One of my 3 girls in the tank gave birth a few hours ago. Since then she has gone nuts!
I think I have an obsessive compulsive mouse. She will take a pinky out, run to the wheel (solid plastic, no bars)and start running with the baby still in her mouth. She spins on the wheel 2 or 3 rotations, then goes to the hide box (baby still in her mouth) and climbs over the hide box, runs to one side of the cage, and then returns the baby to the hide box, and starts the process all over again. I have no idea if she is grabbing the same baby or not.
To be on the safer side, I decided to take the wheel out of the cage.
Anyone else ever have a mouse do that with her babies?
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Mental Mouse Mommy
Squishy
May 23, 2004 09:51 PM
Replies (3)
PHEve
May 26, 2004 06:44 AM
Hi, I just popped in and saw your post, weird !
But I have a couple questions, is she a new mom? If so maybe she is just a bit overwelmed, by her new babies.
Sometimes mothering does not come natural to some animals. It makes them nervous, they dont seem to know what to do, at first.
She may just settle in and be fine. The fact shes taking it with her, suggests shes trying to be caring, hehheehe !
Also are their any other adult mice in with her that may be causing her be protective of her babies, to the point of not putting it down??
Just been thinking about it and thats about all I can come up with!
Let us know how she does!
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____
Eve
diggy415
May 27, 2004 12:59 PM
I raise mice and rats and yes,if you approach the cage she will do that, if she is disturbed or a new mommy or both, I found that to be true and if you remove her wheel she may eat her babies, I just do what I have to do in the cage and put the whole thing somewhere quite, she will continue to do this everytime she hears someone new. Leave her be and put the wheel back in.
Squishy
May 29, 2004 12:49 PM
I think this is her first litter. The other two girls have been helping her out taking care of the babies when the mother goes to feed or drink.
I went ahead and put the wheel back in, and now all 3 girls are taking turns running with the babies, so obviously this is learned behavior.
No one has gotten hurt from it, its just really odd to see her and now the others doing that.
