Possible pregnant mouse

by FurBabies@732 Sat 16 Nov 2019, 7:50 am

So my 3 legged mouse (she is always housed alone because like my other female she fights female mice) has gotten out of her cage 3 times. 2 times she got into a male cage and the 3rd time she got into my other aggressive female's cage. Anyway I kinda thin Pixie (3 legged mouse) could be pregnant. I have some questions and I need advice from real mouse owners. Okay so pixies orginal cage(the one she kept getting out of) was a wire, 2 story cage about the size of a 20 gallon. I switched her to the travel cage which the top has wire (but I took out the top platform just in case.) and the bottom is clear plastic. It is a little small too. She hasn't been able to escape this cage but since she is probably pregnant I tried to do research for the best type of cage for a pregnant mouse. No one gave a clear answer so that is why I am turning to real mouse owners for answers.

1) Is wire or glass a better cage for a pregnant mouse?
2) How much room is needed when babies are born?
3) Online it said corncob bedding is best for a mouse that has given birth. Is that true?
4) Can you give me examples of a pregnant mouse nesting?
****I placed a small piece of paper towel in her cage and she immediately brought it all in her hideaway house
5) Does a pregnant mouse's behavior change into the exact opposite of how they were before?
****Pixie has always been very skittish towards and thing and anyone. She would run when hearing my voice or if she noticed me looking at her, she would hide. But now she is acting curious to a lot of things. She even comes out for a minute when she hears my voice.
6) Would it be okay to put my hat (beanie) in her cage before she gives birth? I've heard that putting something with your own sent into a mouse's cage will help them to recognize me and build trust when it comes to the babies. I also heard doing this is a bad thing because if she gives birth and the pinkies smell like me instead of her, she will either neglect them or kill them

(Please no bashing me for trying to get more information. I would just rather get advice from other mouse parents. Preferably someone who has delt with this situation)

by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Sat 16 Nov 2019, 12:42 pm

I've only ever had experience with wild-born mouse babies, and in order to be ready to tend to any orphans I have read up on lots of instructions and advice. So I will share with you a little of the common sense that I've sort of distilled out of all that reading, and hope that other forum members will fill in more specific answers to your questions.

First, as for questions 1 and 2, it seems that the only requirement a female mouse has for a birthing place is that she feels safe there. They birth in holes in the ground, under hay piles in barns, within the walls of houses, inside people's galoshes, underneath refrigerators, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. If Pixie seems to like being in her current housing, then don't worry about moving her.

Next, as for questions 3 and 4, pet mousies do quite all right birthing litters in nests they make from torn paper towels and tissues. If that is what Pixie is used to, then you don't have to make any changes. During the few days after the birth when you have to leave the nest alone, you may worry about waste or smell building up in the nest area. But don't. Most mama mice instinctively know to keep waste smell from building up in the vicinity of their new litters, because such a smell would give away the nest location to predators. Have you ever watched the baby mouse YouTube videos by Creek Valley Critters?

As for question 5, I don't remember ever reading anything about behavioral changes like that. Pixie may just be getting used to having you around!

Finally, question 6. Mousies have an extremely sensitive sense of smell. Each baby in a litter smells first and foremost like itself. It will also have some of its mama's smell on it from being in her constant care. If you have things in the mousehouse that smell like you, then your smell will just be part of the general ambience, and if the babies come in contact with those things, they will also get bits of your smell on them. Your smell will not overwrite the other smells, though. Mama will know her babies, and if she ends up rejecting any of them it will not be because of your smell being present. But you DO have to give her time and space to get used to all the new little pinkies and the physical challenge she faces to take care of them all. Sudden and/or frequent intrusions, bright lights, loud noises, strong or strange smells -- those sorts of things can increase mama's stress level, which can interfere with her feeling her litter is safe.

End of primer! Good luck with Pixie!

Possible pregnant mouse

Possible pregnant mouse

Re: Possible pregnant mouse