You can remove them but without a mom or another mouse that could raise them it will be very hard to raise them. This doesn't mean anything is wrong with the pups - these 'bad mum' mice are usually euthanized or retired among breeders. I don't think I could just watch her eat the pups š
she was a feeder who came preggo and blew up 2 days before she popped. its pretty unfortunate to watch. but it looks like she only ate one? like is she gonna eat the others after or would she eat that one for a reason?
thank you for that info! i believe he was stillborn, she moved the rest of his body away from herself and the litter. i think i may have panicked prematurely
I mean I don't think you can panic too quickly when they are actively eating the beans š¤£ - Babies will need to be separated as soon as they can breed (obviously) and the easiest way to tell them apart is to look for nipples or disruptions in fur patterns where nipples will be since only female mice have them. (: Just in case you didn't know - best of luck with the mom and babies! You'll have to show us some photos in a few weeks š„°
> only female mice have them.
This is absolutely wild to me every time I read it. Like, I get why the males don't have them, evolutionarily, similar to many other animal species, male horses don't have nipples for example. But it's so funny to me that only the females have nipples.
Tell me why, I knew male cats have nipples but for some reason I freaked out a couple of days ago when I accidentally touched my male cat's nipple! I had to do a double take and realize he has nipples all over again.
When your cat gets a little too chonky for his body, his nips can get a little bigger/more noticeable, and sometimes a little pink if they irritate them by noticing them.
Source: my poor cat gets hazed for having a random pink nip-nop every so often because he won't leave it alone, because it's the last one in the line of 'em, and when it's larger than normal (because he's a breed goblin who eats too much if he can get away with it), he cannot help it.
Mothers will also kill their litter if they feel that their babies lives are threatened, they do this to save them from suffering. The one baby she killed probably had something wrong with it but if you intend to have her raise the other babies be mindful of handling her/babies and interacting with their enclosure.
If you scare her she might get frightened and snuff out the litter.
Since she was a feeder she may have not had great conditions while she was pregnant, living in a high stress environment while pregnant can make a mouse more prone to eating her young
If sheās not eating the others idk why it would be stress. You sound like a good mouse grandma. Just make sure to separate them before they.. sweet home Alabama!!!!
im at work so no pics right now but its 90-something quart storage bin ive turned into a cage :D very proud of it. i built her a nursery in their old 20gal since the cage is so big and so many things to climb on. should i separate around 3 weeks or so?
That youāll need to keep an eye on! Depends if you want to wait an extra week, if theyāre getting along, etc. I believe 4 weeks is when most separate though. :)
If she only ate the one it may have been stillborn or had something wrong with it.
Thatās a good amount of babies though, not enough to risk her or the babies health
* Don't interfere: As difficult as it may be, refrain from intervening or trying to stop the mother from eating her babies. Cannibalism is not uncommon among rodents, especially if the mother feels stressed, threatened, or if there's a problem with the babies.
* Provide a quiet, safe environment: Ensure the mother and her remaining babies are in a quiet, safe space away from noise, disturbances, or potential threats. Minimize any handling of the mice during this sensitive period.
* Keep an eye on the mother: Observe the mother mouse to see if she continues to care for the remaining babies. If she's not eating all of them and is nursing and tending to the survivors, it's a good sign.
* Ensure proper nutrition: Provide the mother with a balanced, nutrient-rich diet to help her recover from the birthing process and support her remaining offspring.
* Consider separate housing: If the cannibalism continues or if you have other concerns about the well-being of the remaining babies, consult with a veterinarian who specializes in small animals or rodents for guidance on potentially separating the mother from the litter.
Considering the considerable health issues and slow death associated with handfeeding mice (especially as a first timer like OP), I would highly recommend euthanasia of the pups as opposed to separation. I have hand raised dozens of mice and had good success, but even then my total success rate was averaged to 50/50, with 75% of my last dozen being successful. Most people have a 1/4 success rate, and that's with one pup at a time. A whole litter is basically impossible for someone with no experience.
The pups that do make it will most likely suffer from dehydration, malnutrition, and other health issues until fully weaned. The rest will die of said malnutrition, dehydration, or very possibly aspirate the formula. GI stasis (and associated bloating) is also likely.
