StoryBooks Pocket Pets
Appreciation, Understanding and Education of Small Animals
This care page is made up for Gerbils/Hamsters mostly, but all rodents can apply. 
PocketPet Care BasicsWhen you first bring home your little Gerbie, Please keep in mind how big you are and how little they are. Yes, they are adorable beyond words and your going to want to hold them right away. But!! Try not to hold them for the first 24hrs. This way you can examine them, make sure they do not have any sickness or parasites. You are also able to observe their personality. Are they eating and drinking ok? Have they been active enough to explore their new surroundings? Are they curious, as a healthy Gerbil should be?
After the first couple of hours you may place your hand inside to let them sniff you. They may nip, yet this soft nip may only be them trying to figure out just what you are. They should NOT! draw blood.
After the first 24hrs is a good time to pick them up. Place your hand inside the tank and let them climb on you. Only than may you lift them with both hands to cradle them against your body. Do not chase the strange Gerbil till you have them. This will only frighten them more. DO NOT!! Pick them up by their tails. They will only release their tails much like a lizard would do. This is an escape route for the Gerbil in the wild. The only difference is a Gerbils tail will not grow back.
After you have them in both hands they will begin to circle and pop up and down in your hand as they look around. This is a good time to do what I call the ladder trick. Move your hands up and over each other so the Gerbil may climb to the next comfortably. They think they are going some place, yet really "lol" they are not.
Not all gerbils act the same. Some gerbils maybe a bit nervous about being handled. I had one gerbil that would thump while sitting in the palm of my hand. This means I'm a threat. Sometimes when you put them back in their cage they will thump. The males do it more I feel than the females. The only other time a gerbil will thump is when they are courting (I call it the dance) It's a much softer thump and if you have more then one gerbil, the others will not take notice "not thump"
A treat thump can get very loud and if you have more then one gerbil, they all will take part in thumping.
~If you have ever seen the movie *Lion King 1 1/2* the gerbs remind me of Timon the Merecat~
Another gerbil I had seamed to play dead. I thought it was very funny to see this little guy lay on his back for several minutes as if he was stunned. Sometimes gerbils, especially young gerbils, will get over stimulated by accidents or unusual things (Like a new surrounding, to much first time handling). The animal may have what looks like an epileptic fit or will suddenly become completely still, almost as if the animal has died. Put the gerbil back in his cage and keep it warm. It will eventually come out of it in a minute or two. It looks scary, but it isn't as serious as it looks.
Everyday will be a new experience for the gerbils. Soon you will be able to let the gerbil crawl around on you, even to ride on your shoulder without a fear of them jumping off you. When you first bring your gerbil home, start with a ten minute handling session for a couple of weeks. Gradually increase the gerbils time out to play. If you pick a certain time lets say everyday after school, the gerbil will become accustom to the time of day and look for you and it's play time.
Play time with your gerbils will better your gerbil to be a happier healthy pet for many years to come.
Setting it all Up
Housing
Feed Equipment
Food bowls should be of ceramic or stainless steal for easy cleaning. They will also not be chewed by the gerbs. Water bottles can be a bit tricky. Some report that their gerb has chewed the tops of the water bottles. Mine have never chewed their bottle. The best bottle for a gerbil is about 4oz. The holder should be of metal and able to hang comfortably in a 10-gallon aquarium. There are down falls to this just as there are to pretty much everything. Here you are trying to save your water bottles. The Metal holders can also hurt your critters that climb and sit on top. Their toenails or legs may get stuck in-between the metal and the bottle. I have never had this happen to me, but I have heard reports. There are also other methods to try if you're crafty. This site shows good examples to saving your water bottles.Water Bottles
**Do not buy the glass water bottles that look like test tubes unless you have Pygmy Mice. It may be cheaper, But!…the gerbs chew the bottom and the glass always cracks and breaks when trying to open it..
Cleaning
Here at StoryBooks every Wednesday is tank cleaning day. Whether your tank is new or it's cleaning day you should whip up a batch of water and bleach. I take the cap from the bleach bottle and add to one gallon of water two of the caps full. I scrape all the shavings out and than use a spray bottle with bleach for the first cleaning. Than I add some of the gallon and let it sit. Meanwhile all the gerbs from that tank are playing in the petting bin.
In the tub the tank goes and I make sure to wipe everything down. Even under that lip on top of the take where the lid would sit. I also wash the lids.
Rinse with warm water and whip clean with paper towels only to let air dry for that's when the bleach does it's magic and sanitizes.
