[moonlight]

Why would a doe kill 2 litters of her own mice?
The first time she was in with another doe so I want sure which one killed them but this time she is on her own and I have just come home from work to find a massacre in her house
I have found 3 still alive and unharmed, 1 was still alive but part eaten so I have had to put it out of its misery, but the rest were all dead some part eaten some just bite marks and a lot of them still had the afterbirth atached.
The only other does I have with babies the babies are nearly 3 weeks old so they wouldnt accept pinkies would they?
Oh I am so sad I cant believe its happened a second time, but I know for sure I wont be breeding her again.

 

[Missa]

I just had one (white) have a litter sat. ... she killed all hers. The next day (sun.) a black one gave birth, the white one took over care of her litter. She fed them, kept them warm etc. There were 10, the next day there were 8, the next day 6 .... that night I caught her eating on another. I took her out & had to put the baby down, it was still alive but eaten on ... quite sad.

I was wondering why she'd feed them & take care of them just to eat them off a little at a time?

Anyhow, the original mother (black) & the mother (brown) of a single survivor from a litter that was eaten have been taking care of the last 5.

 

[moonlight]

I am sorry to hear that its really sad isnt it
She isnt even trying to look after them last night she was standing on them then burried them with the wood shavings, I dont know wether to have a look see if they are still there or just leave them for a few days.

 

[Angelmouse]

You could try intoducing them to the other doe you have nursing an older litter, what have you got to loose? it seems that if they stay with mum she will kill them anyway

It could be that she just hasn't got the mothering instinct or that both litters have had something wrong with them (genetically?) I dont know but maybe mum or dad is carrying a lethal gene? I've heard that certain varieties carry a gene that if put with the same gene or something it means the litter will die? Correct me please someone or explain this properly :?

 

[moonlight]

Well I found 2 dead this morning not marked so they have just died through the night so I put the surviving one in with the does with the litters rubbed it in the bedding first so it had their scent on it, one doe gave it a sniff and walked off the other doe came up got a hold of it and killed it
So a really sad end to a sad story needless to say she will not be bred from again

 

[Angelmouse]

Sorry to hear that

 

[moonlight]

thanks
I was gutted I have had quite a few problems with does eating babies lately out of 4 litters I have 22 babies so not to bad I suppose, but its really sad to see a lovely looking mouse just not interested in her own babies.

 

[Angelmouse]

Will you keep her as a pet or rehome her?

 

[SarahC]

the lethal gene kills babies in the womb.

 

[moonlight]

I dont know what to do with her yet as I am also breeding for food as well as a hobby.

 

[Angelmouse]

Mmmm hard decision for you then?