when to separate mouse babies

Question
My new female pet mouse gave birth on March 7. She had six pups. When will a litter of mice pups start breeding amongst each other? I think I have done a good job separating the one male from his mother and five sisters today. That means they are currently 30 days old. Did I separate them soon enough? Every site I check gives me a different answer Most of the sites said I should not separate them from the mother until they were about 4-5 weeks old, so that is why I chose today to separate them. I figured with all of your experience you should know. I do understand it is not an exact science.  

Answer
Dear Dianne,

It's time to separate them.  Mice wean between 3 to 3 1/2 weeks, so they shouldn't leave the nest before then.  However, at 4 1/2 weeks mice can be ready to mate.  Your mice are almost 4 1/2 weeks.  It's an exact enough science.. breeders had better have it down to a T!

You are so lucky that there was only one male.  Females can all live together happily, but males usually end up needing a cage to themselves.  Now you only need two cages instead of (if it had been the other way around) six!

To be absolutely sure you have sexed them properly, check out this site:

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

Your mice are doubtless simply adorable but pretty hoppy right now.  Hold each one ten minutes a day and they will soon be very tame.

Have fun!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha