vanishing over night

[Cherrio2013]

Hello Everyone. I'm new to the forum page here and have been breeding mice successfully so far for 6 months. Last night before i went to bed I had checked on my newest litter that was about 2 weeks old and there were a total of 12 pups. this morning when I awoke to my shock 11 of the pups completely vanished with no trace. I thoroughly searched the cage and bedding thinking they have buried themselves to keep warm and found nothing. Next thought that crossed my mind was that mommy killed and ate them but again no traces of blood or remains were found. there is also no way the could have crawled out, do to the depth of the cage. Any thoughts or helpful information would be greatly helpful.

[Crazymonkee]

Mom ate them... they are very clean when they do it, pretty much "without a trace".

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[Cherrio2013]

but there was 11 2 week old pups that vanished no trace i dont see one mouse having the stomach to consume that many over night with out leaving something behind not ever bloody bedding

[Crazymonkee]

How many adult are in with the babies? You won't see blood

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[ROACH]

Was mom the only one in there with the pups? I breed rats and sometime this happens to me too. Usely its when I didnt get out there quick enough to get them fed, but have also had it happen a day or two after putting food out. I dont know the full reason of why they do that sometimes, but it does. Ive also gone out and have found my Male dead and have a hole in him from where the 3 females have eaten on him, couldnt figure that one out either.

[Cherrio2013]

just the mommy but why did she leave the one pup and kill the other ones, and it happened over night. i just don't see how it is possible for one mouse to kill and eat 11 2 week almost 3 old pups and not see anything from it, just very odd to me.

[brettliff]

Wtfffff

my mom never went to college thank you very much.

[brettliff]

Sounds like they are excessively inbred

my mom never went to college thank you very much.

[ROACH]

Sounds like they are excessively inbred

my mom never went to college thank you very much.

I dont think it has anything to do with "Inbred". When rats/Mice get bored or hungry/thirsty they will sometimes do that. I think even if they detect that the young are sick they will eat them. Was there anything in the cage for them to chew on? How was their food and water? And like Crazymonkee said, you wont see any blood! They are extremly clean about it!

[brettliff]

I dont think it has anything to do with "Inbred". When rats/Mice get bored or hungry/thirsty they will sometimes do that. I think even if they detect that the young are sick they will eat them. Was there anything in the cage for them to chew on? How was their food and water? And like Crazymonkee said, you wont see any blood! They are extremly clean about it!

I literally just read that excessive inbreeding can cause that to happen. Cant figure out where so I cant link you so just ask Google. Its not the most common reason though. And more often than not its because the babies are weak. Not because they need protein. Also increase protein halfway through pregnancy with a milk one for dogs. If you have more than one male with the pregnant female that can also cause this to happen. But the mothers being hungryfor protein is a grossly over used assumption. They eat LOW protein diets.

my mom never went to college thank you very much.