Breeding Mice And Pups

Question
Hi, This is my first time breeding mice. I have this Black and white female mouse named Daffy, And a brown male mouse named Peter.
I kept them in a cage for 6 days, and He will first sniff her then he will chase her and she squeaks a whole lot, after that he grooms or bite (Can't tell) her around the ear... Is this normal? When Will I be able to tell if she is pregnant. and about how many babies will she have. and When will I be able to hold the pups. and when will I be able to tell if the pups are males or females?

Sorry I'm asking so many Questions, From Liz

Answer
Dear Liz,

I'll give you some basic answers here, and you can read around in my archives for more.  Search under "Natasha Mice Mouse" with "pregnant" or "breed" or "litter" or "babies," etc.  There are also excellent links to mouse info sites on my profile.

A male mouse will chase a female and make her squeak when he wants to mate.  He may even bite her ear.  She should be pregnant within a week.  Because mice can have anywhere from, just in my own experience, 1 to 18 babies, it's hard to say when she will start to show, but most mice start to look a little like they have swallowed a pear in the last 5 days or so (mice are pregnant for 21 days).

If you don't want a second litter 21 days after the first is born, take the male out before the birth.  Otherwise he will help take care of the babies.

You can hold the pups when they are 7 days old  and begin to have a little fur.  You can sex them almost from day 1, with the help of this guide:

http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/sexing.cfm

They are ready to leave their mom after 21 days.  At 4 1/2 weeks the girls are already sexually mature, so the sexes must be separated by then.

Best of luck to little Daffy and Peter!  Have fun!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha