# Feeders > Breeding Mice >  How long do pregnant mice carry?

## M&J in NC

I just bought a breeding pair of mice. They had been kept separate until I bought them. As soon as I put them together he started in on her.  :Dancin' Banana: 
How long until she has her babies?

Thanks,
Michael

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## Stewart_Reptiles

Gestation is 21-23 days

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## M&J in NC

Thanks, Deborah. While we're on the subject; how long will it take her to wean her babies?

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## JamieLynn

Ok I didn't want to type this all out so this is from http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/breeding.cfm

This should answer most of your mouse questions.

EDIT by JLC: Please do not copy pages from other websites without that site's owner/author's permission.

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## Stewart_Reptiles

> Thanks, Deborah. While we're on the subject; how long will it take her to wean her babies?


Babies can be weaned at 3 to 4 weeks. With me it's a case by case whille strong big babies my be weaned at 3 weeks smaller ones might stay with the mother 1 more week.

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## snakelady

When I first got my mice colony they didn't have their first litter for two months. It may be longer than the 21 days for the first litter.




> A doe should NEVER have more than 3 litters in her life time


I'm not sure people on here subscribe to that. I don't. My oldest female just had her 4th litter. I'm thinking of retiring her but haven't decided yet.

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## JamieLynn

> When I first got my mice colony they didn't have their first litter for two months. It may be longer than the 21 days for the first litter.
> 
> 
> I'm not sure people on here subscribe to that. I don't. My oldest female just had her 4th litter. I'm thinking of retiring her but haven't decided yet.


For a first litter, they may have not been ready yet.
I also don't agree with only 3 litters, but this did come from a mouse lovers site. 
Because all of my mice are snake food, they breed till they don't breed anymore, and if a female goes for 2 months without a litter, she is dinner.

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## snakelady

> For a first litter, they may have not been ready yet.
> I also don't agree with only 3 litters, but this did come from a mouse lovers site. 
> Because all of my mice are snake food, they breed till they don't breed anymore, and if a female goes for 2 months without a litter, she is dinner.


I've seen that site before.  It has some good info. but a bit preachy for me. The 2 month thing is my mark also for becoming "dinner." 
Though I did had one infertile female that had a charmed life for about 6 months. The live feeding snake that was big enough to eat her didn't want to her. LOL.  :Wink:

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## freerider487

mine is the size of a damn golf ball wen will my mouse give birth i bought it big from the pet store :Confused:

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## truthsdeceit

> mine is the size of a damn golf ball wen will my mouse give birth i bought it big from the pet store


Very soon, as in as soon as today, maybe 3-4 days if it's a big litter put her in a clean cage and try not to stress her out.



My cut off point is much shorter, as long as I've seen my male do the job and he's a proven breeder, then any female that doesn't produce a litter 6 weeks after his introduction is going back to the feeder bins.

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