I have babies!!!!!!!

So about a week and a half ago, I purchased some rodents from a guy - some for food, some for breeders. One of the mice I purchased definitely looked pregnant. I knew she was within days, because she looked like she swallowed a golf ball!! I checked on them today, and none of them (she is one of three females together, after I removed the male) looked like they had swallowed a golf ball. So...........I checked under one of their hides, and sure enough!! Boatloads of cute babies!! :banana:

So my question is, I see lots of people post that they count the babies, or touch the babies, or whatever. I'm scared to death to do anything that will freak mom out and make her eat the babies. How do you guys do this? Is it necessary? Or will I just see some cute babies (if she doesn't eat them) coming out of the hide in a couple of weeks if I just leave them alone?

Of course I'm excited, so I'm trying to temper my excitement with logic. :rolleye2:

Congrats my friend. :taz: Everyone is going to have different opinions on this
but I would leave them alone for a week and when I see fur thats when I'll take them out only to clean there enclosure.

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Originally Posted by dprince

So about a week and a half ago, I purchased some rodents from a guy - some for food, some for breeders. One of the mice I purchased definitely looked pregnant. I knew she was within days, because she looked like she swallowed a golf ball!! I checked on them today, and none of them (she is one of three females together, after I removed the male) looked like they had swallowed a golf ball. So...........I checked under one of their hides, and sure enough!! Boatloads of cute babies!! :banana:

So my question is, I see lots of people post that they count the babies, or touch the babies, or whatever. I'm scared to death to do anything that will freak mom out and make her eat the babies. How do you guys do this? Is it necessary? Or will I just see some cute babies (if she doesn't eat them) coming out of the hide in a couple of weeks if I just leave them alone?

Of course I'm excited, so I'm trying to temper my excitement with logic. :rolleye2:

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I agree. Give the mom a week before you go messing with them.

But make sure to check the cage everyday. Take the lid off. Move something around just so mom gets used to you being in the cage. Maybe even touch mom if you can do it without making her skitter for cover.

This way she'll be used to you and your smell when you move the babies.

I always figure the first week is critical if the mom's been taking care of them that long then she invested. :)

Thanks you guys!! :D

I checked on them today, and it looks like I have 5 or 6 little dark babies (mom is an albino.) I didn't touch them or move them, just peeked. ;) She seems very into them - doesn't want to NOT be around them. I'm taking that as a good sign............*crosses fingers*

Cool! Congrats, Debbie!

Congrats Debbie! I held out on breeding mice for a long time because of the smell. My pal Charlie gave me 1.3 a couple of months ago. They actually don't seem to stink as bad as I thought they would (I do have a kick azz exhaust fan though). I now have a ton of mice and have fed off a ton. Lots of cute fancies too...

I don't handle the babies much, just to clean. I haven't had any problems yet.

Good luck with them! :)