[x.Laura.x]

I recently adopted 3 pet does from the RSPCA, a grey one and a greyish brown one and a pew. Ive recently noticed in the past few days that my pew has got huge!! and im really worried that she's pregnant as she did make a nest in her cage during the hot weather. I've now seperated her and put her on her own in a cage with aubiose, a food bowl, water bottle and a cardboard carton with some shredded paper in as she shares a cage with 4 other girls. I only got her from the RSPCA about 2 weeks ago but im not sure if shes related to my other two or whether she was from a different litter. When i got her she was in a cage with other pews so im not sure if she is pregnant or whether she has just got really fat as the rspca were just giving her hamster food and im now feeding her mealworms, puppy kibble, wild bird seed and a hamster mix with dried fruit in and xtra vital mouse food so i hope thats enough? I have no experience with this sort off thing at all as i've only just started keeping mice! all my other mice are a lot thinner then her so im panicking!!! please feel free to give me any advice or anythin i can do to make it easier for her. I have read up about it and i know vagualy what to do but i just hope she hasn't mated with a brother of hers! Are there any differences between a fat mouse and a pregnant mouse?

thanks,
laura

 

[Cait]

None of the colours you mention are genetically predisposed to obesity based on colour (rather than family strain) so she may well be pregnant. It is worth letting the RSPCA know what has happened if she is indeed pregnant as it sounds like she got pregnant whilst in their care (meaning they didn't separate the sexes). Anyway, most importantly you are obviously looking into what to do now! In answer to your question fat mice tend to be fat all over excluding the head whereas pregnant mice have a bulge at the sides and a fairly thin upper body, as if they have swallowed a golf ball. There are photos of pregnant mice on this forum if you want to see, of course it will vary from mouse to mouse as to how much they show etc as with people.

Don't worry too much about her having mated with a relation. Even if this is the case it does not mean all the babies will necessarily have any problems, especially if it's only one generation.

As for the food, the mealworms, seed, kibble are all fine - what's in the hamster mix? It would be good to change this for mixed grain to avoid preservatives and the bits mice don't eat like alfalfa, but unless it contains ethoxyquin it shouldn't actually harm her. I use bruised oats and barley for the 'grain' part of my mix. These are easily available in farm shops and health food shops - even in supermarkets such as porridge oats.

 

[x.Laura.x]

Shes only got bigger in the last few days quite dramatically so im almost sure shes pregnant as her tummy is very and round and her head area is very slim like you said. Now ive seperated here shes been very sleepy aswell but breathing quite fast and does seem quite agitated. I'll defo have a look into her food. Thanks for the advice i was panicking like mad today!! If she does have babies i'll defo let the RSPCA know but i'll wait till they have been born just to make sure that she isn't just fat! I'll try and get some pics soon without disturbing her to much as i haven't got a clue how far in the pregnany she is and i guess i'll just have to wait and see what happens!!

thanks

 

[Cait]

If she's visibly fat then she probably has less than a week to go.

 

[x.Laura.x]

oh dear ok well i looked at some piccy's of pregnant mice last night and she is big round her tummy but i think she still has a bit to go as shes not huge huge like the pics. I should have converted another one of those RUB's incase it would have come in handy like these kind of situations but i luckily had one of those rotastak kidney shaped base thing i put her in as an emergency just incase she was close to pregnancy. I think i'll leave her in there from now on as its not to big and hasn't got any bars or anything and im almost sure she built a nest last night, do you think thats ok? i've also put her in room thats very quiet so she doesn't get disturbed so hopefully everything will be fine!

 

[Cait]

How big is the cage she's in? I am under the impression that Rotastack is too small but I could be wrong. You have to remember that it has to be big enough for her and any babies until they are at least 4 weeks old.

 

[x.Laura.x]

it is quite small as i can only fit a food bowl, water bottle and a cardboard carton in that is it but its 45cms length and 17cms width, is that to small? if so i wouldn't mind getting a RUB if its not to late? and if it isnt what size is good?

 

[Cait]

It depends how many babies you will be raising. Since it's a pet litter I am not going to assume you would cull any, therefore you might be looking at 10-12 babies plus mum for at least 4 weeks. I don't keep that many babies per cage so I suppose it would have to be bigger than what I use, which is bigger than your Rotastack. It's up to you, just whatever size you think will be big enough to comfortably house that many mice once they're running around without being too big so that the mother feels insecure.

 

[x.Laura.x]

ok no i won't be culling any of them and i think i will try and get something bigger, its not to late to move her is it? shes made a nest and she's in it at the moment but i haven't really seen her so i don't know what's going on and i don't want to to disturb her but if i just moved everything into another cage today would it be ok? or should i wait till shes had her babies and then when they are say a week old move them?

 

[Cait]

Obviously I have no way to know when she's due and I haven't seen her but I would say to move her before she gives birth and not after, it's safer that way. If you can do it today as you suggest she will just remake her nest and should be fine if left alone.

 

[x.Laura.x]

ok thanks for your advice, i'll see what i can do!!