Small pet/rodent thread! Mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, etc!

[black_cat]

This is a thread for small pet/rodent owners! All small pets welcome as long as they are loosely in the rodent category. I was at a friend's house today and fell in love with their mice. I am now considering getting some (not now but in the future) and am doing research. Has anyone ever had mice/have mice? Any care suggestions or tips?

 

[Fishychix]

Ooh, good idea
This concerns mice:
We had some pet mice that ended up being VERY itchy and developing sores. They were kept clean and showed no signs of mites, fleas, etc.
In another cage we had two, then a litter. Most of the litter was eaten as well as the older one, which was partially eaten. No one I have spoken to has any clue what happened with them or about the ones with the itchies. Needless to say we longer have any. But I’m still incredibly curious as to what was going on.

 

[black_cat]

Ooh, good idea
This concerns mice:
We had some pet mice that ended up being VERY itchy and developing sores. They were kept clean and showed no signs of mites, fleas, etc.
In another cage we had two, then a litter. Most of the litter was eaten as well as the older one, which was partially eaten. No one I have spoken to has any clue what happened with them or about the ones with the itchies. Needless to say we longer have any. But I’m still incredibly curious as to what was going on.

Huh! Weird. How was caring for them other than the itchyness? What were they eaten by?

 

[Fishychix]

Fine, I guess. They were my hubs’ pets, but I butted in and still nothing worked. The only one left (who, it is believed, ate the others) would end up in her bubble feeder scratching. We’d get her out, but she didn’t want to be in the cage, just in the bubble. We cleaned extra good, changed bedding, etc.

 

[black_cat]

Fine, I guess. They were my hubs’ pets, but I butted in and still nothing worked. The only one left (who, it is believed, ate the others) would end up in her bubble feeder scratching. We’d get her out, but she didn’t want to be in the cage, just in the bubble. We cleaned extra good, changed bedding, etc.

Oh no! That doesn't sound like a fun experience. One ate all the others?!!?! Only the babies or also the adult?

 

[CHlCKEN]

Fine, I guess. They were my hubs’ pets, but I butted in and still nothing worked. The only one left (who, it is believed, ate the others) would end up in her bubble feeder scratching. We’d get her out, but she didn’t want to be in the cage, just in the bubble. We cleaned extra good, changed bedding, etc.

Cannibal mice? That’s not good!

 

[black_cat]

Cannibal mice? That’s not good!

Apparently it happens with rabbits as well, they sometimes eat their babies. I don't want any mice or rabbits of mine to have babies, for obvious reasons.

 

[Fishychix]

Oh no! That doesn't sound like a fun experience. One ate all the others?!!?! Only the babies or also the adult?

All babies and apparently parts of the adult were around the cage. Needless to say, I didn’t want to look.

Apparently it happens with rabbits as well, they sometimes eat their babies. I don't want any mice or rabbits of mine to have babies, for obvious reasons.

I have had that happen. Woke up one morning to find mom and all but one cowering in the corner, then I saw the skull. My grandma had to clean it up, I couldn’t do it.

 

[black_cat]

All babies and apparently parts of the adult were around the cage. Needless to say, I didn’t want to look.

I have had that happen. Woke up one morning to find mom and all but one cowering in the corner, then I saw the skull. My grandma had to clean it up, I couldn’t do it.

Oh no! That's horrible. Now I"m kinda scared. I'm planning on having only female, neutered/spayed (which one is female again?) rabbits, but can you do that for mice? I do not trust pet stores to make sure they're female.

 

[Fishychix]

Oh no! That's horrible. Now I"m kinda scared. I'm planning on having only female, neutered/spayed (which one is female again?) rabbits, but can you do that for mice? I do not trust pet stores to make sure they're female.

Spay = female
Neuter = male
I doubt they do it for mice. My best advice is to keep them separated until you know for sure, maybe a month?
I don’t know how common it is, not very I’m sure. If it were common I doubt many people would choose to breed theirs. My pet shop guys (two different stores), who have had mice for a LONG time, have never heard of this happening.
That should be some consolation