Mice wont drink out of bottle

Hello!
Your mice sound adorable! Hmm, as for the water bottle issue...my first thought would have been to suggest that you tap the bottom of the sipper tube a few times with your fingertips and to hold your fingers out with the water drops to sort of show them how the bottle works and give them the hang of it, but you said they were using the bottle just fine the first few days, so it appears they already knew how to use it. So this is a puzzle.



And you said the bottle is clean, with fresh water in it, correct? So I am stumped as to why they would be using it fine, then just stop altogether. Are you sure they have stopped drinking? Or maybe they are using it but you just haven't seen them during the times they DO use it?



If they are not drinking at all, and there are no technical issues (meaning the bottle is working fine when you tap the sipper tube and you do see water coming out), then my next question would be, are they eating their food and do they seem okay physically, like grooming, playing, etc?



I am just trying to make sure that they are physically well and that not using the water bottle is not a sign that they are not feeling well, perhaps?


I have never had mice personally (although I think they are very, very cute and I love them!) but just gerbils and rats, but I think this could easily apply to your new mice kids?

You are most welcome! :wavey:

Well, the good news is your mousey kids sound like they are doing just fine if they are playing, grooming, eating and do not seem lethargic or listless and you do not see any physical symptoms that would indicate they are sick, and you see them drinking from their little caps of water that you mentioned, so I am stumped as to why they suddenly decided they do not want to drink from the water bottle!


You are correct, a water bottle is the best and most hygenic way for lil critters to get their water, since pots or bowls of water can get easily soiled or have bedding kicked into it. Not a clean way for your babies to get water, agreed, but I know you want to make sure they are getting their very important 24 hour access to fresh water, as all animals need, so wow, I am just not sure what to make of it!


My husband, who prides himself on being Ratty Super Dad, listened to me read your post to him and his first thought was, "I bet her mice ARE drinking from the bottle, but she has just not actually been in the room when they do drink," but you said the water level is not going down, so hmmm!!

Well, I am not sure what to suggest at this point. Can you try some more tap taps with your finger on the sipper tube to remind them that, "Hey, there is water in here you guys! Try it again!"
(I am sure they did not just suddenly "forget" how to use the water bottle, but I am grasping at straws here to figure out an answer to this puzzling predicament!)


P.S. You have not been adding any of those store bought vitamin drops or anything to their water bottle water have you? I was just wondering because I know that those vitamin drops they sell to put in your little ones' water bottle can make the water taste funny and the mice (or rats!) will stop drinking from the bottle if it tastes funny)