# I'm WAY too soft for this!! :(



## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

Omg today was separation day. 
My meeces are 3 weeks and 3 days - they are 4 weeks on Wednesday - but I couldn't find anyone to sex them after work in the week - the pet shops shut and the vet reckoned they'd never sexed mice before....
So, I got them looked at today. 3 boys and 4 girls. 
The girls are still with their mum and the other 3 "adult" mice - and one of them is looking rather scrawny so at least she now has a chance to get some milk without a struggle, bless her. 
But the 3 boys are now in a glass tank by themselves and I feel so sorry for them! It's quite big and it has 3 corner shelves for playing and loads of toys, but they did love running about in the Habitrail tubes (I've not moved over to the Kevin yet, baby meeces still too small). 
Sigh....I hope they are ok. They were still drinking a bit of milk so I'll have to keep an eye on them. But the last thing I want is more mices! I'd put them back in all together until Wednesday but they all look so alike, I know I'd get muddled up! 
No more breeding for me, I'm too soft!


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

I'm sure they'll be fine, and better safe than sorry  We have one of those glass tanks for my daughter's mice and they love it-be warned though, it needs quite a lot of cleaning out as it smells more than a barred cage would.Looking forward to some more pics


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

Will take some more pics asap. 
it's been a bit of a stressful weekend - working lots of overtime at the mo so I've got my hands full! 
I'm worried about one of the boys. I think I might have to put mum in for a bit so he can get a feed - what do you think? He's not eating much and is sitting in a corner.... :S


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

In my opinion it's a bit young and were they still feeding off mum? If so it was too young. If they were fully on solid food then it's fine.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Have you bobbed some egg food in with the babies? its very easy for them to eat and puts a lot of weight on too.


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

I gave them an egg biscuit and boiled egg. 
I did what the breeder at the pet shop told me but I'm worried


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

mices4 said:


> I gave them an egg biscuit and boiled egg.
> I did what the breeder at the pet shop told me but I'm worried


It might mean that because the littlest mouse is a bit underweight hes struggling, now that they are seperated I would get some egg food from the pet shop, its got protein for growth and its just like little crumbs so its easy to eat, If youre really worried and shes still producing milk you could try the small baby in a seperate cage with mum to have a feed, but you would have to supervise, from memory I think they are capable of sexual reproduction at 4 weeks.


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2012)

niki87 said:


> In my opinion it's a bit young and were they still feeding off mum? If so it was too young. If they were fully on solid food then it's fine.


I agree 100% with this, they shouldn't be weaned until they are at least 4 weeks old but I prefer to leave them until 5 weeks before splitting to make sure the babies are fully weaned.



mices4 said:


> I gave them an egg biscuit and boiled egg.
> I did what the breeder at the pet shop told me but I'm worried


Don't ever listen to what they say at the pet shop, the majority wouldn't know the difference between their own arse and elbow without written instructions


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

oh God I don't know what to do, I'm sure I will get them muddled up if I put them back together!


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Can you find identifying marks on them to help distinguish them?Take photos of them etc?


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

mices4 said:


> oh God I don't know what to do, I'm sure I will get them muddled up if I put them back together!


I really wouldnt put them back together, its highly unlikely that a 4 week old mouse will impregnate a female, but it is physically possible, I would give them very high calorie diets to build them up. I wouldnt have seperated till they were exactly 4 weeks old but now its done I wouldnt put them back either.


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

i think I will take photos and put them back in with all the others? WHat do you thnk??


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

Ok. I've put them back in, just until Wednesday. it was worrying me far too much, I felt sorry for them. I wasn't sure if it was me being too soft or not. I don't really know now tbh!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

mices4 said:


> Ok. I've put them back in, just until Wednesday. it was worrying me far too much, I felt sorry for them. I wasn't sure if it was me being too soft or not. I don't really know now tbh!


If they arent 4 weeks till wednesday it should be fine, I wouldnt leave it any longer though.