** I do the same when I purchase a new tank. It's very wise to do so for you never know what you will be bringing home from the store.
Some sort of creepy crawly in the dust or something.
Next I add the litter and than any boxes I can get. I mostly add the soda can boxes since my husband works for Pepsi. I also add if I have them; cereal boxes, paper tubes and so on. I make little tunnels and connection houses. All the dishes have been soaking in a sink of bleach water dried and refilled with fresh foods. Bottles have also been soaked and filled with fresh water. The gerbs than go back in and now it's time to watch them have fun wondering what has happened to their house.
There are many toys and items on the market for the gerbs to play with. If your crafty with a skill saw you can make some pretty neat looking gerbie houses. Just use your imagination. The gerbils will love it no matter what =) Popcile stick houses "Elers glue is safe" For the bird/gerbil house use wooden dowels and not screws or nails.
Chewing & Digging
Gerbils, like most other rodents, are avid chewers and will chew their way through cage furnishings somewhat regularly. It is important to provide appropriate chewing toys, like wood blocks and branches, to allow the gerbils to indulge this natural activity.
*Question- What can I give my gerbils that they will not chew?
*Answer*
There is nothing to give a gerbil in hopes they will not chew it. You also want to make sure you have things so your gerbils will chew to keep them healthy.
A Gerbils natural instinct is to chew and to dig. Chewing helps keep them busy and active and it helps keep their teeth in good shape. Without things to chew you face the fact that the gerbils teeth may over grow. Therefore resulting in more problems you could have prevented with just giving them something to chew. There are many things on the market and right at home that you can give your gerbil to chew on. If you're a crafty person here are some interesting fun things you can create to amuse yourself and the gerbs.
Birdhouses
You can make bird (Gerbie) Houses. No paint or stain please, but I've heard it's safe to use Elmers glue. You can lightly glue some pieces of the litter or paper towels to a small cockatiel breeding box and create a very cute little gerbil house =) Or, you can make your own gerbil box in any shape you want. Want an -A- frame? Two story split, or maybe even a little Swiss ski lodge? Mine have what we as a human family are living in. A log home. "Well 3/4 of a log home now" They ate the door and the corner of the west wing =)
Cubicles
Octagon, square, triangle, Pyramid ... what is your preference? You can make fancy shape holes in them for the gerbs to pop in and out of. Or you can use an old child's toy. You know the shapes and blocks.. Even better if you can find them in wood.
Other fun chews
How about a coconut shell? Gerbils absolutely love boxes, egg cartons, shoe boxes, cereal boxes, and paper tubes from wrapping paper or paper towels. They love to pop in and out of little child dollhouses, and barns.
**Make sure they have no little plastic pieces. This also should be more in the play bin rather than in their cage for they still will chew it. I would stick more with wood products for their main cage toys**
My daughter even has a Barbie swing and the gerbs love to go down the slide. My daughter thinks that is just great and so do the gerbs.
Wooden bird ladders the list goes on with imagination. Just please keep in mind your gerbils do need to chew and it's good for them to do so. Certain cages on the market are made more for the hamster than the gerbil. Such as the happy trails with all those colorful plastic tubes. Not that a hammie can't chew out for they most certainly can. I wish my gerbs could have a few, but they would end up escaping as they chew out those pretty tunnels. A glass aquarium is much safer for the gerbs. If you don't have the funds to get your gerbs some fancy fun stuff, even a piece of 2x4 block would be great for them. So long as they can chew they will be a lot happier and healthier in the end.
Hubby likes making Popcicle stick houses "Elmers glue is Safe"
Digging
Why does my gerbil constantly dig at the corners of its cage??
Well, Gerbils are burrowing animals. Meaning in the wilds they would burrow and make their homes under ground. That's one reason why building gerbil houses is a very important part of life to your domesticated gerbil pet.
Ever wonder why a gerbil will run in a wheel? I'm not sure what the instinct is that they have to run in a wheel.. After al there are none in the wild =)~ But just as they think they are going some place (*Ever see them stop to check things out?) You will also notice this behavior when the gerbil is digging in the corners.
Here again I could go back to housing for gerbils. Tanks make a better environment for the gerbils. It allows you to keep the litter inside the tank so that the gerbils may build it up and make tunnels. A wire cage and a digging gerbil may not agree with you when you have to clean up the mess on the floor.
