SOS - Prolapse or stuck baby?! (graphic pics)

I recently started a small mouse colony, and the female was due any minute with her second litter... I noticed something hanging out from her behind (earlier today), and assumed it was the start of her birthing. Then I checked a while later, and the same thing was sticking out - plus she was breathing hard, and looked a bit lethargic. I separated her from the rest of the colony, into a small critter keeper with new bedding, but she is still looking pretty bad. I was going to help her out with tongs, if it is just a stuck pinky, but I'm afraid it might be a prolapse! Obviously if it is a prolapse, tugging on the thing won't make it better (and I'll probably just feed her off asap). Any ideas? I got a couple of pics, sorry they're so graphic. :oops:

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps22123bb1.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...pscc1df38a.jpg

You should put her down immediately. It looks like a prolapse to me. But either way, unless the litter is super important, I wouldn't try to help her with a stuck baby if that ever happened.

Sorry, but I would just feed her off. It looks really painful!

Thanks, that was what I was afraid of - and I was excited about this litter, since it would have been the first with my beautiful "blue merle" male. But it was only getting worse and I didn't want her to suffer, so my normal BP Nerissa is feeding on her right now. :(

Guess I'll just keep a couple of the females from her last litter, and try again.

For the future, generally if a mouse looks like that (body wise) it's too late to help. Mice usually don't show signs of illness until they are in severe distress. They are prey animals, so showing signs of weakness is very bad for them. Sucked in sides, greasy looking coat, squinty eyes, lethargy, cold to the touch, these are all very bad signs for a mouse's health. I've personally never heard of someone saving a mouse or rat with stuck babies, by pulling them out. I've heard a lot and read a lot about people trying it, and giving instructions for how to try to help, but I think it's more of a last effort that makes the person feel better about trying, rather than giving up.

You made the right choice. I pretty much knew it just from your thread title, and the pics left little doubt. I suppose it is possible she still could have been saved by a veterinarian, but it would have been very costly and I'd never want to try breeding her again, so no sense at all for a feeder breeder mouse.

Hope you have better luck with your next litter.