Is my mouse pregnant or fat? Should other female mice be with babies?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You are correct in planning for the arrival of the pups. I recommend separating the male as soon as you are sure that the female is pregnant, because females can get pregnant again very shortly after giving birth. It is important to keep the pups quiet and calm, to prevent the mother from eating them when stressed. You should also not touch the pups until they are about 14 days old. There are several types of nesting material available in pet stores, or you could use pieces of paperCut up into small strips. The pups should be separated from their mother when they are about 14 to 21 days old. At this point they should be able to eat normal adult mouse food. I hope this helps and I’m happy to answer any additional questions you may have!

I would recommend for you to take both mice into the store where they were purchased and ask someone to look at both mice to tell you if you got a female by mistake. Mice reproduce VERY quickly so you need to know this asap. If you infect have a female, the pet store may offer to take the babies. I would also recommend to keep males separate from females and to have pairs of mice so they keep each other company. Best of Luck with Patches!

Your friend’s mice were probably just startled for some reason when you approached them today. I would recommend that you continue to engage and interact with them regularly to help gain their trust. The mice are in a relatively new environment and are probably very prone to stress. I would also recommend separating the pregnant mouse from the other two mice. Her pregnancy and birth can be very stressful and so anything you can do to help relieve her anxieties/stress would be good for her. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Cocoa does look pregnant. Gestation is about 3 weeks. She built her nest where she feels most comfortable and secure. This is no cause for concern. Try not to disturb it and when the pups (baby mice) come, do not disturb the nest for the first two weeks. You'll need to keep Ghost separate, because Cocoa can mate again within days of delivery. The pups will wean around 3-4 weeks and should be separated into male and female groups shortly after. They can breed as early as 6 weeks of age.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the photo, it does not appear that Chino’s abdomen is distended and she seems quite active. It is not uncommon for mice to lose pregnancies and resorb the fetuses, and this may have happened in Chino’s case. I recommend keeping a close eye on her to make sure she is eating and drinking normally and does not appear hunched or unkempt as these may be signs of dystocia or difficulty giving birth. I hope this helps and that all is well with you and Chino!

Thank you for your question. If this bump is only on one side of the abdomen I would be concerned about a tumor or an abscess (pocket of infection). With a pregnancy we would expect a symmetrical swelling of the belly. I would recommend your friend take the mouse to a vet who sees pocket pets for an examination to better determine the cause of the enlargement.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Indeed this may be just Rosie preparing herself a place to rest. I would not be too concerned as of now though if you wanted to check for a possible pregnancy, you would have to have her checked by a veterinarian for radiographs for example to see if that is the case. Best of luck!