Sick babies????

[hamsterpig]

A friend of mine has a mouse who had babies like 10 or 12 days ago. Yesterday she noticed that the nanny mouse was looking oily but still acting fine. Today, the mommy's neck and sides are looking oily too. And the babies are oily looking on their necks and heads. She says the nanny mouse looks pretty terrible but they don't feel wet or oily. They've only been eating lab block and milkbones. Is something wrong or are they just dirty???

[mulder]

how much milkbones? I think only the nursing mother needs little pieces a day

[hamsterpig]

They get like one of the little milk bones a day between the two adults. I was told milkbones are good for all mice for extra protein

[mulder]

its true they need protein. but if they have a good seed diet then they shouldn't need it. too much protein does exactly what you're seeing. it makes their body oily, fur oily, i think it also causes skin irritation. try breaking a milkbone in half, then break those halves in half. then once again. then give one piece of those pieces to each nursing mom. one each mom each day. or even two. but i'm worried half a bone each is too much. maybe someone else has insight

[hamsterpig]

oh ok, i think they're just the little tiny ones for small dogs anyway... should she stop giving them until the fur clears up and is there anything she can do to make it look better in the meantime?

[Vanilla_Rat]

A diet of ONLY lab block is not really good for mice.
I found mice tend to get skinny and sick looking on a diet of only lab blocks.They need a seed diet for their main,with lab blocks.And cut down on the bones too.