How to tell if you have a pregnant mouse?

[WarriorPrincess90]

Hello all!

About two weeks ago I picked up two mice from the small pet store I usually get them from. My mouser BP who has been eating like a champ (for him), two mice a week, decided all of a sudden that he did not want to eat after all for a bit. He does this periodically. He'll eat wonderfully for a couple months, then go off feed for a couple months and so on. He just shed today, so he may be willing to take one now. But, I decided to get a lesson in sexing mice today while I was at the store. Turns out I had a male and a female. (I had suspected as much...but wanted to be sure.)

Anyway, I noticed she's a little chubbier than she was a couple weeks ago. I don't know if that's just the high quality food, or if she's pregnant?

I don't mind either way, but I don't want to feed her off if she is pregnant. I can keep her and her babies and use them for him for a few weeks once they get big enough.

So my question is...how do you tell if your doe is pregnant? Are there specific signs I should be looking for?

[satomi325]

Gestation is about 21 days. She should look like she swollowed a golf ball in the later stages of pregnancy.

She won't start showing nesting behavior until the day or so before she gives birth.

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[RobNJ]

You'll know it...just watch the lower mid-section. If pregnant, it will noticeably swell rather quickly.

[WarriorPrincess90]

Thanks guys. She's starting to look puffy in the belly area, that's why I asked. Don't want to feed her off if I can get some free feeders out of the deal. I have a separate cage I can move the babies to once they wean as well.

I'm kind of excited...never had a feeder have babies before.

EDIT: Do I need to give her anything special to nest in? I use carefresh bedding for them (I have hamsters too, so it's laying around. ), but can pick up some extra fluffy stuff if need be.

[Bobbafett]

Don't use the fluff they sell in pet stores! I've had a pregnant hamster choke on that stuff.

When my mouse had babies I gave her torn up pieces of newspaper and that worked fine

[Andrew21]

Mine love Kleenex! Or you could give her a toilet paper tube and she'll probably tear it up. Gives her something to do.

[Sita]

If you've had a male and female mouse together for more than a week, she's more than likely pregnant. If you're seeing tummy bulge, she's definitely pregnant!

I always gave them a couple strips of paper towel or kleenex to chew up for the nest. Just don't use cloth of any sort; the strings can get caught around the babies.

[Mike41793]

So my question is...how do you tell if your doe is pregnant? Are there specific signs I should be looking for?

Headaches, morning sickness and mood swings