# How far does my mouse Honey look along?



## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

Any time I add a new female to my mouse set up, there is always the possibility (if not 100% certainty) that she will be preggers. 

I got Honey about 1 1/2 week ago. She is a black eyed golden, which I don't see as often as ruby eyed. You'll also notice she has a shortened tail, which I am not convinced is an injury because I noticed the other goldens in the tank have the same shorter tail, a strange coincidence. She was in a large feeder bin with a ton of other mice, both sexes, though the bulk of the other mice were PEWs. So, if she is pregnant, the latest she would be due would be about Saturday after next. But I am a terrible judge of how far along mice are in pregnancies, I could use some opinions from the mice people here.









She is warming up to me, but this was the best pic I could get of her, sitting on my Kricket Keeper.


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

Anyone? I am a terrible judge with pregnancies on mice.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

No clue on specifics, but I do know that the general tendency is that when they really become apparent, it's close.


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

This was a day and a half before my latest gave birth to a litter of ten. 
]http://tinypawpets.tumblr.com/post/...ts-of-the-pregnant-rescue-mouse-not-too#notes
They get a little round belly that only comes out under their rib cage.


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

Korra said:


> This was a day and a half before my latest gave birth to a litter of ten.
> ]http://tinypawpets.tumblr.com/post/...ts-of-the-pregnant-rescue-mouse-not-too#notes
> They get a little round belly that only comes out under their rib cage.


Thank you. I had one pregger mouse before, but she had a white belly which made things a little easier. Honey has started to look more rotund the last day so I am guessing it will be within a week. I'll post another one later, maybe a new pic will help.


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

She is freaking giant today. It can't be more than a few days left, though the telling sign of being able to see moving babies in her belly hasn't happened yet.


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Check for a "lumpy" appearance. When you can start to feel lots of little lumps and bumps all over her abdomen, she has like a few hours to a day left.


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

Here's Honey yesterday night..









..and today. Can't tell so well in the 2nd pic, but there is a definite change.









Always exciting to get babies!

She'll be moved into a 5 gallon for the birthing.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Has she popped?


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

I was actually going to post about this. Last night and into this morning, something strange happened.

In the days since I last posted this, she grew and grew and grew into the standard golf ball, and I knew she was about to pop so I have been keeping an eye on her. Last night before I went to bed, she was going into labor (I could see her pushing) so I figured by the time I got up, she would have a pile of pinkies. 

But when I got up, I checked up on her and there was nothing. She didn't still seem to be in labor. So I picked her up and she had one stuck! I am not sure it was ever alive before this because I never saw any moving babies in her stomach. So I had to help her push the pinkie out, which she seemed relieved to do, (and another came with it) - both of them were underformed and stillborn. The first one had no lower body and the second had no head. But then - she just stopped. No further labor, no more babies. She is still huge. She went back into nest mode, but also didn't seem interested in the dead ones (did not eat them or lick them) so I had to clean them up. What the heck happened?

I realize now there is a good likelihood they are all dead, but she didn't expel anything else and is still big and is not getting smaller - could this have been a freak premature birth of just a couple of them, and that maybe she will birth (or try?) the others later? I couldn't find anything like this anywhere else, but she doesn't seem to be in further distress.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

Are you sure they were two babies and not two parts of one?
Morbid curiosity, sorry

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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

I considered that, but I believe they were two. The one without a head still had the mid section and lower legs, the one without a lower body still had his mid section and his groin area.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

That is gruesome. I couldn't even handle completely normal dead babies when one of my rats gave birth. I couldn't imagine that.
I really hope she is going to be okay, I've heard stories about this kind of stuff where the babies would get stuck, it required vet attention. I don't know if there is anything else that can be done if she doesn't give birth. 
Or the first two getting stuck may have stressed her out and she may be reabsorbing. Which I believe will need antibiotics.
I hope Honey pulls through this okay

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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

I won't be able to do anything about it vet wise until Friday. I am not even sure my guy will do mice (he was reluctant to do rats). Right now I am not sure there is an emergency - yet. She is clam and sleeping, no heavy breathing, no blood or anything like that. Maybe someone who has had this happen before will chime in. I hope she is able to give birth to at least a few of the babies, but like I said, I was suspicious because I didn't see them moving around yesterday inside of her belly, which is usually the final sign before they give birth.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

I really hope all goes well. Give us an update whenever you find out anything, I'll be having Honey and her babies in my prayers

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## hybanana (Jan 27, 2012)

It's called distosia. I see it too often in my line of work (sadly). Unfortunately most of the mice dont make it and need to be euthanized in a few days due to their health declining rapidly. if you can get her to a vet please do because this is a very painful process. Animals of prey like mice and rats hide discomfort and pain until it becomes physically clear to us. It's an evolutionary trait. I hope things work out... 

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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

Yes, that is what the vet advised me it may be over the phone today. He thought she would need to be PTS tomorrow if she doesnt either give birth or reabsorb the babies by Friday.

We'll see tomorrow. He couldn't see her any sooner, I'm lucky he will see me at all since most of what he does is cats/dogs/farm animals.

This is now I believe the 5th mouse I got from the feeder bin who has had health problems. I always defended getting 'feeder rats' before, but I am starting to think feeder mice are hit much harder by health issues when they come from those lines. 

Hopefully Honey will make it. I had been trust training her and she was turning out to be a nice mouse.


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

Too late; I just checked on her and she's gone. Un-believable how quickly this happened. How sad. Went from looking forward to seeing mouse babies to no momma at all.

I had let my male Swirl in her cage to keep her company and he was snuggled up next to her. At least she didn't die alone. 

Down to no females. Looks like I have to start my female tank all over again


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## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

I'm so sorry for your loss 


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## hybanana (Jan 27, 2012)

Sorry for your loss...distosia is so, so sad :-(

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