is she pregnant ?

Question
QUESTION: Hi
I have 3 mice, a male in one cage and two females in another cage, i noticed a small hole in the bottom of the males cage about a week ago (big enough for him to get out). I looked at one of the famales today and her stomach looked a bit bigger than it was a week ago. i put her and the male together sometimes on my lap but i watch them, and today i noticed he kept nudging under her stomach with his nose, which is weird because ive never seen him do that before. i was just thinking, is she pregnant?? because he could have got out of his cage and easily got into the females cage.

ANSWER: Hi Tyla,

It's definitely possible.  Mice take 3 weeks of pregnancy to have their babies, and by the second week it should be very noticeable.  Some mice just look chubbier, whereas some look like they swallowed a golf ball.  It just depends on the mouse.  I would fix the cage situation now either way, though, so nothing else happens in the future and so the other female does not become pregnant.

Until you know for sure, provide lots of extra nesting material (like shredded tissues or toilet paper, but nothing fibrous like cotton that could wind around little toes), food, and water.  Giving them a bit of dry cat or dog food as a treat can help make sure she has enough protein for when the babies arrive, if she does wind up expecting.  If/when she does have the babies, she will likely have them in the middle of the night and start building a big, round nest the day before.  Be sure not to keep the cage very clean so that you don't have to disturb new babies for the first few days of their lives.  If you have any other questions, especially if she winds up definitely pregnant, just let me know!

Best of luck!
-Tam

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

QUESTION: Hello again,
Well she's gotten bigger, she's mostly gotten bigger around the hips, when you look down on her she dosnt look that big but when you look at her from the side her tummy's round and touches the ground, shes also been eating a little bit more than usual but i dont know if thats got anything to do with it?

ANSWER: Hello,

Sounds promising for pups - but all you can do for now is like I said before, just keep lots of extra food, protein, and nesting material in the cage.  Usually if a mouse starts eating a lot more than usual it means she's eating for her and pups as well.  Did you fix the cage problem?

-Tam

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

QUESTION: Hi
Yes i have fixed the cage =] i actualy fixed it before i asked you that first question i just forgot to put that in there. im starting to think if shes actualy pregnant because its been nearly or more than 3 weeks already and shes not as big as i thought a pregnant mouse would be at 3 weeks.

Answer
Okay, well just keep an eye on her and when it's been over 21 days (or 23-24 if you want to be super-safe) since she could have possibly been with the male, then she might just be chubby.  You don't have to put a chubby mouse on a diet or anything, though, so it shouldn't make any difference except that you won't have little ones running around the cage.  :)

-Tam