Mice breeding troubles

[sinclair]

So I recently started a breeding colony with one male and four females in a 10 gallon tank. Three of the females became pregnant and the first one gave birth to her litter yesterday. However, she ate the entire litter within the first day. I had the male and the non-pregnant female in a separate enclosure, and she was in the tank with the two other pregnant females. After I noticed that she was eating her litter, I looked in and saw one of the other pregnant females joining her in eating a pinkie. I then decided to remove the third pregnant female and put her in a separate enclosure. I peeked into the room this morning and saw that she had given birth, but was disappointed to see that there were two pinkies in one corner of the cage, another at the opposite corner, and one just inside the entrance to the hide. Does this mean that she is rejecting the litter and won't care for them? Don't they need to be huddled together in the nest for warmth? Things were going so well and now the results are turning out pretty poorly. And advice or comments from successful mice breeders?

[Crazymonkee]

Do they have a little "house" in the enclosure or is it all open? The Mom could have felt stressed if it all open. Are they new moms or established breeders?

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[4theSNAKElady]

Do they have wheels, chew blox, toilet paper rolls? Those types of things keep stress levels down, so theyre not as likely to cannibalise their babies. Also, i agree with crazy monkee girl about little houses n hides.

sent from my incubator

[Crazymonkee]

Omg speaking of wheels... the hoppers are sooo funny, they latch on while the biggers ones run it and they go round and round lol

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[sinclair]

Yeah I have a hide in all the enclosures. I had one of the "flying saucer" wheels that they would run on, but then they just started burying it in the bedding and not using it so I took it out. I lifted the hide to check on them and that's when I saw that she had delivered. Could that have caused her to eat them?

The other mom that I isolated in her own tub yesterday has a hide and I have not disturbed the tub at all since she gave birth. I checked a little while ago and the pinkies are still where they were when I first saw them, scattered around the tub. Do you think she will eventually bring them in the hide and put them in the nest or will she most likely abandon them? Anything I could do at this point? Thanks.

[satomi325]

What are you feeding?

[sinclair]

What are you feeding?

I've been feeding them Wild Harvest Rat and Mouse Daily Blend. I also gave them a little peanut butter a couple nights ago.

[Crazymonkee]

I've been feeding them Wild Harvest Rat and Mouse Daily Blend. I also gave them a little peanut butter a couple nights ago.

Not enough protein in that... find a good rodent block (preferably breeder formulation). I use Mazuri. Start adding fresh foods... bread, pasta, hard boiled egg, mine also get lettuce and carrots.
Try not to disturb the nest for 3 days after delivery.

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[satomi325]

I don't know that food, but too little protein can lead a mouse to eat it's litter for that needed nutrition.

[Crazymonkee]

I don't know that food, but too little protein can lead a mouse to eat it's litter for that needed nutrition.

It's the Walmart brand... the seeds and stuff type

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