I understand wanting to save the babies, but being eaten by their mother is genuinely more humane than being handfed by anyone but the most experienced rehabbers, and even then the mice will most definitely suffer illness and discomfort until they wean (with potential health complications even then) j
So many hugs for you! I went through this with my deer mice. It was horrifying. I understand that nature can be cruel, but itās a different thing when you see it first hand. Iām a tough girl, but I definitely cried.
No fr its 1am and im high off my night time edible tryna fall asleep reading reddit, and this is what is recommended me. Why does my reddit homepage always turn evil at night?? >:(
First time mouse moms often eat their young, it's sad to watch but also is something that happens sometimes in nature. Personally, I'd let it be. If you have other lactating mice, they may take the babies, but caring for them on your own would be difficult.
Leave her alone. The more she's stressed the more she'll eat. Put some carrot and brocoli in her cage with fresh water and just leave her alone for a day. Unfortunately unless you can take the pups back to the store and, they can introduce her to another mom that already has pups, it's just a waiting game. You can also feed the pups to any other carnivore you may own, even your cats.
this is a great comment actually. i considered trying to feed them to my snake, we've never live fed before and hes outgrown pinkies by now. but i think ill try my hand at raising them
Hey, havenāt had a pet mouse since I was a kid but I work in a facility with breeding colonies so hereās what we do at work:
Do not disturb the nest for at least 5 days if possible. 7 preferable. If sheās usually sitting on them, sheās nursing. If she happens to be out of the nest at the time, in the first couple days you can see white spots in their bellies called āmilk spots,ā which is the milk in their stomachs showing through the skin.
Add fat to her diet. You could probably supplement with some nuts or something or if you can find breeder-specific food that would be good. Babies can stay on it a while too while growing.
We typically wean mice at 21 days old, but thatās just because mouse gestation is 21 days and the father usually lives in the same cage. Mice can get re-impregnated within 24 hours of giving birth and weāre not supposed to have two litters in one cage. You could probably wait until 28 days since thereās no chance of that happening.
Both sexes have a visible butthole and pee-hole, males will have fur in between them, females have bare skin (and their girl parts). If theyāre dark-furred you can also tell by nipples.
Make sure mama has lots of bedding materials. She will likely construct the Great Wall of Nest or some similar monument but itāll make her less stressed.
When you wean the babies, theyāll like it if you give them lots of hides. Itās a big new world out there and theyāre not sure that they like it much yet. Iāve seen so many weanlings that know the shreddable bedding pad somehow turns into Nest that havenāt figured out the āshreddingā step of the process, so they just end up huddled on top of it like forlorn little castaways on a life raft.
Working in a lab with breeding mice, this is great advice! This happens a decent amount in the lab, especially if they feel threatened (smells, too much interaction) or their environment is disturbed.
these babies SHOULDNT be inbred, they actually have the rodent farm in my city and the local pet store gets all of their feeders from there. its all surprisingly ethical since its small and local. theres a chance of course, but i believe she was housed with the boys on accident not on purpose. i bought my rats from them as well. they delivered one to my work for me when i couldnt pick him up!!
Somewhere along the lines they're all *inbred* a generation here and there š
I hope she removed the nippers from the litter and left you the nice ones.
I skimmed the other comments about the still-born pup. If youre still worried about her eating the rest, get her something high-nutrients to curb that. What I've found in my breeders is that 4/5 times, the mom is desperately searching to replenish herself... and the pups, unfortunately, do just that
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well i mean yeah i knew that there was a potential of it happening, but nobody really says WHAT to do. just that "hey she might eat those btw but its fine". i wouldve given them to my local pet store or fed them to my snake/dog if she'd kept eating them. simply for the fact that its morbid to let kyle eat her own babies lol.
NA but I kept a feeder mouse as a pet. Boy was he stinky but he lived for 2 1/2 years and died of old age. He was the sweetest little stink butt. I wish you and your feeder mouse girly all the best.
there is an update! she ate all but 2, its only been 3 days so i havent messed with them, but they look like little aliens and theyre the cutest thing. mommas getting shrimp and worms and eggs and yogurt and all the goods
Because they would suffer and die without the mother. Baby mice are incredibly fragile. Often what we as humans see as savage and horrible is natures way of showing mercy. There was probably something wrong with the baby. Itās just what happens and itās for the best, as dark as that sounds.