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

They are 4 weeks on Wednesday. When DO I separate them?? Tomorrow or Tuesday better??? Please help!! :mad2:


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

Separate them on Wednesday.


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

thedogsmother said:


> I really wouldnt put them back together, its highly unlikely that a 4 week old mouse will impregnate a female, but it is physically possible, I would give them very high calorie diets to build them up. I wouldnt have seperated till they were exactly 4 weeks old but now its done I wouldnt put them back either.


Oh God I just saw your post. Now I don't know - what have I done?!!! Help!!!!


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

What age exactly are the mice? If they are over 4 weeks you need to separate them no matter how hard it is or you will end up with the baby boys being able to impregnate mum and their sisters and you could end up with more litters needing homes. You first posted thinking there were babies on 7th September, meaning the babies are just over 3 weeks old and should still be with mum. If that date is right then you shouldn't have separated them until next Thursday or Friday and no matter how hard it is to do at that point you must do it. Pet shops don't know a hamster from a wallet, all they see is the green cash that both bring so ignore everything that the useless tool there has told you and ask on here instead - most of us have experience and will make sure that you get the right advice.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

zany_toon said:


> What age exactly are the mice? If they are over 4 weeks you need to separate them no matter how hard it is or you will end up with the baby boys being able to impregnate mum and their sisters and you could end up with more litters needing homes. You first posted thinking there were babies on 7th September, meaning the babies are just over 3 weeks old and should still be with mum. If that date is right then you shouldn't have separated them until next Thursday or Friday and no matter how hard it is to do at that point you must do it. Pet shops don't know a hamster from a wallet, all they see is the green cash that both bring so ignore everything that the useless tool there has told you and ask on here instead - most of us have experience and will make sure that you get the right advice.


What she said :lol: You wont go far wrong following any mouse advice ZT gives you, its who I turn to for all things mousie


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

They were born on Wednesday 5th September


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

As TDM suggested high protein foods - put that in with mum and babies as they are nice easy to eat foods that will encourage them to eat solids and bulk them up a bit. Baby mice can continue feeding from mum even after 4 weeks if she is happy to do it, my girls were still feeding off their mum at 6 weeks simply because she was too laid back to do anything about it. Boys NEED to be separated at 4 weeks (at a push 4.5 but most mouse breeders think that is risking it, my vet included) girls can stay with mum until 6 weeks or forever if you are planning to keep them together


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

mices4 said:


> They were born on Wednesday 5th September


In that case you can separate them between Wednesday and Friday  I'd go with Thursday which means they have just an extra day with mum


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

So...I separated them a bit soon, but I shouldn't have put them back in just now right?

Do I take the males straight out again now, or wait til Tuesday evening??

I'm so gutted I messed it up! Poor things!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

mices4 said:


> So...I separated them a bit soon, but I shouldn't have put them back in just now right?
> 
> Do I take the males straight out again now, or wait til Tuesday evening??
> 
> I'm so gutted I messed it up! Poor things!


No hun, leave them in with mum now that they are back with her, then take them out permanently on thursday, give them high protien food in the mean time and while they are in their first few weeks after seperation.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

If you separated them I would put them back as it's a bit too soon (and if you have already done that then that is perfect  ) Don't take them out on Tuesday, leave them until the end of the week as the night or two without mum could have upset them a bit. You will need to separate them no later than Saturday morning IMO - so it's up to you if you want to do it on Thursday or do it Friday. If you can pick the day you are more likely to be around and keep an eye on them in their new cage and to make sure that they are all able to manage the food bowl


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

Thanks eveyone. They've been worrying me all weekend. The breeder in the shop did say I might need to put them back with mum, but as I don't have anyone to sex them mid-week, I think she was trying to help. Two boys were ok but the other looked so lost! 
I guess putting them back and then taking them out again will upset them but too late now!  
God this is such a stressful experience when you've never done it before! 
Thanks to you all!


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

mices4 said:


> Thanks eveyone. They've been worrying me all weekend. The breeder in the shop did say I might need to put them back with mum, but as I don't have anyone to sex them mid-week, I think she was trying to help. Two boys were ok but the other looked so lost!
> I guess putting them back and then taking them out again will upset them but too late now!
> God this is such a stressful experience when you've never done it before!
> Thanks to you all!


