dead baby stuck in mom mouse

Question
My mouse has been bred but the baby is still and isnt born properly its hanging out. Is there anything I can do??
PLEASE THIS IS URGENT!!!!

Answer
Hi,

The best thing to do would be to take the mouse to an emergency vet immediately. Is it possible that it isn't even a baby that you see? It could be a prolapsed uterus, which would need to be treated right away.

If it's very obviously a baby and you can't get her to the vet immediately, you will need to try to remove the baby yourself.  There may also be other babies inside.  It will be terribly easy to hurt the mother doing so.  Try rubbing some butter all over your fingers and around where the infant's body is extruding.  See if you can just give some very gentle pushes on the dead baby right where it is attached, being careful not to push on the mother.  If you pull a little, be ever so gentle because it might tear the mother's skin.

If she starts to succeed in giving birth to  live babies after this one is removed, be sure to place her immediately back in the nest and leave her alone.  She will be very upset and a distressed mama mouse can eat the babies.  If she does, there's nothing you can do, but remember it's her natural survival instinct:  If she thinks the babies are in too great danger to survive, it makes sense to save herself and not the babies.

Again, if you're not 100% sure it's a baby, don't try to get it out.  I hope you can get the mouse to the vet right away.  I hope everything goes OK.



squeaks,

Natasha