Some things you can do to allow your gerbil to freely dig and build is to have a deep tank. A 30gal tall is awesome! Here you may create your own environment for a pair of gerbils. You would be able to fit a nice house, drift wood, a little sand area, care fresh litter for building materiel, Kaycob near the sand pit (sort of like a beach.) Or, whatever else you like =)
Again keep in mind this is an instincts for the gerbils.. They really don't want to make a mess =D The benifits to owning a big tank is endless and happy spoiled gerbs is so much fun!
Gerbil/Hamster Feed
There are many types of feeds out on the market. The most expensive is not always the best way to go! A pair of none breeding gerbils require at least 12% of protein. Breeding pairs require 15% or more.
So what types of feed is right for you and your gerbils?
What I mix
I have stopped asking people what is best and now I just do what I've been doing right along. I never knew the importance of controlling sunflower seeds till I joined the AGS. You have to also keep in mind though, that gerbils really do need the sunflower seeds so don't take them away entirely. The sunflower seeds are fattening yes, but keep them in limits.
The oils in sunflower seeds give a great shine to the gerbil’s coat. The sunflowers are also high in protein. Great for nursing or pregnant moms, as well as the pups.
If your not breeding your gerbils you may pick out the sunflower seeds and offer them to the gerbils as a friendly hand-taming treat. If you keep your gerbils well exercised in a gerbil ball, Wheel I wouldn't even bother picking out the seeds as long as they do not over power the feedbag.
A good feed has little sunflower seeds and corn. Remember corn is just filler. I do not have a pet store near my home so I'm forced to rely on my local Wal-mart. When I am able to travel I will hit the big pet stores to buy treats mostly. I'm very happy though with Hartz Bonanza (Gerbil/Hamster) at Walmart. The mix is at 14% protein. There are not a lot of sunflower seeds and corn.
Hartz Bonanza at 14% protein.
The ingredients:
Wheat
Milo
Oat Grouts
White Millet
Whole Corn
Sunflower Seeds
Yellow Split Peas
Soybean Meal
Flaked Wheat & Corn
Alfalfa Meal
Pinto Beans
Pumpkin Seeds
Raisins
Safflower Seeds
Dried Apple, Papaya
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin B12
I do have a grain store. There I will buy extra's that I mix in with the Hartz Bonanza. Such as Oat grouts, Alfalfa pellets, Peanut Hearts (Just a wee bit!), Sassafras, Thistle, more White Millet (Good for pups) *** red millet is better, Hay, and whatever else they may have that day that interests me.
I will also toss in rodent blocks for extra chewing as well as high nutrition.
Since I have children =D most little snacks and treats here will also be shared with the gerbils. When I go shopping I will admit I think of the gerbils too. I try at least every week to give a treat of fresh veggie and fruit to the gerbs. No more than twice a week or your gerbil may end up with the runs.. Please discard any left over when used..
I will also buy raw oatmeal to add to the seed mix, UN-sweetened cereal like Kix, Cheerio's, Rice crispies, Puffed rice, Multi grain cheerio's are the best as well as unsweetened shredded wheat. You will have to break up the wheat cubes so that it mixes better. Try to stay away from corn and stick with whole grain. Lots of raw oatmeal for pregnant, nursing moms or pups learning to eat solid foods.
I also buy at the grocery store a packet that Sunmaid Raisins puts out.. It's called Tropical Blend. The pouch consists of all different kinds of dried fruits that the gerbs love.
Some Treats I give
I have listed favorites first.
**You don't have to follow this list. The possibilities are endless as long as you look at the simple things they can have. These are items from around the house. Not found in a pet store =) Or you can visit the health food section of your Market.
*Be sure to disgaurd ant left overs with fresh food before they spoil and make your pet sick..
**Pumpkin or Squash Seeds, even Cucumber and Melon seeds are good
Raisins and other dried fruits
Air popped popcorn lightly salted
(a little salt is very good for critters)
Raw Pumpkin, Squash, peas, string beans, carrots, cucumber, zucchini.
(Stay away from Iceberg Lettuce & Celery *No nutritional value and causes diarrhea)
Apples, pears, cherries, grapes, melon.
(Stay away from Acidic Foods like oranges or tomatoes)
Cooked navy beans, lima beans, chic peas, Frozen (No canned it's poisonous!!) peas, string beans,
Small pieces of American cheese
(Good for nursing or expecting moms)
"Left over from child lunch" PB&J (The crust can stay on =)
Small pieces of fruitcake like banana bread or apple cake, or berry muffins
Wheat, Oat, Crackers
Bread sticks w/sesame seeds
Pretzels
Cheese its
Peanuts, nuts
(They love them, but they are high in fat so only as a once a week treat and only two small ones for one gerbil)
From the Garden
Believe it or not there are things outside during the spring and summer months that gerbils and other rodents love..
Clover
Dandelion Leaves
Cone Flowers
Marigold Flowers
Parsley/Herbs
Phlox
Pansy
I also have bunnies so the gerbs/hamsters also get alfalfa cubes. I also buy Yogurt drops, bird millet and cuttle bones. It's good to give a cuddle bone once every other week. One cuttle bone cut in half is good for two tanks. I mix all the seeds and the seed mix together in it's own airtight container. Under some treats I give. I give the cakes, veggies, fruits once a week. Crackers, cereal, popcorn I give as small treats every day. I top their food dish every other day and I stir the old into the new blowing away any seed waste or litter that maybe there out. When tank cleaning day comes I bleach all dishes, water bottles, and tank. Fresh H20 daily. I do not use a vitamin supplement. I feel that my animals get plenty. Vitamins also cause mold and bacteria from the build up and it sitting in the bottle. You can use vitamins on expecting and nursing moms, but my babes get all the nutrition they require.
Other Feeds
Bedding
This is really a touch and go situation. Some people like Aspen, Some like CareFresh. But most of us will agree that no! way EVER! Should Cedar Shavings be used on any small animal. Oh, I absolutely love the smell of Cedar! Yet my critters do not! The extra perfume in Cedar cause the pocket pets a horrible time with breathing. The oils in the perfumes also get into the animals coat, making them sick when they groom themselves. It irritates the eyes, glands, and even the digestive system. Some people would only use Aspen. Aspen is a more natural, clean shaving compared to the regular pine shaving... Like Cedar, Pine should also be avoided!. Aspen on the other hand is manufactured with all natural aspen shavings specially processed to eliminate dust and wood debris found in other bedding. Aspen bedding comes from hardwood, eliminating aromatic oils found in other types of wood bedding. Aspen can still be dusty though.. I don't think there is any litter out there that is not dusty. Other problems I've had with Aspen is my mice (Not One!) but all developed a skin allergy to it. One more reason why I don't like wood shavings of any kind.. Mites.. I live in fear of mites.. I thought I had them when my mice had a reaction to the Aspen.. Mites lay their eggs in wood. That's why if you have mites you are to remove all the wood products and place your animals on another non-wood bedding if possible. I have way to many little one's and I've put way to much work into them to have something happen.
Others use Kay-Cob. I don't like Kay-Cob and I have my experience with it and birds. Just like Rawhide is not good for dogs, Kay-cob works very similar to rawhide... How?? Well, when a dog chews rawhide it gets all slimy and it swells from the moisture. Kay-cob if you think about it is ground corn husks. When that also gets wet it will swell.. I've had parakeets die from the cob swelling in their crop. *Not a pretty sight if a hamster may store it in their cheeks =(
Care Fresh is another litter used by fanciers. I know there is other similar brands out there with a different name that act very much the same. This is for the Ever Clean/Fresh & Critter Care is made out of the same stuff paper towel tubes are made from. This litter is made of reclaimed cellulose fiber. It does not contain the inks, solvents, or dyes found in many recycled paper products. It is also softer and much more absorbent for larger animals like rabbits. The gerbils love to burrow and make nests in the soft litter. They will also take one little piece of the compact paper and stretch it making lots more bedding for nesting. Something they cannot do with wood shavings.
Again I don't really care for it, BUT! I've had better experience with CareFresh than I've had with any other litter. It doesn't absorb very well, but the gerbs can take one small piece and stretch it making it bigger for a nice soft bed. It also maybe an ugly color and have hardly a smell, But I find it to do its job. It also maybe a little bit more dusty.. (Not very good for Newborns) but there is also CareFresh Ultra. I mostly use this white litter on my light colored critters. It is a lot less dusty but Ooo the price "Eeeeek!"
I would say it's all a preference to the person. I would also strongly recommend to anyone reading this that they do NOT! Buy or put their little one's on Pine or Cedar shaving.. Stick to Aspen if you have to have Pine. Kaycob, CareFresh, Wood Pellets or whatever else.. Heck loads and loads of paper towel tubes each day for them to chew and make their own litter =D..Or get yourself a paper shredder. The gerbs have great fun with shredded paper.
