Interesting Finding, Pinkie Adoption.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Hey All,

Well I have an interesting finding. I had about 6 pinkies born in a feeder bin(I always throw a male in feemale feeder bins), and 3 of them were killed by some of the mice. The three remaining survirors, I put into another cage with hour-3 day old pinkies. I put them into the pile and wathed for a couple minutes. No reaction from the parents. The male did nothing, he sniffed me, a few females, and the babies(they always do this) and moved on. I havent seen any dead babies/blood in there so this leads me to believe that they were accepted. Just thought it was an interesting thing to note.

C.

[Piers]

mice and rats will adopt pinks no problem. I often will put pinks, even ones that are a week or more in with other females. Sometimes I only get a few pinks in a litter but another female will have 12-15 pinks, so I even out the groups and never have a problem.
Piers

[vanderkm]

Definately true - they really don't seem to mind new pinks being introduced. Suprising because mice can be so picky about some things, but seems once a colony is well established and settled in they don't get upset over a few new pinkies once in a while. They really get crazy when you mix females or move males around though!


mary v.

[Linds]

Originally posted by vanderkm
Suprising because mice can be so picky about some things, but seems once a colony is well established and settled in they don't get upset over a few new pinkies once in a while. They really get crazy when you mix females or move males around though!

It's funny how I always have trouble with my breeder bin (which i leave 100% in tact, with food and water, only taking out yougn when they are weaned), but my feeder bin of mice is always a changing mix of males and females, and there always seem to be babies in there - and they always get raised up just fine I think it's just my backasswards luck

[deadrose]

Female mice will routinely care for and even nurse each others' litters. Generally if pinks are killed it means one of a few things.

1. The pinks were defective, so the mother killed and ate them to regain the protein and minerals.

2. The pinks died naturally, and the mother ate them as above.

3. The mother is a first-time breeder. Some mice do this with their first litter, especially if they're very young when bred.

4. There was an extreme stress event which caused the mother to 'thin' her litter rather than try to feed all of them.

5. The mother is not a first-time breeder, has killed previously, and therefore is too high-strung for breeding.

Those are the main reasons at least.

Heidi

[timminsreptiles]

Mice make pretty good mice for sure......not only do i regularly put pinkies with a new mom that is already feeding but i have also put bby girbils and hamsters with mice no problen and they take them in as if there were there own.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

The reason I pointed this out is because I have heard that the males will kill any babies that are not theirs, so therefor never tried it because it didnt seem worth the risk. Also, I have heard of females killing/neglecting babies they did not recodnize. I guess I've heard a few things way outa the loop then eh??? LOL.

C.

[annieb_mice]

Mice will also kill their young if there is not enough food, or there is not enough protein in their diet. I've found that adding some extra protein cuts down on the number of pinkies that are eaten.
I've introduced pinkies to a new mom a few times... but not on a regular basis. I've rarely had any problems, as long as I make sure to put them in with an established mom. First time moms aren't the best candidates for fostering other pinkies.
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[thunder]

back when i had hamsters, one of my females died while she had pups. i didnt have any other females who were lactating, so i put the surviving hamster baby in with a mouse mom, who raised it just like her own. it was pretty cool.