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Snausage rejects. Put pinkie back in mom's nest?

LBoz

LBoz

Original Curmudgeon
Well, rosy didn't eat her pink last night, so I removed it this morning. He's still alive and squirmy. Last night, Tricksterpup said to put it back in the nest, but I haven't seen him to ask a follow-up question. Do I need to *do* anything to the pinkie such as wash him off to remove the snake smell? I'm not sure if the mom will reject it now or not? Do I unstuff her incredibly compacted nest to put him in there? (Or put him in a basket with a note and knock on her door? ;) )

Sorry if I'm overthinking. She only had four babies, so it would be nice to give this little one a chance since he spent the night with a snake and lived to tell about it.
 
Gosh, I've had litters of mice but never tried returning one smelling like snake. I think I'd try wiping the baby off with lukewarm water on a cotton ball and patting it dry. That couldn't hurt, and might help. You might be able to wash it off with some mild hand soap and rinse it thoroughly. That would leave another strange scent, though.

If you've nothing better to do for half an hour or so, you might try just putting it back and seeing what happens.....

Sorry Rosy's being a challenge.
 
Thanks, Caryl. I've never had mice before, so this is brand spankin' new to me. I did as you suggested and bathed her gently, distracted mom with a feeding block and opened up the nesting box. I put the pink in and touched all the pinks to get my smell on them, then held mom for a minute and put her back in. She's really docile and doesn't seem to mind being held. I marked the pink's tail so I could tell him apart. Hope she doesn't eat the poor little 'tater.

Thanks for your help!!
 
I'm glad the re-installation of the pinkie went well. I wonder where "mom" thinks the baby has been.... Ah well, from the mouse's point of view things could certainly have been worse! :eatsmiley
 
Roll them in used bedding so they'd smell more like their home nest and put them right back in th elitter.
 
Thanks, Flagg! I put her back yesterday and so far so good. I checked on her today and she's still alive and well with her sibs. :)
 
They should be fine. Mice are usually very good mothers. I've fostered rat pinks with mice and vise versa and they always take them right in.
 
Flagg said:
They should be fine. Mice are usually very good mothers. I've fostered rat pinks with mice and vise versa and they always take them right in.
Click to expand...

Really? I have found mice to be particularly bad mothers in general, some are super but most are not. My African Softfurred rats are AWESOME moms but I have never tried putting pinks of other species in with my rodents..

I am surprised the mother mouse didn't eat that baby...sometimes they will accept pinks that have been away back into the nest though. But mine used to eat them more often than not (that's after rubbing them in used bedding etc etc.).

I usually freeze "rejected" meals though, don't put them back in the nest.
 
I have had pretty good luck with all my mothers. Only one litter has been eaten so far but that was kinda my fault I didnt seperate her from a large group I was temporarily housing.

But yea taking pinks in and out I havent had any problems.-
 
I was curious about this so I had to go check. The babies are in a nesting box, so I don't see them at all. I bribed mom with a food block and opened the rear door of the box. The pink I tried to feed the rosy with was still there and going strong. I had marked its tail with a blue spot so I could ID it easily. The mom is sooo tiny now compared to how she looked carrying her babies. Wish my figure had come back that easily. :rolleyes:
 
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