~New Colorful Carefresh~Warning..... The new carefresh colors of Pink, Blue, and so on, PLEASE do not buy this bedding... The color changes the lighter animals to that color and I'm not to sure about the dye.. White carefresh "Carefresh Ultra" Is ok, I guess? but I've had a bad experience with that one and a show gerbil. My gerbils are not use to it but at show time it is recommended by the AGS to place show animals on white to view them better. Even though the white is hypoallergenic, my boy broke out with a runny nose for the hour spent in the show pen. He went on to the BIS table but didn't place I think because of it?? This is the first time I have had that happen to me with Ultra. The boy could have just had an allergy to it and I didn't know cause I use the brown. I still would stay clear from the new color litters.
Here are some links about Litter, and other Care Webpages
Litter boxes and Liver Disease
Look how cute, My pet likes to Flip or Spin
The term Waltzing derives from Japanese waltzing mice, however there are many strains of waltzing rodents known today. These rodents have a neurological disorder which causes circling behavior. They almost always run in one direction, in a circle pattern, and it can sometimes get rather violent. Sometimes mice also have a head tilt in addition to circling. The circling is so severe that they are unable to walk in a straight line or run on a wheel. This type of waltzing is inherited and can sometimes be seen from the time babies start walking around. It increases in severity as the mice age. These mice generally don't live very long. The term "Waltzing" is often used in the mouse fancier community as a blanket descriptive term for any circling behavior among mice. There can be many causes for waltzing, explained below.
Neurological disorders
You can think of this as a short circuit in the wiring of the brain, causing circling behavior. As stated in the paragraph above, this is often inherited. Mice exhibiting this behavior should never be bred, under any circumstances. There is no cure to this disorder and these mice generally don't live very long. They do tend to be some of the most docile mice though.
Brain Tumor
Circling behavior can be caused by a brain tumor or abscess which is pushing on the brain. At the present time, there is nothing that can be done for a mouse with a brain tumor. The risk of attempting a brain operation is far too high. However, an abscess can be treated with medication for infections, such as baytril or something of the like. One round of medicine can completely cure the mouse and they can go on to living a normal life.
Ear infection
A simple ear infection can cause circling behavior in mice. Sometimes ear infections are obvious by the secretion coming from the ear. However, some ear infections are deep inside the ear and can't be seen. An ear infection can be cleared up with a round of medication and the mouse can go on to living a normal life.
High frequency noises
Rodents are very sensitive to high frequency sounds as their hearing range is far higher than a humans. Sounds which we will not hear can severely harm a mouse. Modern conveniences can cause mice to circle in pain, bleed from the ears, and can even cause death. Things such as standard televisions and computer monitors put out these harmful noises. Flat panel TV's and monitors do not. It is best not to keep mice in rooms with anything putting off a high frequency noise. If you are concerned about high frequency sounds in your home and around your mice, you can purchase a Bat Detector. These measure high frequency sounds and will tell you where the bad spots in your house are.
Injuries
Injuries are rarely the cause of circling, but it is not completely unheard of. If a mouse has an injury it may circle because of pain. Check your mouse over for any open wounds and gently touch the feet and limbs to make sure they are not tender. If they are, a vet can help with pain medication and possibly even a splint a limb if anything is broken.
Treatment
If your rodent is circling, the best thing you can do is take him or her to a vet for an exam. While most causes of circling can not be treated, some can be. A vet will generally always give you medication to treat infection, in case the circling is caused by an ear infection or abscess. In addition, make sure your pet isn't in an area putting off high frequency noises.
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Chronic Scratching
Keep in mind that rodents are very clean animals and they do itch often. This is normal behavior for rodents especially mice/rats. I have a lot of people that contact me about mice scratching or shivering. So here you go to those who wonder about parasites, if your pet has them or is it just normal for your "mice" to scratch and other problems that it might be.