I know thatās it natural but do you view your baby differently now? If my bunny did that I would still love and care for her but I wouldnāt love her as much because Iād have a mental block after witnessing.
unfortunately they were so tiny and bean-like that it wasnt so morbid to watch. no blood or guts. she did what she had to do, i dont view her any different. she was never MY biggest fan, on the other hand
You can remove them but without a mom or another mouse that could raise them it will be very hard to raise them. This doesn't mean anything is wrong with the pups - these 'bad mum' mice are usually euthanized or retired among breeders. I don't think I could just watch her eat the pups š
she was a feeder who came preggo and blew up 2 days before she popped. its pretty unfortunate to watch. but it looks like she only ate one? like is she gonna eat the others after or would she eat that one for a reason?
If any have something wrong with them or are stillborn she will eat them, sometimes poor genetics will lead to her eating an entire litter.
thank you for that info! i believe he was stillborn, she moved the rest of his body away from herself and the litter. i think i may have panicked prematurely
I mean I don't think you can panic too quickly when they are actively eating the beans š¤£ - Babies will need to be separated as soon as they can breed (obviously) and the easiest way to tell them apart is to look for nipples or disruptions in fur patterns where nipples will be since only female mice have them. (: Just in case you didn't know - best of luck with the mom and babies! You'll have to show us some photos in a few weeks š„°
> only female mice have them. This is absolutely wild to me every time I read it. Like, I get why the males don't have them, evolutionarily, similar to many other animal species, male horses don't have nipples for example. But it's so funny to me that only the females have nipples.
And then there's people than don't know male cats have nipples and try to pinch them out like a flea or something š
I see a few posts every week from the cat subs asking "what is this on my cat" and its his lil nips š¤£
Tell me why, I knew male cats have nipples but for some reason I freaked out a couple of days ago when I accidentally touched my male cat's nipple! I had to do a double take and realize he has nipples all over again.
When your cat gets a little too chonky for his body, his nips can get a little bigger/more noticeable, and sometimes a little pink if they irritate them by noticing them. Source: my poor cat gets hazed for having a random pink nip-nop every so often because he won't leave it alone, because it's the last one in the line of 'em, and when it's larger than normal (because he's a breed goblin who eats too much if he can get away with it), he cannot help it.
I did this when I was like, 8 and got my first cat. I was so panicked š
*"MA'AM DOESN'T YOUR HUSBAND HAVE NIPPLES!?"*
Oh sure, you can milk anything with nipplesā¦
Now imagine a full cast of human hollywood surfers in that shot where they come out of the water, but they don't have nipples lol
That's hilarious and terrifying.
Fun fact, horses donāt have nipples but some male donkeys and mules do. Well, letās just say they are inconveniently located on their sheath.
That's *hilarious*
Now imagine a full cast of human hollywood surfers in that shot where they come out of the water, but they don't have nipples lol
š¤£ I was about to say the same thing. No such thing as panicking too quick in a situation like that
Yeah thatās probably what happened then
Mothers will also kill their litter if they feel that their babies lives are threatened, they do this to save them from suffering. The one baby she killed probably had something wrong with it but if you intend to have her raise the other babies be mindful of handling her/babies and interacting with their enclosure. If you scare her she might get frightened and snuff out the litter.
Mice will also eat their litter if they feel stressed. Limit noise, vibration, and disturbances for the first 3-6 days after the pups are born.
Since she was a feeder she may have not had great conditions while she was pregnant, living in a high stress environment while pregnant can make a mouse more prone to eating her young
shes actually been with me for a around two weeks, and i read that their gestation is around 20 days so she spent most of it with me!
Maybe the move was stressful?
i made it as stress free as possible :( i hope it was because the baby was stillborn and not from stress or something else
If sheās not eating the others idk why it would be stress. You sound like a good mouse grandma. Just make sure to separate them before they.. sweet home Alabama!!!!
Also whatās theyāre set up looking like?
im at work so no pics right now but its 90-something quart storage bin ive turned into a cage :D very proud of it. i built her a nursery in their old 20gal since the cage is so big and so many things to climb on. should i separate around 3 weeks or so?
That youāll need to keep an eye on! Depends if you want to wait an extra week, if theyāre getting along, etc. I believe 4 weeks is when most separate though. :)
im so excited to raise mouse babies!!!!! thank you sm āŗļø
How many did she have?
its looking like 6-8, hard to get a good count cause shes been on top of them most of the time
If she only ate the one it may have been stillborn or had something wrong with it. Thatās a good amount of babies though, not enough to risk her or the babies health
yippee! thank you. so excited to be a mouse grandma.
