Mom mouse ignoring babies?

Question
6 days ago my mice cheese(mummy) and pickle(daddy) had 10 babies. I took pickle out before they were born so no chance of a second pregnancy! I hadn't cleaned out cheese's cage for almost two weeks because I didn't want to upset her when she was pregnant/just after she had them. The cage was really starting to smell though and I didn't like it, so on other people's advice this evening i cleaned out her cage (however I left the plastic house with the nest and babies in it untouched so as not to get my scent on them and confuse her.) One of the babies fell out of the house when I put the house back in and Cheese was running around frantically digging and buried it! I picked the baby up with a toilet roll tube without using my fingers from the cage and plopped him back in the nest with the others so he didn't get forgotten or hurt. I finished cleaning them out twenty minutes ago and ever since she has been running around the cage eating, drinking and digging but has not been in the house nest once to check on her babies. I know I should probably just wait and see and she's probably just trying to adjust to the newly cleaned cage but naturally I'm worrying about Cheese and her babies because I've read about how temperamental mice can be. Did I handle the situation correctly or is there anything I could do differently?

Answer
Dear Bethan,

You did fine. It would have been better to clean the cage a few days before birth, but certainly if the cage is starting to stink, the babies shouldn't be exposed to that high level of ammonia in the urine. It was smart that you didn't disturb the nest or touch the babies. I'm guessing by  now she has gone back to the babies. If not, I would open the nest and set her in it, gently, several times. Otherwise if she really does abandon them, you will either need to nurse them-- a huge 24/7 job-- find another nursing mother at a pet store, or let nature take its course and hope against hope that she figures it out.

If you decide to nurse them there are many articles in my archives about it; and the best resource is the link to a video provided in my profile.

I wish the babies best of luck.

squeaks,

Natasha
<:3  )--~