It is only a problem if there is hair loss, redness of the skin, open wounds, or parasites. If your mouse has one of these problems you need to act quickly to resolve the situation. The longer the problem goes unresolved the more chances it will develop into chronic scratching. Chronic scratching is also referred to as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in mice. The mouse may start to itch for many different reasons. This scratching will cause even more skin irritation than the initial problem. The irritation caused by the scratching then itches even more, causing your mouse to scratch even more, causing more irritation, causing more scratching. This is a never ending cycle that is hard to break as it quickly becomes habit, sometimes even if the initial problem is gone. Once this habit has taken effect it is very hard to break. Habits are never really broken, they are replaced by another habit. It is your job to give your mouse another habit to take his or her mind off the itching. Try giving your mouse lots of distractions. Things that often work best are those that the mouse can climb, chew, and shred. If chronic scratching gets out of control it can cause many problems including infection, which can result in death. If your mouse has open wounds or an infection it is advised to see a vet right away. A vet should prescribe an antihistamine for the scratching as well as something to fight the infection, such as Baytril, amoxacillin, or something of the like. In the time before you can get your mouse to a vet you can apply Neosporin PLUS or Cordaid as often as the tube recommends. Make sure you rub it in extremely well so the mouse doesn't ingest it.
Unfortunately chronic scratchers often relapse, even if the the mouse is never exposed to the initial problem again. Chronic scratchers do this out of habit, which almost always comes back many times throughout life. This will likely be a battle for the entire life of your mouse. The faster you can find the initial problem to prevent chronic scratching or the faster you can break a relapse, the better chances that our mouse will not relapse as often.
The mouse shown above did heal, though he was short half of an ear (as shown in the picture to the left). He relapsed several times, as mice with OCD often do. In his extreme case it was best to have him neutered so he could live with females. Doing this allows for bucks to get the added attention 24 hours a day (that a human can't possibly provide). This helps distract them from scratching and breaks the habit. In extreme cases this is the only way to get bucks out of the endless scratching cycle.
Food Allergies
One of the top reasons for hair loss is food allergies. The most common food allergies for mice are peanuts, sunflower seeds, and wheat. However, a mouse can be allergic to anything. Additionally, most mice should be given a low protein diet of 13% or less. However, some mice can't even handle that much. The type of protein also makes a difference. There are many different kinds of protein, obtained from different food sources. Meat protein is the best kind of protein for a mouse. If you need to cut your mouse back on soy based protein (which is most commonly found in food mixes), it is best to give them cooked meat supplements. On a rare occasion food allergies can get so bad that the mouse bleeds from the ears, eyes, and nose. However, most times food allergies cause what is known as "hot spots." Hot spots are areas on your mouse that are very itchy. The mouse scratches these places bald and they often bleed. Hot Spots usually start on the back of the ears and neck between their head and back, sometimes continuing down their back.
If your mouse has hot spots remove all of the common problem foods such as peanuts, sunflower seeds, wheat, and also lower the soy protein in the diet. If one of these things is the problem, your mouse will show signs of improvement within a week as long as you caught the problem in time (before chronic scratching sets in). This is the best way to deal with an allergy that isn't out of control. Usually simply taking these steps will solve the problem. However, if the hot spots are already severe or removing the common problematic foods doesn't work, place our mouse on an all rice diet. Mice are very rarely allergic to rice, which is one of the main reasons it's used for this. You can also add supplements such as vitamins to the water to help get more nutrition in them. A mouse should show improvements after a week on a rice diet. When your mouse has made significant improvements you may start adding different foods to their diet. Only add one new thing a 
week so you can observe the mouse. If the skin flares up again, remove the last food you added and take note that your mouse is likely allergic to that food. Wait until the skin is looking better and start over again by adding one new food a week (minus the problematic foods). This will help you determine what your mouse is allergic to. If you give your mouse more than one new thing a week, you will not be able to determin what your mouse is allergic to. Note that on average brindle Avy, lethal yellow (red) Ay, and runts have more problems with food allergies than other mice. These mice are at a much higher risk for developing health related problems, especially food allergies.
