Hello.
I used to breed rats and have had rats as pets, but kind of by
accident, I got into mice. It is a long story really, but my
concern right now is... have 4 female mice (adults), one male and
now 7 babies (3 males &4 females about 2 weeks old??) I do not know
much about mice, gestation and baby mouse development and I do not
know the actual birth day of these mice. I was wondering if someone
could tell me at approx how many days certain things happen, like
fur pigmentation starts to appear, eyes open... weaning, and length
of gestation of a mouse? I had tried to breed one mouse way back in
August with a little brown and white male mouse, but she never
conceived, she simply got fatter. Now, I am really not sure who is
the mother. There are 2 possibilities, and I have even thought
maybe they are both the mothers... they are both nursing... but then
again, so is the one I tried to breed back in August, just not
excessively like the other 2. The father has even tried to nurse
them. Is it common or not that 3 of the 4 females are actively
nursing these 7 babies? The fourth mouse is the only one that still
has her petite girlish figure. She acts as the nurturing older
sister for now.
I'd appreciate any guidance.
Thanks,
Heather in Maine, USA