It will upset them but leaving them in an extra few days will mean they still have an extra few days with mum to make up for it  And if the breeder has done this before she should have been able to advise you better - telling some one that they might need to put baby mice back in for mum after separating would make alarm bells for me. It would make me wonder if they do that on a regular basis with their own litters (and I would imagine that they do given that I've never heard a breeder mention anything so ludicrous before), and if they do they shouldn't be breeding as they have even less of an idea about what they should be doing than me and I've only had 2 litters in 4 years of mouse keeping :mad2:


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

So much for taming them! I'm not making a good impression on them!


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

The way to think of it is that being handled so often is good for them


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

Well, it's done! Working late tomorrow and Friday I have human friends round, so it had to be done. The boys are in the tank and they all got egg food. 

It was horrible, I have to say. I got a couple of bites - I think I was too nervous or something! I just hope they won't bear grudges....

I really need to take more pics, but it's so hard when I'm on my own, trying to manage a camera and a bouncy mouse! But my parents will be here this weekend so I hope they will help me. 

Can't wait to get the girls into the Kevin - as soon as the baby girls are big enough. I hope it will be easier to catch them in there - the Habitrail is impossible! 

Might have found a home for 2 girls, but it's not looking good for the bucks. Still a bit of time I gues....

Thanks for all your moral support and advice!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Just to mention in case I wasnt clear earlier, the egg food is as well as their normal mix, not instead of. Hope it goes a bit easier from here


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

thedogsmother said:


> Just to mention in case I wasnt clear earlier, the egg food is as well as their normal mix, not instead of. Hope it goes a bit easier from here


Thanks, yep, no worries, they've got reggie rat with a bit of harry hamster (minus the peanuts) and brown bread and a bit of lettuce. Plus some millet, cos I heard the small seeds were good for the babies. It's a buffet! but I try to get them to eat all their pellet food, not give them too many treats!


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

You know, one of my original 4, Twiglet, has become a real loner since the babies were born. 
When I first got her, she would walk about on my hands and was one of my friendliest mice. I noticed she'd become shier, and I did squish her a bit one, cos I was putting her back and she wriggled and I nearly dropped her, so I thought that was it. Now, she hates being handles, and squirms around in my hands trying to get free til I put her back. 
I know it's going to be a long road with her, but do you think the babies have had an effect?? 
When I got her, she was from a different tank to the others, as she was left behind after some other people bought the other mice in her tank. But I've not noticed them bullying her, and they all sleep together. 

I'm also wondering about my 4 baby girls - I've found a home for 2. I've got 2 silver and two brown and white and they seem to hang out in pairs, but I really wanted one of each colour - is it cruel to separate them at this stage?

Sorry for all the questions, i think my brain's going to pop with all the complexities of mice!


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue (Sep 11, 2012)

If it were me I wouldn't split pairs that are already getting on.
I've found that female mice tend to bond pretty easily BUT when they dont get on the really dont get on!
So you could split the pairs that are getting on now and risk both new pairs not getting on anymore.


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## mices4 (Aug 24, 2012)

LittlePaws AnimalRescue said:


> If it were me I wouldn't split pairs that are already getting on.
> I've found that female mice tend to bond pretty easily BUT when they dont get on the really dont get on!
> So you could split the pairs that are getting on now and risk both new pairs not getting on anymore.


Well it's all done. I have kept the two silver ones. I had to give away my favourite black and white, Badger, and I don't know if I did the right thing. The lady who took them seems lovely and had had rats before, but her 5 year old son really wanted a silver one and was very vocal about it. So I feel bad. Don't know if I was imagining that the silvers had formed a pair, but it's done now. :crying:

The boys went to a lady who rehomes bucks, and if she can't she will give me a call, so I know they will be ok. I was so overwhelmed with mice, now I have 6 and just hope that things will settle down now!


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