weird bump after female gave birth

Question

bump on mouse butt   One of my female mice had a litter of babies and now has a red bump coming from her back area.  The area is bleeding a little.  Could this be the afterbirth?  Should I do anything about it?
Squeaks
Hadley

Answer
I am sorry I did not see this sooner, Hadley,

It is difficult to tell from the picture what this bump is.  Afterbirth is placenta, and is delivered after each pup.  This is usually eaten directly from the vagina while she is giving birth, so you would not get much of a chance to see it unless you interrupted the birthing process.  The bump could also be a prolapse, which may need veterinary medical attention, or even another pup trying to come out.  How long ago did she have the pups before you noted the bump?  Giving birth to a litter may take up to several hours to complete, especially if there are complications.  If the bump is still there or if her health is at all decreased I would strongly recommend visiting a local veterinarian who works with pocket pets like mice - bring the entire cage in without disturbing her if at all possible.

Best of luck and I hope she is alright,
-Tam