Should I remove the male?

[Skeet]

Ok well looks like my first breeding attempt is going well, three weeks ago i put a male togather with two females. Both females are looking pregnant and I can see their nipples through their fur, and just started making like nests out of the carefresh. They've never done this before, so i guess their almost ready to give birth. Should I take the male out, or will he be fine, since the offspring are all his?

[Joejr14]

Leave the male in there. Better to do so than take him out and disrupt the colony.

[Skeet]

cool thanx....i just don't want him to kill all the babies

[Joejr14]

cool thanx....i just don't want him to kill all the babies

It's a possibility, but it's also a possibility that the females will eat the babies and or kill them.

The males I've had in mine have been very good fathers.

[mbdorfer]

The males I've had in mine have been very good fathers.
Is that why you're feeding F/T now? :grin01:

[CornCrazy]

Leave the male in! If you take him out, the females may not accept him back into the colony and they may kill him. I always leave my males in their respective colonies. It is not umcommon to find the males babysitting the babies.

[Skeet]

I have no intention of taking him out, just wanted to know if i really needed to be worried about him eating the babies. but i guess there's nothing i can do about it, i'll just have to wait and see what happens. thanks guys!

[Skeet]

thought I'd give an update....she gave birth this morning to 8 babies.
the other female has been very helpful, with cleaning the babies, and is sitting on top of them while they nurse from the mom. the dad hasn't shown any interest in them but at least, he's not eating them. Thanks guys for the help.
btw, can i breed sibling togather or is that a bad idea?

[Hjorrdis]

If they're just being used as feeder mice you can breed siblings just fine.

Don't expect them to live or be fertile as long as other mice though.