Different mouse feeding the babies

Question
QUESTION: Hello again natasha!

well i have been on a vacation for 2 days and when i went home i found lizzy with seven baby mouse. I didn't expect it, but it seems like lizzy sometimes leaves the nest and then after a hour she will come back then another hour she will leave again not taking good care of her pinkies, i look at her nipples and there's no milk so give her dog biscuits twice a day and she starts to have milk. Well is it normal for the mother mouse to leave her pinkies every 3hrs??

ANSWER: Dear Divine,

Take a peek at the babies when she leaves the nest. Do they have white stripes? These are called milk bands, and it means their tummies are full of milk. If they do not have milk bands then you are going to have to rescue them. In that case go to the addy in my profile for a youtube video on raising orphans.

She has to leave the nest sometimes to eat and drink, and to have a break! On average mice nurse every 30 minutes, but she may have them on a different schedule. As long as they have milk bands they are doing great.

Enjoy the babies!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: they have many milk bands, im thinking to put them in other cage will it be okey?

ANSWER: Hi Divine,

No, it is not a good idea to move or even touch the pups before they are 7-8 days old and have a coat of fur. And mom mouse might get upset and you never want that. That's the sort of thing that ends up in babies being killed and eaten.

Squeaks,

Natasha

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hello natasha ^^

well the babies was all black. Today i looked at their cage and it wasn't lizzy is the one who was feeding them. It was Chappy the albino one. she feeds the baby almost everytime she sleeps there and never go outs. But chappy doesn't have some babies and she wasn't pregnant but her nipples are showing up. Is it okey to let Chappy stay there or should i remove her?

Answer
Dear Divine,

No, not at all. It is great that Chappy is helping out. That's why I always advise to have another female in the cage with a pregnant or nursing mom. It makes it so much easier for the mom.

Mice are one of the very, very few animals that can do this. In the wild, mice get killed often, so it is good if an aunt can take over and nurse the babies.

Sounds like you have happy babies. Do let them alone from now on. You can hold them at 7 days.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha