Mice - I need help!!

[UKRed]

I have 6 pet mice which I bought all from the same pet shop, I had 2 at first and then got another 4. I got told they are all female, I checked them myself and to me they are all female.

I was shown a male at the pet shop and he had very visible 'you know whats' so I am 99.9% sure I have 6 females.

Now I have toilet roll tubes in the tank for them to play in etc. and I had a check on them as I usually do before bed tonight, and saw two cuddled up under a toilet tube, not in the 'house'. So I peeked under the tube to make sure they were okay and to my horror.....

I found, AT LEAST 6 babies...

All I can think is that she got pregnant in the shop, as the man had sexed them wrong to begin with.

My dilemma is.. what if there IS a male in there?

How do I check without disturbing the nest? I don't want the mother to neglect or even eat her babies because I have disturbed the nest and distressed her.

Please if you can help..... please do!!

 

[Jollyon]

I'd call your nearest vets

You are clearly responsible enough of a pet owner to be concerned about them and disturbing the nest.

They will give you all the advice you need I'm sure!

Good luck

 

[UKRed]

I'd call your nearest vets

You are clearly responsible enough of a pet owner to be concerned about them and disturbing the nest.

They will give you all the advice you need I'm sure!

Good luck

Thanks, stupid as it sounds, I never even thought about ringing the Vet. I was going to go back to the pet shop lol.

I don't know which is the mother as the mice seem to be taking it in turns to go to the babies and the squeaking is driving me INSANE! :irked:

 

[Tracey Roberts]

Arrrrrrhh how sweet, not for you though, Id have a right moan at the petshop,even say look its you fault, cough up!!

 

[Lellipop]

It is relatively easy to distinguish mate rodents from female rodents. Neonatal male rodents have a one-and-half to two times greater distance between the anus and urogenital opening than their female counterparts. Sexually mature male rodents exhibit a prominent scrotum and large testicles, while females can be identified by their more prominent bilateral rows of nipples.
Sexually mature mice and rats need to be properly paired in order to avoid fighting and permit successful mating. Adult male mice often fight when caged together, especially in the presence of females. Rats, on the other hand, can usually be caged in mixed groups of males and females without aggression.
Female mice become sexually mature at about 50 days of age. They have an estrous cycle of about every 4 to 5 days throughout the year unless they are bred. Female mice are usually receptive to males for about 12 hours of this cycle, typically at night. They also have a fertile postpartum estrus; which means that they can be bred within 24 hours after giving birth.
Gestation in mice lasts approximately 3 weeks, but can be as much as 10 days longer if the pregnant female is also nursing a litter. Litter size averages 10 to 12 young. A smaller litter size is common for a first litter or in older females. New litters should not be disturbed by owners for the first few days to minimize injury of the young or abandonment by the mother. Baby mice are weaned at about 3 weeks of age.
Hths

 

[UKRed]

Thanks for the help!

I rang the vets and they told me to get the male out without disturbing the nest, but there doesnt seem to be a male. I cannot see any testicles on any of them but i cant seem to see nipples on one either as she/he/it squirms too much and also is quite fluffy. Also rhe pet shop said if they said females they would be females so it was probably pregnant before I got it, but to speak to her manager tomorrow and they would take the babies if I need a home for them!

I have also found out, that there are either 2 sets of babies or the mother has moved them, because there is some in the 'house' now and it seems like the others have gone, unless they are buried further down in the bedding as they have made a big hill lol

 

[Lellipop]

Thanks for the help!

I rang the vets and they told me to get the male out without disturbing the nest, but there doesnt seem to be a male. I cannot see any testicles on any of them but i cant seem to see nipples on one either as she/he/it squirms too much and also is quite fluffy. Also rhe pet shop said if they said females they would be females so it was probably pregnant before I got it, but to speak to her manager tomorrow and they would take the babies if I need a home for them!

I have also found out, that there are either 2 sets of babies or the mother has moved them, because there is some in the 'house' now and it seems like the others have gone, unless they are buried further down in the bedding as they have made a big hill lol

If they are young mice you have it will be hard to tell which are male they will look the same as females but the gap between their anus and other hole lol is greater in males. Hths

 

[UKRed]

They all look the same (female) to me, but I could be wrong
I'm stressing now, I'm dreading waking up each morning now incase the tank is over-run with babies! :cry: They are all still alive though which is making me believe the father isn't in there as the father supposedly kills its young ARGHHH! I should never have gotten mice!

