Brisby's story

by HolliDaze Tue 17 Oct 2017, 1:28 am

A few years ago, I got a ride to the reptile shop. I was going to try something I had failed at before, raising a baby mouse. I had a container to put the baby in and a rice-sock to keep it warm. I got strange looks from the staff when I asked for a specific gender of a week old baby, they thought I was feeding it to a snake. They gave me the mouse in a chinese take out container, I had to pull off tape when I got in the car and headed home. The little baby appeared to be female, I named it Mrs.Brisby. This baby was covered in peach fuzz and pure white, like most feeder mice.
I fed my baby goats milk with a paintbrush. I did this every two hours, replacing the little one after belly rubs and holding it frequently.
After a week, I realized "mrs.brisby" was a male. I changed his name to Jonathan brisby instead.I just called him brisby.
I had placed a cardboard tube in Brisby's tank, though he was still blind. One morning, I saw him running through the tube, walking around it, and running through it again. I realized his eyes were now open and he could see. I introduced him to solid food (now that he could find the food bowl) by mixing his milk with crackers .He began eating it right away. a few days later, he was eating a mix of mouse food and water.
Once brisby was two months old, I bought another baby, Myshka. I was able to keep brisby with myshka as she was being raised, brisby even groomed her for me. He was like her dad.
Once myshka was an adult, I left the two of them together. Amazingly , they never mated. Myshka loved people's hands, though brisby loved to cuddle.one time, myshka escaped. I didn't find out until my mother brought her to me, myshka had climbed into my mother's bed and began bruxxing. Myshka bruxed constantly.
Myshka died a year and a half later from cancer. after that, brisby became depressed. I figured he had mites, as he began scratching to the point of bald spots. I bought two baby mice, Kink and Milo. Brisby came out of his depression once I put them in with him and never itched again. At one point, I had to rehome milo, as brisby started picking on him. a few months later, Kink got pregnant. I had to separate brisby and kink.
Six months or so after the babies were born, raised, and rehomed (to good friend s) brisby was showing his age. I could see his pink skin under his fur, and he began to make strange noises, like a mix of a squeak and a cough. I began to call him "old man".
One day, he couldn't stand up anymore. I didn't have the money to pay to have him euthanized, and had a field trip in a few hours, he'd be dead by the time I got back much later in the day, so I chose to use a gas chamber. I told my mother brisby needed to be euthanized. She panicked, had a seizure (she has a history of seizures) and hit her head. I had to call 911. After she was off to the hospital (she had been in and out for several weeks due to kidney cancer) my boyfriend came over and did the hard part. We measused everything Very precisely, so that it was peaceful. Brisby showed no signs of distress
. I was there when he first opened his eyes, and was there when he last closed them.

by Rodents rock! Tue 17 Oct 2017, 9:09 am

Awww, I'm so sorry for your loss, poor old Brisby. What a great story and what a great mouse! You raised a wonderful mouse. He had a great life. I bet he is in heaven helping taking care of all the mice. Hope you are doing ok. (((Hugs ))). How is your Mom doing?

by Peachy Tue 17 Oct 2017, 10:39 am

So sorry for your loss, it sounds like Brisby had a great life. I hope you're doing okay. And your mother, too. Good vibes

by scaredymouse Tue 17 Oct 2017, 2:32 pm

Aw, what a life he had! I'm so sorry for your loss. I adopted a pregnant mouse some time ago and kept all the babies. I loved them while they were still jellybeans in their moms belly and I held them when they were just days old... I love them and their momma so very much... so I can imagine how close you were to your little Brisby.