[ShinyZubat]

Uggg. I believe that Hunter, my older cat, has gotten a small case of the nasty fleas. Now, my cats + fleas are no problem to deal with, however my mice are another thing.

I've been trying to isolate Moose and Freya (my mice) from the carpets and such. Just places that I know our fleas like to hang out in. And as I was cleaning their cage today, I noticed that they were scratching the same spots over and over again. And it looks like they have teeny tiny patches of fur missing on those spots.

I'm afraid I've lost the battle with the fleas but my new concern is how harmful are they to the mice? Because I've had some awful luck with my previous mice and I'm reaaally paranoid about these two.

I also have a flea/tick spray for rodents, but when I used it on a previous mouse she got super stressed out. ( It looked like a very unpleasant experience) Also, it was extremely difficult to get her to cooperate, and I'd like to avoid putting Moose and Freya through that experience if I can.

Also, we're moving soon (complete with a four hour drive ) So, I really don't want to stress them out right now.

Any tips? Suggestions?

 

[VanillaRat]

It is VERY rare for mice to get the fleas that attack dogs and cats.They are more likely to get mites or lice.
Check their fur and see if you can see any flea dirt (little black specks) or fleas.Also check for reddish-brown critters - which are lice.

 

[ShinyZubat]

Allright, good to know that the fleas are kind of specific. Wasn't sure since they don't mind biting me at all.
I managed to see one of the marks on Moose, and it looked like a tiny little red dot of irritated skin. This is just what I happened to see earlier, I'm going to try to get a better look and possibly take a picture if I can.

 

[ShinyZubat]

>_< Ah, jeez it's been so long...

Anyway, I have been watching her these past few days and I noticed that the spot got ever so slightly more noticeable. It just appears to be a pink(almost red) dot on her side. (just behind her front leg) It appears to be in a good position for her back foot to reach. So I assume she's been scratching at it.

Otherwise, she's completely normal. (bright eyed, sleepin' all day, climbing the walls XD ) But the spot worries me, since I've had a few bad experiences with mice already....

Of course, vets are out of the question for a college kid on financial aid. Especially since I don't think they'll help me much anyway....
Just wondering if this sounds familiar (or like something to really worry about)

 

[VanillaRat]

If she is scratching and losing hair,it can be from a number of things.Mites,poor diet,allergies...etc.

 

[ShinyZubat]

Hmm, they have a bunch of different kinds of food in the mix I buy them. I always buy that Tropical Carnival stuff, and she's never had a problem with it before. I liked this food because I could actually see recognizable things in it. (seeds, wheat, etc. Unlike dog/cat food...)

Is it weird that it's only in one spot? Also, are there anymore specific symptoms for mites?

Also, this is a very bad picture of what it looks like. It's the dot in the very center.