 

[Lellipop]

They all look the same (female) to me, but I could be wrong
I'm stressing now, I'm dreading waking up each morning now incase the tank is over-run with babies! :cry: They are all still alive though which is making me believe the father isn't in there as the father supposedly kills its young ARGHHH! I should never have gotten mice!

I am sure they will be fine babes how long have you had them for ???
This way you can work out if the Mum was pregant when you got her.

 

[UKRed]

I am sure they will be fine babes how long have you had them for ???
This way you can work out if the Mum was pregant when you got her.

I had the first 2 since 22nd of april, so babies would have come before now, and the others I got on the 29th May... which wouldn't be quite long enough for a pregnancy... or at least thats what I am telling myself lol

 

[Lellipop]

I had the first 2 since 22nd of april, so babies would have come before now, and the others I got on the 29th May... which wouldn't be quite long enough for a pregnancy... or at least thats what I am telling myself lol

They are only pregnant for 3 weeks so I think you may have a male lurking in there lol

 

[UKRed]

They are only pregnant for 3 weeks so I think you may have a male lurking in there lol

The first 2, I had for a while, and if they were male and female I am sure I would have had babies before now, also if it was 2 males, they would probably have fought by now.

Then I got 3 more, which the lady in the shop is a mouse breeder and picked them out and she said the manager of the shop had sexed them wrong and there WAS a male in with the females, but she gave me 3 females.

I went back later for the last one... I dont know why... and the manager took the mouse from the 'female side' of the 2 tanks (after the breeder had sexed them)

So I dunno!

 

[becki x]

This happened to me,i bought a male hamster at xmas two days later he had twins

The best thing you can do is remove the other mice ,all but the mother,and don't disturb her nest or get you scent anywhere near it,use gloves to remove the others.

hth's

 

[UKRed]

This happened to me,i bought a male hamster at xmas two days later he had twins

The best thing you can do is remove the other mice ,all but the mother,and don't disturb her nest or get you scent anywhere near it,use gloves to remove the others.

hth's

Lol, thats another problem, I don't know which is the mother as they seem to be taking turns in sleeping in with the babies and getting food etc. this morning all 6 mice were in the house with the babies :o

I feel like I am a right bad mummy :cry:

 

[UKRed]

I have just seen 4 babies!! they are sooooo cute!

 

[drew692]

Aw bless you, your not a bad mummy at all, you weren't to know, and your being a good responsible mummy by trying to sort it all out.

Jeeze how confusing. As cute as mice are, I'll stick to my dog, I know he's a boy.

 

[UKRed]

Aw bless you, your not a bad mummy at all, you weren't to know, and your being a good responsible mummy by trying to sort it all out.

Jeeze how confusing. As cute as mice are, I'll stick to my dog, I know he's a boy.

LOL that made me giggle.

I have come to the conclusion we have no male in there (haven't sexed the babies yet) and Magic my black mouse is the Mum - http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h137/PrettyxLittlexNobody/DSC00520.jpg

Below is a baby circled and Magic putting the other baby back into the house

 

[Lellipop]

LOL that made me giggle.

I have come to the conclusion we have no male in there (haven't sexed the babies yet) and Magic my black mouse is the Mum - http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h137/PrettyxLittlexNobody/DSC00520.jpg

Below is a baby circled and Magic putting the other baby back into the house

How tiny the baby is bless

 

[becki x]

Aw bless,i never knew mice had such long tails.

sadly we've just lost one of our twins,she was six months old. So when Bailey was holding mum on sunday and he noticed a spot of blood he freaked out saying not Dora too not both of my girls dying,he was distraught.

I flipped her over to check her out,and then had to have a chat about girls with my 5 yr old and explain how she wasn't dying it happens to all girls

Just thought i'd share my rodent story lol

Keep adding pics hun :hug: x

 

[beautyseeker]

Have you found the daddy yet?

Trish xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx