mice

[17730turtlegirl]

hey i have a question if i have 1 male mouse and 2 females would i have to seperate the male before the female has her litter or can i just leave them to their own devices ?:confused:

[marisa]

You can leave them together. Males are good fathers and sometimes even help raise the litter.

Marisa

[17730turtlegirl]

really i thought they would eat them sweet deal that really saves some space lol^_^

[marisa]

I can't say 100% for sure they won't but put it this way, out of like 1000 mice now, I have never ever had a father hurt a baby. Only mothers. Which can happen with first litters, nervous mothers, not enough food, etc etc etc.

Marisa

[WingedWolf]

Males are more likely to kill babies when you first set up the group, just like male lions...they want to make sure all the babies are theirs.

[Linds]

WingedWolf,
I would have to disagree. The only time a male will touch babies is if you introduce him to females that have exisiting litters, if the females give birth while housed with the male, he will have no issues.

turtlegirl,
In addition to what Marisa said, by leaving the male in with the females, he can reimpregnate them as soon as they give birth so soon after the litter is weaned, another will be born :) If you remove the male it is very inefficient, you will have to wait until the babies are weaned, introduce the male, wait out the gestation, etc.

[marisa]

I agree with Linds. The father will not kill babies on the first litter and its not like lions, as they are mice.

It simply doesn't happen that way if its an exsisting colony.

Marisa

[Smilts]

if they did hurt the babies wouldnt there be less wild mice

[WingedWolf]

Beg to differ, but I had a male mouse who did exactly that--they had only been together a few days, the female had a litter, and the male killed them. Subsequent litters were not bothered by him.

[marisa]

Um yeah. Exactly. Your female was pregnant with another males litter.

I clearly explained with a established colony this rarely if ever happens.

Marisa

[snake_goth]

it will hapen the male will kill a new liter, it is like a pride of lions evin tho thay are mice, the male whants his and only his jeans to go on so he will kill anny liter that isnt his, he will smell the liter and find out that it isnt his and kill them. simple as that.