My mouse - Paw Talk

jeff the cheff · #1 08-28-2004, 11:25 PM

My name is Jeff and I'm 17. I just got a pet mouse from petco. They had it for adoption because it was picked on by other mice and had some cuts on its tail. It acts kind of strange and I was wondering why it acts this way.

I bought it a critter-trail 1 cage..which is a really good cage. It has a wheel, a tunnel to a small second floor, and add on locations. My mouse doesn't ever go on the wheel, he just sits in the top part and doesn't really play. He also bites my finger whenever I put it near him. Is it normal for mice to act like this? Maybe it's traumatized from being picked on at the pet store? I've had him for about three weeks now.

Also..he is alone in his cage. I couldn't get him another mouse to play with because the petco people say that boys will fight, and I don't want a female mouse to get pregnant. Is this a bad thing for mice to be alone? I put him and a friends mouse together one time, the friends mouse being much younger and smaller female mouse. They didn't interact very much but after a while when they were in a small space my mouse bit the other mouse.

RSbunny · #2 08-29-2004, 04:19 PM

I wouldn't worry too much about the wheel because some mice don't like them but if he doesn't do much at all then it probably wouldn't hurt getting a vet to have a look at him. It may just be trauma but after three weeks he should be feeling more confident. Generally mice like to be in pairs but if he was picked on I really wouldn't bother with it. It will only traumatize him more. It's up to you to provide him with the attention so get him out and pat him and play with him....you can buy one of those balls that allow them to run around the house to let him have some exercise. I too have a critter trail one cage and my first lot of mice took a day before they started to run around all the tunnels etc. and the girls I have now started straight away. Call your vet and ask their advice.

jeff the cheff · #3 08-29-2004, 07:24 PM

I do have one of those balls to run in. At first he wouldn't do anything but now he's running everywhere. Whenever he isn't sitting in the top part he likes to climb on the side of the cage. He crawls across the whole side of the cage. It seems like all he ever wants to do is escape from where he is and run around freely.

RSbunny · #4 08-30-2004, 12:13 AM

ok well try putting other toys in there...egg cartons, toilet roll tubes.....they are smart creatures and need a change to keep themselves amused. Give him tissues that he can rip up and move to where he wants...if you know he likes to sleep in tissue in the hideout then put some at th ebottom of the cage so he has to carry them up there.

jeff the cheff · #5 09-07-2004, 08:12 PM

he likes the toilet paper I put in there, he did carry it to the top. I wonder why he climbs the side of the cage though? It doesn't seem normal.

***Dena*** · #6 09-08-2004, 11:31 AM

If the other mice were picking on him it could mean that he was or is sick, whether genetically or from catching something. Keep a very close eye on him and taking him to the vet wouldn't be a bad idea. These poor little mice come in with tons of problems just because of the way they are bred. Its nice to know you opened your heart to this little guy and gave in some peace of mind.

diggy415 · #7 09-09-2004, 09:55 AM

i go in the woods and get manzanita and drill holes and stuff with peanut butter and seeds to keep them busy as well and it helps their teeth from over growing, works well for rats too. Mice will nest up their wheel and the use it to climb out of the cage, so i remove the wheel or alot of the material.