Bedding Allergies
Bedding allergies can cause hair loss in any location, inflammation of the skin, puffy eyes, sneezing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and even bleeding from the ears, eyes, and nose. A mouse doesn't need to have more than one of these symptoms to signify a bedding allergy. A mouse can be allergic to any bedding. However, paper based dust free bedding is the least likely to cause problems. Wood bedding has the highest chance of causing allergies. If you suspect that your mouse is allergic to the bedding, the best thing you can do is place them on a dust free paper based bedding, plain shredded paper, or fleece right away. If the problem is in fact the bedding, the symptoms should improve within a week or 2. However, if your mouse has developed OCD because of the allergy, you may not see improvement without breaking their scratching habit. See the section on Chronic scratching for more information. Also, if your mouse has developed asthma from wood bedding or scented bedding ("naturally" scented or otherwise), these symptoms will likely never completely go away. ALL wood bedding and scented bedding have potential of causing asthma if a mouse is allergic. If your mouse is allergic to a wood bedding, never use any kind of wood bedding for them again. A mouse that is is allergic to one kind of wood it is extremely likely to be allergic to other kinds of wood as well. Mice should never be on a scented bedding such as mint, lilac, rose, or anything else that companies come up with to sell their product. These bedding are not safe. Unfortunately there are very few regulations on animal products, therefore dangerous products are often sold in pet stores. Manufacturers as well as pet stores are far more worried about making money than animal safety. Never assume anything is safe just because it is being sold in a store.Barbering
Over grooming, also called "Barbering", is a cause for bald spots. Mice are very clean animals (contrary to popular belief among non-mouse lovers). Some mice over groom themselves and some over groom their companions. Some mice will even pluck the whiskers of their companions. If you have a barbering mouse, try giving them something else to do with their time. Give them a new toy or a jungle gym. If you have a critter trail, try changing the tubes around or adding a new attachment. I find that mice love rope. Hemp rope (found in craft stores) is safe and enjoyable to mice. I tie one end of the rope to the mesh tank top and the other to a cat toy hanging from it. Spicing things up a little might distract them enough to stop the behavior. If you give them a new hobby, such as toilet paper roll chewing, they might forget about over grooming. If you have a cage and your mouse has a bald spot on its nose or forehead then the problem might be from him/her sticking his/her nose out of the bars and rubbing it raw. If your mouse isn't in a cage and it has the bald spot on its nose, try checking the house he/she is in for places where it might be sticking its nose where it doesn't belong. If they wear their fur down to much it can bleed. When ever an open wound is involved there is a risk of infection. Try eliminating the problem before it gets that bad.Mites
Mites are little parasites that can hide in a mouses fur. Some species of mites can be seen (but barely) while others can't be seen at all by the naked eye. Signs that you mice have them are little black dots (the mites), tiny round specks (the nits - eggs), flaky skin (mange), or intense scratching. A vet can verify if your mouse has mites or not by taking a sample from the mouse (painless) and looking through a microscope for mites and nits. If your mouse has mites you need to treat for them right away. The treatment for mites is the same as the treatment for lice (seen below). If gone untreated it can be very harmful to your mouse's health. They can even kill your mouse if left untreated long enough. Mites are host specific, not species specific. This means that they will jump onto and they can live off other animals but they prefer their species of host (in this case it is mice).Lice
Lice are parasites that will cause the same problems and can be prevented in the same ways as mites. Mites and lice look different in their adult stage but they look very similar in the middle of their life span. Lice look like little brown/black dots in the middle of their life span. As they grow into full adults they look red with a long body while mites are round and smaller (much like juvenile lice). Mites tend not to move, or not move much. Lice are very quick little things. When inspecting and finding lice, they will move extremely quick, making one think they they may just be seeing things that are not really there. Lice are species specific. They will not transfer to humans (human lice are much different), cats, dogs, etc. They may hop on for a ride but will not stay for any length of time at all. They can not live off of species other than their specific species host. I have seen it stated on many sites that lice will not jump out of tanks into other tanks, climb walls, climb shelves, etc. I have found this to be far from the truth.
Below are some pictures of what lice look like magnified. I'm sorry the pic's are not terribly clear but they will give you an idea of what to look for.
Transmission of parasites and reducing the risk.
There are several ways your mouse can get parasites. One way is critter bedding. It is not unheard of for bedding to have parasites. The leading parasite carrying beddings are Timothy hay and CareFresh. However, almost all beddings can carry parasites. If your mouse gets parasites this way you need to contact the company that makes the bedding so they know there is a problem. If you worry about this happening you can always freeze or bake the bedding before using it in your mouse's cage. You can freeze bedding at 0°F (-17°C) for 24 to 48 hours or you can bake it at 140°F (60°C) for 30 minutes in an oven with a shallow pan. Do note that you will need to bake bedding longer if you are baking larger quantities! The bedding needs to be heated all the way through for 30 minutes. It may take a while to get the core bedding temperature to the 140°F needed. Note that paper and wood will only combust without a naked flame in temperatures at or above 451°F (233°C). However, if it is exposed to a naked flame, it can catch fire extremely easily. Baking should always be well supervised. Be sure that any baked or frozen bedding is room temperature again before putting your mouse on it! If you don't then it could kill your little one! If you store your bedding where wild animals can come in contact with it, then parasites can be transferred that way also. If you have any wild mice in your house they can transfer parasites to your mice. Many homes have wild mice and many times people don't even know it. The best thing you can do is try and avoid parasites as best as you can. Treating your mouse for parasites is risky. Some mice have died from the treatment. But once your mouse has them it must be treated as the alternative is worse.
