Why did my friend's skittish mouse bite me when my mouse is pregnant?

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!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is hard to know if she is fat or pregnant. If she has been in with a male in the past month she very well could be pregnant. The other female mouse might eat the babies, so I would separate the mice if she does have babies. Best of luck with your little ones!

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Hamsters can get aggressive, especially around their young. I recommend handling the young as little as possible to prevent Khaleesi from being aggressive towards you or from taking it out on her pups. While it is less likely at this age, hamsters can even canibalize their young when they are stressed. Hamsters can typically be weaned (start eating dry food, no longer needed milk from the mother) at about 3 weeks. I recommend separating them into different cages or homes to prevent the hamsters from reproducing. You should also separate Khaleesi from the male hamster if you wish to prevent further breeding. Once the pups are gone, Khaleesi should resume her normal behavior towards you. I hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Sadie and including a photo. It appears as if the two new females where bonded and are bonded and ganging up on your first mouse. They can be aggressive but rarely do serious damage. But provide multiple hiding areas, food dishes, water dishes and area of rest. But if aggression continues, they might have to be separated. Good 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 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.