[Ali]

Hello,

I've had my buck & 2 does in a cage together for about two weeks now and was wondering what my next steps should be?

I was planning to do a cage clean tonight and maybe remove their wheels as well as the Buck.

I'm not sure whether to leave the older doe in or not or keep with the buck for company? She's quite old now - 18months+? Fairly sure older doe isn't pregnant, a shame cos very pretty mouse & wanted to continue her line.

If I keep older doe with buck, she might get stressed from having all his attention, assuming he keeps pursuing her, but if I leave her in with the younger doe, it would be of minimal benefit because she is too old to help raise the litter? Might be in older doe's best interest to leave her in with the younger doe and leave my buck to a life of solitude??

After I've done the cage clean tonight, I was thinking off putting the pregnant doe & her cage in either a dark cupboard or our spare room out the way later this week to minimise risk of disturbing.

I'd post some photo's but not sure how sorry

Any tips / comments appreciated!

Many Thanks

(Apologies wall of text!)

 

[Tinkers Mousery]

hi there. Female mice usually only breed up to about 6 months of age maby a bit longer so dont think ur older female will be pregnant. I remove the buck as as soon as the female gives birth she can get pregnant again. You can just put the 2 does in a cage together and if babies arrive then the older doe should act as a nanny towards the babies. the buck will have to go back to living on his own unfortunately.

My pregnant females come into our spare room for them to give birth. they dont need to be in a cupboard or dark place. Mice need a certain ammount of light throughout the day.

Hope this helps

 

[WillowDragon]

Actually, thats a fallicy... mice do not go through a 'menapause' as such, so theorectically a female mouse could produce offspring all her life, but the chances of her concieving do become less as she gets older. The oldest of my females to produce a litter was just under a year old, though it wasn't her first litter and she was very healthy and in good condition. She produced 5 pinkies.

Its not ideal to breed a mouse for the first time at that age though, so I personally I wouldnt risk it myself.

 

[Wight Isle Stud]

The doe in kindle can be on her own to raise her litter, she will be fine and show breeders do it all the time. The buck will go out of condition if kept on his own, so you have the ideal situation where you have an old doe who is unilkely to breed to keep with him.

 

[Steve Render]

What is the gestation period for a mouse?

 

[WillowDragon]

21 days or there abouts.

 

[tinyhartmouseries]

18 months is WAY old...that would be like an 80 year old human woman having a baby. I would never subject an 18 month old doe to a litter for the first time.

 

[Laigaie]

Give your buck extra personal attention, and leave the older doe in with the new mother. There's not a "too old" to help with a litter, and a litter at her age could be very trying on her body.