# Cages arrived...but...



## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Well firstly I am pleased to say that I have managed to get the Alexander cages up. And my oh my they are massive!!! They have a slightly bigger footprint of the zz2 which is what they were in...but bars and shelves. Also it is with a heavy heart that I split my 26 girls into 2 groups...so each group is in an Alexander cage.bhope they feel lucky! But I did hate splitting them. So here are a couple of pics.










I didn't have a ruler to hand so here is an attempt to show you that the bar spacing is good...I have to push to get my finger in!!










However I have come across this!!










I am absolutely gutted. I feel so awful for my poor baby...she has only just weaned one litter. I would say I cannot understand it but I can...and I have learnt a terrible lesson in which my baby is going to pay the consequence for.

I want to warn people...I separated the boys out of the girls cage at 4 weeks 4 days old. I was leaving it till 4 weeks and I have to confess I just forgot...I have just started a PGCE course and just don't seem to have time. But it's no excuse really. I know it has been said you can separate at 4.5 weeks......I have learned the reason why those few extra days can just simply be too many. Am so sorry my gorgeous girl. I will make sure you are extra pampered now!!

I think she is the only one...though there is one other showing enlargened nipples...though she has recently breastfed and these have not changed really since.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Yay for the cages but  for you and your girlie, from what Ive read they are hyper fertile when they wean a litter


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue (Sep 11, 2012)

Woo for the Alexander cages, I am saving up for some myself (well for my animals not ME personally!)

Really sorry your little girlie is pregnant again


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Glad the cages are good and oops for the mousie.Don't beat yourself up-as you said people have said you can separate at 4 and a half weeks...just bad luck.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Thanks everyone. Yeah cages are great...fantastic quality considering the price!! Am chuffed with them.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Wow fantastic cages they will be mice heaven. how do you choose which girls go where? Were they all sleeping together? poor mummy mouse is she going back into a zz2 any idea how far along she is? maybe this was meant to be so Nicholas can have some little cage mates


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## Ratty man (Apr 15, 2012)

I'm still not sure about that bar spacing but probably would be okay and I'm worrying about nothing.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

emzybabe said:


> Wow fantastic cages they will be mice heaven. how do you choose which girls go where? Were they all sleeping together? poor mummy mouse is she going back into a zz2 any idea how far along she is? maybe this was meant to be so Nicholas can have some little cage mates


Aww that's a nice way of looking at it. Though will he accept others...baby boys?

Not sure on how far gone though would guess she will pop in 1-3'days. I can't put her in the zz2 cos OH fell into it and shattered it...oops! Should she be in a tank cos of the babies?



Ratty man said:


> I'm still not sure about that bar spacing but probably would be okay and I'm worrying about nothing.


Honestly I still have a few youngsters..not fully grown...and touch wood...it seems fine now! I hope so...but I watched them out there for about an hour and there was no attempts at escaping.


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

niki87 said:


> Not sure on how far gone though would guess she will pop in 1-3'days. I can't put her in the zz2 cos OH fell into it and shattered it...oops! Should she be in a tank cos of the babies?


Oh dear..... I have a mini Duna sitting around if you need it 
The Alexander's look great though!


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

It's a hard lesson hun but unlike a lot of people you know what you are doing and mum mouse is going to do fine (I will keep my fingers crossed for a small litter though  ) Those cages look fab, and I'm sure that once mum has raised the babies she will love diving around them


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Maltey said:


> Oh dear..... I have a mini Duna sitting around if you need it
> The Alexander's look great though!


Oh thanks hun! Got a few spares if need be...the upside of being a cage hoarder lol. But thanks for the offer.



zany_toon said:


> It's a hard lesson hun but unlike a lot of people you know what you are doing and mum mouse is going to do fine (I will keep my fingers crossed for a small litter though  ) Those cages look fab, and I'm sure that once mum has raised the babies she will love diving around them


Aww thanks for the kind words. Can I keep her in the Alexander...maybe remove the ramp till babies are bigger?


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I wouldnt keep her in the Alexander hun, a tank style cage would be safest, you will remember how pingy the babies are so they could easily escape at a fairly young age.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I agree I'm sure they would squeeze through the bars or climb and then fall. 

I hate the zz2 plastic - one of mine has a crack in the corner now. Most of all I hate how loud they are when your opening and closing the lids.


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## Cami (Apr 18, 2012)

Wow, that cage looks fab!

Good luck with mum (who is gorgeous by the way!) and the babies


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> I wouldnt keep her in the Alexander hun, a tank style cage would be safest, you will remember how pingy the babies are so they could easily escape at a fairly young age.





emzybabe said:


> I agree I'm sure they would squeeze through the bars or climb and then fall.
> 
> I hate the zz2 plastic - one of mine has a crack in the corner now. Most of all I hate how loud they are when your opening and closing the lids.


Oh dear...OK. I will put her in a tank style cage then. But do I take her out on her own or put one of the others in with her?



Cami said:


> Wow, that cage looks fab!
> 
> Good luck with mum (who is gorgeous by the way!) and the babies


Aww thanks!! She is stunning....but they all are!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I would choose one or two of her closest friends and pop them in with her, if there are any who look like they might also be pregnant they would be the obvious choice. The ones who dont have a litter should help her out with the care of the litter.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> I would choose one or two of her closest friends and pop them in with her, if there are any who look like they might also be pregnant they would be the obvious choice. The ones who dont have a litter should help her out with the care of the litter.


I'd recommend the same Niki  Bar spacing of anything more than 7mm is too easy for babies to get out of so you would be best moving mummy mouse just now so she has some time to prepare a nice nest with the help of her friends


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

I haven't read your whole thread yet (working from home but meant to be working  ) but, I got the Kevin 82 extra-narrow which has 7 mm spacing and it's really good - will post pics soon. But prob you don't want to spend another £70 just as a filler til the babies are bigger!


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> I would choose one or two of her closest friends and pop them in with her, if there are any who look like they might also be pregnant they would be the obvious choice. The ones who dont have a litter should help her out with the care of the litter.





zany_toon said:


> I'd recommend the same Niki  Bar spacing of anything more than 7mm is too easy for babies to get out of so you would be best moving mummy mouse just now so she has some time to prepare a nice nest with the help of her friends


OK thanks guys!! Put her and two other adults (as in first generation) into a perfecto tank! I hate those but I don't have another option at the mo. Hopefully will only be for 3/4 weeks. Dreading the re-intros though.



mices4 said:


> I haven't read your whole thread yet (working from home but meant to be working  ) but, I got the Kevin 82 extra-narrow which has 7 mm spacing and it's really good - will post pics soon. But prob you don't want to spend another £70 just as a filler til the babies are bigger!


I dunno...I might end up needing it anyways for the second lot of boys! Thanks!


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

here's the link in case :

Cages : Kevin 82 Extra Narrow Bar Hamster & Mouse Cage : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online

and how I've got it set up at the mo:


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