White Mice-Pegnancy period

Question
Hi! This is the 1st time we have got white mice couple and now my she mice is pegnant and it seems she needs some changes in her routine. We use to keep the cage open for the whole day so that they can move in and out whenever they want but now I do not want to take any risk while letting them get out of their cage during this period. Pls advise what is the best way to make them comfortable inside cage and what all to provide them to eat with timimngs. Thank you! Regards Shalini

Answer
Hi Shalini,

I really recommend keeping the male mouse separate from the female after mating, for two reasons:  First, not all boy mice are good dads, and some will eat the young or fight with male offspring as they mature.  Second, the female can become pregnant immediately, which is not only hard on her (it increases risks of complications and could even kill her), but also leads to a second litter needing milk from mom while she is still nursing the older litter.  Therefore, the first thing I would recommend is to get a second cage.

Both should be escape-proof, well-aerated, and be lined with a comfortable bedding such as aspen shavings or a paper-based bedding (like Carefresh or Yesterday's News).  They should be large enough that the mouse has room to play and run, a water bottle, a food dish, and at least one "hide" where they can sleep and feel like they are secure and can't be seen.  This may also very well be where your female decides to nest!  She can eat normal mouse food, such as a mix labeled for mice (or mice and rats), or a mouse lab block type of food.  You can also provide for extra protein dry cat food and as a treat, scrambled eggs made without milk.  A mouse's gestation period is about 21 days long, so about 3 weeks after she became pregnant you'll notice her start to build a nest.  You can add in little strips of torn up tissues to help if you'd like, but avoid cotton, as it can get stuck around little baby mouse toes and legs.

I wouldn't put a wheel in mom's cage, but there are plenty of fun options you can swap out frequently to keep her entertained in her confinement, which should last at least 4 weeks past when she has the pups.  Try toilet paper tubes, tissue boxes with the plastic removed (these are pretty absorbant and need to be replaced as soon as they get soiled), egg cartons, tubes, all sorts of things.  Just get creative!  Try to avoid giving her very tall toys that pups may be carried onto and fall off of, at least until they start exploring and running around on their own.  Natasha has a great video on setting up a cage here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNK4uqNZTbA&feature=share

Let me know if you have any other questions, and congratulations on your upcoming litter!  :)
-Tam