A pregnant mouse

Question
Hi,

I got 2 "girl" mice about 3 weeks ago. Now I find out that the younger one is a
boy.I brought him back and got a new companion for her, but I'm almost certain that my girl, Dusty, is
pregnant. She has been nesting and doesn't want me to pick her up as much. She
also looks almost exactly like the pregnant mouse pictures on a few other sites.


How can I know for sure that she is pregnant?

Also,once she has babies, I will bring them to a trusted pet store, but

how long should I wait before it's safe to separate them from their mother?

and

how do I safely transport them?

I don't want to hurt them, but my sole concern is Dusty. I read that too many babies can kill her!!!

Thanks for your help,

Miki


Answer
If she has a stomach like a woman would then you know she is pregnant and the nest kinda gives it away too. Just keep her cage cleaned, but do not disturb the nest. You can touch the mice after about 3 weeks and she will nurse for appx 3 weeks. When you see them eat on their own then they can go to the pet shop. They will have their eyes open, eat on their own, and be about 3-5 weeks old. It is hard to say on when you can touch a baby mouse w.o making the mom made, so the best is to wait till you see them on their own. It always will help to call your local pet store to ask question on their regulations on adopting or buying baby mice.



Below was Provided by:
http://www.hiiret.fi/eng/breeding/essentials3.html
The Babies

Mice usually have rather large litters, but the size of the litter can vary from just one to over twenty. 22 is the largest litter I've heard about around here. Usually, there are something around 10 babies.

Once the babies are born, do not disturb the nest for the first three days. This is because you don't want to risk the doe rejecting or even eating her young.

When it's time to check the babies for the first time, take the mother out of the tank. She doesn't have to see you checking the babies and get upset about it. Then, rub your fingers with the beddings of the tank to mask your own scent. Gently take a peek in the nest to see that the babies are all right. You can pick them up, but be extremely gentle about it. After that, put the nest back in order and let the doe back in with her babies. Check the babies daily, as human contact even before they have their eyes open, will help making them tame.