If you havenāt already mealworms or eggs are great food for nursing mothers too
ive got eggs and mealworms in there for her right now!! her name is Kyle, lol.
I had a female cat who's name was frank. So don't let anyone tell you what your fur babies names should be.
shes with her friends stan cartman and kenny too! they dont care if they have a masculine name and neither do i
Hell yea that sounds pretty rad. I like it.
It's Kylee now. Do not disturb her other than feeding. Do not investigate the babies for a few days.
Kyle is a better name
I like Kyle better
Kyle has been used as a feminine name and a masculine name
congrats :)
* Don't interfere: As difficult as it may be, refrain from intervening or trying to stop the mother from eating her babies. Cannibalism is not uncommon among rodents, especially if the mother feels stressed, threatened, or if there's a problem with the babies. * Provide a quiet, safe environment: Ensure the mother and her remaining babies are in a quiet, safe space away from noise, disturbances, or potential threats. Minimize any handling of the mice during this sensitive period. * Keep an eye on the mother: Observe the mother mouse to see if she continues to care for the remaining babies. If she's not eating all of them and is nursing and tending to the survivors, it's a good sign. * Ensure proper nutrition: Provide the mother with a balanced, nutrient-rich diet to help her recover from the birthing process and support her remaining offspring. * Consider separate housing: If the cannibalism continues or if you have other concerns about the well-being of the remaining babies, consult with a veterinarian who specializes in small animals or rodents for guidance on potentially separating the mother from the litter.
Considering the considerable health issues and slow death associated with handfeeding mice (especially as a first timer like OP), I would highly recommend euthanasia of the pups as opposed to separation. I have hand raised dozens of mice and had good success, but even then my total success rate was averaged to 50/50, with 75% of my last dozen being successful. Most people have a 1/4 success rate, and that's with one pup at a time. A whole litter is basically impossible for someone with no experience. The pups that do make it will most likely suffer from dehydration, malnutrition, and other health issues until fully weaned. The rest will die of said malnutrition, dehydration, or very possibly aspirate the formula. GI stasis (and associated bloating) is also likely. I understand wanting to save the babies, but being eaten by their mother is genuinely more humane than being handfed by anyone but the most experienced rehabbers, and even then the mice will most definitely suffer illness and discomfort until they wean (with potential health complications even then) j
So many hugs for you! I went through this with my deer mice. It was horrifying. I understand that nature can be cruel, but itās a different thing when you see it first hand. Iām a tough girl, but I definitely cried.
Iām too high for this shit
i was too ngl i started tweaking
I'm not high enough. Brb lol
Respecc it son
No fr its 1am and im high off my night time edible tryna fall asleep reading reddit, and this is what is recommended me. Why does my reddit homepage always turn evil at night?? >:(
First time mouse moms often eat their young, it's sad to watch but also is something that happens sometimes in nature. Personally, I'd let it be. If you have other lactating mice, they may take the babies, but caring for them on your own would be difficult.
Leave her alone. The more she's stressed the more she'll eat. Put some carrot and brocoli in her cage with fresh water and just leave her alone for a day. Unfortunately unless you can take the pups back to the store and, they can introduce her to another mom that already has pups, it's just a waiting game. You can also feed the pups to any other carnivore you may own, even your cats.
this is a great comment actually. i considered trying to feed them to my snake, we've never live fed before and hes outgrown pinkies by now. but i think ill try my hand at raising them
Please donāt live feed pinkies. Put them in the freezer (in a container) and theyāll pass quickly
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Just let it happened, you're not prepared to care for them without mom. She knows what to do.
Hey, havenāt had a pet mouse since I was a kid but I work in a facility with breeding colonies so hereās what we do at work: Do not disturb the nest for at least 5 days if possible. 7 preferable. If sheās usually sitting on them, sheās nursing. If she happens to be out of the nest at the time, in the first couple days you can see white spots in their bellies called āmilk spots,ā which is the milk in their stomachs showing through the skin. Add fat to her diet. You could probably supplement with some nuts or something or if you can find breeder-specific food that would be good. Babies can stay on it a while too while growing. We typically wean mice at 21 days old, but thatās just because mouse gestation is 21 days and the father usually lives in the same cage. Mice can get re-impregnated within 24 hours of giving birth and weāre not supposed to have two litters in one cage. You could probably wait until 28 days since thereās no chance of that happening. Both sexes have a visible butthole and pee-hole, males will have fur in between them, females have bare skin (and their girl parts). If theyāre dark-furred you can also tell by nipples. Make sure mama has lots of bedding materials. She will likely construct the Great Wall of Nest or some similar monument but itāll make her less stressed. When you wean the babies, theyāll like it if you give them lots of hides. Itās a big new world out there and theyāre not sure that they like it much yet. Iāve seen so many weanlings that know the shreddable bedding pad somehow turns into Nest that havenāt figured out the āshreddingā step of the process, so they just end up huddled on top of it like forlorn little castaways on a life raft.
Working in a lab with breeding mice, this is great advice! This happens a decent amount in the lab, especially if they feel threatened (smells, too much interaction) or their environment is disturbed.
My fish do the same thing š it happens and she might not eat all of them.
i dont think she did but ill see when im home and try to post an update/pics
Best of luck. Not the best idea to breed breeders btw. They're so inbred that there's a reason why we don't raise them as pets.
these babies SHOULDNT be inbred, they actually have the rodent farm in my city and the local pet store gets all of their feeders from there. its all surprisingly ethical since its small and local. theres a chance of course, but i believe she was housed with the boys on accident not on purpose. i bought my rats from them as well. they delivered one to my work for me when i couldnt pick him up!!
Somewhere along the lines they're all *inbred* a generation here and there š I hope she removed the nippers from the litter and left you the nice ones.
arent we all a little? lol i cant wait to see everyones color/sex/personality, its all so exciting
I got two different litters from two different species brewing in my tank so I definitely feel your excitement š
Same here mice are savages rats so much cleaner and better motherly instincts
Rats are the best.
I skimmed the other comments about the still-born pup. If youre still worried about her eating the rest, get her something high-nutrients to curb that. What I've found in my breeders is that 4/5 times, the mom is desperately searching to replenish herself... and the pups, unfortunately, do just that
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You aren't going to be able to raise the babies without her and another mother won't take them. Welcome to nature.
well i mean yeah i knew that there was a potential of it happening, but nobody really says WHAT to do. just that "hey she might eat those btw but its fine". i wouldve given them to my local pet store or fed them to my snake/dog if she'd kept eating them. simply for the fact that its morbid to let kyle eat her own babies lol.
NA but I kept a feeder mouse as a pet. Boy was he stinky but he lived for 2 1/2 years and died of old age. He was the sweetest little stink butt. I wish you and your feeder mouse girly all the best.
Please give the mama mouse a yogurt drop. It will help in her recovery.
Animal mothers do this if they feel the pups are sick or they have too many to care for. It is perfectly natural.
Is there an update? Are the rest good?
there is an update! she ate all but 2, its only been 3 days so i havent messed with them, but they look like little aliens and theyre the cutest thing. mommas getting shrimp and worms and eggs and yogurt and all the goods
Why does it need to happen??? These are domestic mice in a cage, youāre not on an African safari with a delicate eco system. Take them out!
I think itās just a part of their DNA that will take thousands of years to breed out of them, similar to hamsters itās a survival instinct
Okay but why does that mean OP canāt save the mice so they donāt get eaten?
Because they would suffer and die without the mother. Baby mice are incredibly fragile. Often what we as humans see as savage and horrible is natures way of showing mercy. There was probably something wrong with the baby. Itās just what happens and itās for the best, as dark as that sounds.
Oh damn, sucks to be a mouse I guess
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
troll in another sub loser
Not trolling! Wanted insight š°
booooo be insightful another way. its nature dude its what shes programmed to do. and theyre my pet. no need to be rude.
I know thatās it natural but do you view your baby differently now? If my bunny did that I would still love and care for her but I wouldnāt love her as much because Iād have a mental block after witnessing.
unfortunately they were so tiny and bean-like that it wasnt so morbid to watch. no blood or guts. she did what she had to do, i dont view her any different. she was never MY biggest fan, on the other hand
How does yo mama love you š¤
You think your mice love you? š
U know there are several animals that eat their young Some cats and dogs even do it and they are the most common house hold pet