Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone! I was wondering if it would be okay to put my pregnant female mouse Angel’s sisters in the cage with her, she is 2 weeks along to the day but I was concerned that her sisters might accidentally hurt the babies because they are young. Twilly and Batty are about 9 weeks old and Frizzy is around 5 weeks old, and Angel is a few days short of 6 months old. Angel keeps pacing the wall of the cage closest to their cage, and they too are pacing and trying to get in her cage. Would it be okay to put them in with her or is there too big of a risk that they could hurt the babies? (Angel’s mom, Maggie, is my little cousin’s mouse and unfortunately he left the male mouse in with her, and she had the 2nd and 3rd litter about 4 weeks apart. Angel helped nurse the sisters that I have, because Maggie had nearly 30 babies. Sorry for for writing so much but this is Angels first litter and I want everything to go smoothly.)

if the pregnant mouse has been separated from other mice for awhile [as in more than a couple days] putting her in with other mice won't be a good ideal. female mice are very protective of their babies, and often will attack viciously any mouse introduced to their cage, even one they had been with several days before.

as you indicated some of the other mice are the pregnant mice's siblings, they may get along, but i really don't think so. you could put one in with her and watch to see what happens. if your pregnant female attacks right away, take the other mouse out. if they just check eachother out with very little squeaking or chasing around of each other, then leave them together for a bit longer. keep a close eye though, cause the pregnant mouse may still decide she doesn't want the other around when she is so close to having her babies.
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PHLdyPayne

I put her sisters back in with her and watched them closely, and she(Angel) immediately ran over to them and started grooming their faces! There hasn't been any squeaking or nipping so I think they are doing pretty good. Angel's sisters have been in the cage with her since birth though I had them separated for about a week and they kept trying to get in the cage with eachother, they even went so far as to squeezing through the bars of their cage, climbing on top of Angel's cage and chirping to her(which was what caught my attention or I wouldn't have known they escaped)! Angel only has a few days to go and I'm like an anxious grandmother awaiting Angel's darling babies lol, I'll post pics of the babies, Angel, and her sisters soon. Angel is one of the prettiest brindle mice I have ever seen, she has BIG bright brown eyes lol. Thanks for the help!

glad to hear they are getting long. mice should be kept together, the younger females learn much about rearing of young with kept with their mothers or other females. they also help out too. though they can't nurse, they can help clean, move and warm the babies, while mother takes a break.
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PHLdyPayne