Lice/Mite Treatment
Treatment should be administered as soon as possible, before they cause suffering or death to the mouse, or cause the mouse to develop chronic scratching. Do NOT treat mice with oral Ivermectin paste! Oral ivermectin paste can NOT be mixed evenly with water and can NOT be dosed properly in such a small quantity that is needed for a mouse. Some mice will get too much ivermectin while others will not get enough. Oral treatment is dangerous and can cause neurological damage and even death! Even if it is shaken unbelievably well, it still will not dissolve/mix in water well enough to get an accurate dose. If a mouse doesn't get enough ivermectin in their dose, it will not eliminate the infestation. Topical ivermectin is much safer (showing no ill side effects in lab studies, or when I've had to use it). I also found that when I treated with oral Ivermectin, it didn't eliminate the lice infestation. However, the topical did.
Before I give out dosing instructions, know that it is always recommended to consult a vet. My opinion does NOT override the opinions of vets. The procedure below is what I used under consult of a vet and thru laboratory findings that we found thru searching online. I highly recommend that you ask your vet to mix this topical medication for you. If it's not mixed right it may not get rid of the lice or it could kill the mice! Feel free to print this page and bring it to your vet. If your vet looks into lab treatments, they will find the same dosing instructions as I have set forth here. Most vets are not aware of this treatment, unfortunately. If your vet wants to dose your mouse with oral ivermectin, I recommend that you strongly encourage them to look up lab studies for the topical treatment. It can easily save your mouses life!
Treatment for TOPICAL Ivermectin only.
Remove all wood, cardboard, etc from the mouse's tank. The only things that are safe to use in the tank are those of necessity (such as food) and hard things such as metal (wheels) and plastic (houses, toys, etc). Use Iver-on (box shown here. click for larger view) to spray almost everything (specifics below). Dose: 1/6th Iver-on to water. NOTE that if you use something other than what is shown here, this dose may not be accurate!!! If you use what I did (5mg ivermectin/mL), mix 1 part Iver-on with 5 parts water. Shake well to mix. Also shake often! The Iver-on does mix with water well. However, if it sits for any amount of time, it will begin to separate. For best results, shake it as often as you can (I shook it before spraying, each time). Spray a fine mist on the back of each mouse. It is recommended that each squirt should deliver approximately 0.01 ml (0.01cc). Make sure you cover the eyes of the mouse when spraying. If the iver-on gets in the eyes, it will cause irritation or worse. I did NOT spray anything but the mouse's back (no belly, head, etc). If too much gets on the mouse, wipe excess off. I used this treatment in female colonies that love to groom each other. No ill side effects were seen from them ingesting the spray on the backs of other mice. In addition, labs use this on pinkies with no ill side effects. It is safe for all ages of mice. In addition to spraying the mice, also spray bedding lightly. Spray tank mesh lid well (not dripping, but spray well). This will keep the lice IN and force them to die off. If they get out, they can lay nits (eggs) on the carpet or other places in the house. These nits will hatch and end up right back on the mice again. It's very important to spray that lid. Also, contrary to every site I've read, lice WILL climb out of thanks, climb shelves and walls, etc. I had it happen and I'm extremely careful about washing hands, changing clothes, etc in between tanks infested and those who are not. All of my mice got them even though the infested mice were on a different floor of the house than the non-infested ones!
Treat once every 7 days for 3 weeks. Clean cages before each treatment. After the full 3 weeks of treatment, take a 2 week break. After the 2 week break, treat again for 3 more weeks (once every 7 days, as before). This should eliminate even the heaviest infestations. Bleaching tanks, toys, etc isn't necessary. If you feel safer doing it, by all means do so. But it doesn't really make a difference (this was stated by my vet as well as findings I had. You do not need to through away any toys, houses, etc which you took out of your mouses tank. Just freeze or bake them (instructions for this are above) before placing them back with the mice after the infestation is gone.
I recommend this treatment for infestations as well as treating every mouse that comes in your home. Treat them while in QT. You can also use it as a preventative if you take your mouse out of the house where it might get parasites (mouse shows/swaps, vets office, etc). Parasites can be extremely hard to find and you likely will not notice any parasites on the mice until the infestation is bad.
_Treatment page coming soon_
