by a wild mouse in the school. Or maybe she was already pregnant when the kids bought her at a pet store.
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Based on baby colouring, can we assume she was pregnant when released? Would half wild mice be all greys or agoutis?
 
I would think that the spotted baby proves that dad was a pet mouse, but that's just a guess on my part!
 
StaceyM said:
she may have been impregnated the night before my husband found her by a wild mouse in the school. Or maybe she was already pregnant when the kids bought her at a pet store.
Click to expand...

Based on baby colouring, can we assume she was pregnant when released? Would half wild mice be all greys or agoutis?
Click to expand...

Moon said:
I would think that the spotted baby proves that dad was a pet mouse, but that's just a guess on my part!
Click to expand...

My husband doesn't think she was loose much longer than one night, so I think she was preggers when the students bought her. (He brought her home on Dec. 16th and she gave birth very early on the 24th.)

Because she was only going to be used for a prank, I suspect she may have been a feeder mouse, because they are cheaper. I doubt the breeders or pet stores even bothered to separate the male and females in that case.
 
Maple said:
Mum only needs a few days with babies in the beginning. At this point, when she is away from the nest, you can hold them, just make sure you return them to the nest. Holding is fine, but I wouldn't CLEAN the cage yet. (Sorry, I should have been clearer when I posted last)
They look great, you must be a natural pro.
Congratulations on the cute little bunch of babies. :D
Click to expand...

Awesome. Next time Minnie comes out for a snack we'll pick her up and meet her little ones. :happydance:
 
It's been a while since I've updated, so I thought I'd at least post some pics...

The whole family on January 3rd (babies were 10 days old)


Momma discovers the wheel!


14 days old and everybody's eyes are open!






And I was finally able to clean the tank :happydance:




16 days old:


18 days old:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arp-3jVmcQ4

The video is not great quality and it's a little dark, but you can make out the chaos if you watch in on full screen :D
 
We named him Spot :joy: ...he's a sweetie, but he's one of the ones we're trying to rehome :cry: If we don't find a home for him we'll get him neutered and keep him though... I just keep thinking that it would be money we could spend on other rats :| I'm a little torn :?
 
Oh they're so cute victoria and I just love love love the little "cow" mouse. Did you mention the sexes yet?
 
Awww they are SO cute! I'm having a hard time comprehending how tiny they must be. Good luck finding the boys homes, sorry to hear Moo isn't a girl so you can't keep him :( Can you even neuter mice? They're so tiny!
 

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