nipples...?

[MissKerynG]

Hey Every one - just thought I would ask the experts (you guys) as the local pet shop said my mice were too young to sex last week.
I have definatly identified one out of the 5 as a boy - the testicles gave it away I have seperated him from the rest.

Anyway the 4 others I think are girls - they look different to the definate male and they all have nipps.

Is the fact that these 4 have nipples enough to say they are girls? Or do male mice have nipples too?

Geez I never knew having mice would be so much work!!

Thanks!

Hope everyones pets are well

[fatratwitdachee]

well if you say they all have nipples but the definate male then they probably are females and may be pregnant cuz most mice nipples arent visible the female usually grooms the hair away from them when pregnant to prepare for feeding her babies

[MissKerynG]

Oh good lord no....

They have very short hair?

[Sharni]

Only female mice have nipples.

The fact they are visible does not necessarily mean they are pregnant. My nearly 4 week old female pups nipples are visible and i know they are definately NOT pregnant. When females are pregnant the nipples will be highly visible. I'll see if i can get some pics of my non preg females and feeding females to show the difference

How old are your mice?

[MissKerynG]

That would be great Sharni, thanks

The nipple arent raised or anything just litlle dots, they are 5 weeks old now - I have taken the male out once I know he was a he!

[Sharni]

While i dont (i remove males at 4 weeks), i know some breeders do not separate males from females til they are 5 weeks, and they do not end up with pregnant females.

Female mice generally do not look preggers until the last week or so of pregnancy. So nipples do not get to the very pronounced stage until around then.

If the male was removed prior to/or at 5 weeks of age then i'd say you will be lucky and just have had a close call and no pregnancies will result.

Little dots are a normal sign of girlie mice

[Vanilla_Rat]

You probably have females then.
Just because you can see the nipples does not nessicarily mean they are pregnant.