I held a few wildies captive over winter and thought my walls were mouse free... till about 4 weeks ago, a big bag of Tostitos was open in the basement pantry ... Set traps and a week later we have a mousie in there... She took a good day and half to clean up and become looking dry/clean She looked young but big... She's the only one of the wild mice using the wheel. I got the wheel after housing the other mice and they seem to think its a decoration, she immediately started using it and every morning she's doing her run. She's getting used to me and didnt hide immediately this morning ... I picked her up a second and noticed not only she's big and heavy she now has visible nips.
Im thinking any day now she will have the babies .. What snacks to give an expecting mom? I never tried baby snacks but heard they were appreciated by mice... Good idea ? Its probably full of nutrients.
I also read somewhere expecting mouse-moms would like chicken, eggs and other protein rich things - thinkin its about time I get meal worms... the whole colony would love that.
I can add images later... My phones is always at 0% I will try to charge it and have it in hand next morning. I was 95% sure it was a female when I got it, not hairy down there ... And I think 1 of the 5 mice I have here is a male, and he didnt make the other 3 pregnant all winter.
The father is probably out in the wild right now and she was going to raise pups under my floor this spring, then leave and reproduce outside and get back in for winter...
I've read that its not necessary to separate them now, but the male could be a problem (make her pregnant again like a day after delivery... ) ... so here I am looking at upgrading/getting a second enclosure to manage