Taming my girls (and the benefits of tub training)

by jubilee Wed 15 Nov 2017, 11:51 am

Taming the Beasts Within

I am a total first time mouse owner. I did tons of research, watched a bazillion youtube videos, and even looked into multiple training methods. My parents are veterinarians, so I actually already new a little bit about mice. I brought my two little angels home from Petco three days ago. After giving them some time to settle in to their less crowded home, I began training. Tub training. This taming method stood out from the rest. I decided to give it a shot. The first training session, the girls were not having any of it. I'm talking tail shaking, multiple escape attempts, and overall timidity. Honestly, this got me a little discouraged, and even a tad bit angry. I mean, I saved the little boogers from being fed to a snake, and wanted a little bit of appreciation! Nonetheless, I was determined to let them know I was their friend. After giving them a day to recover, I went in for round two. And this time, I actually saw some improvement! Phoebe, the braver of the two, ventured closer to me, even crawling around under my legs! I also discovered they enjoy millet seeds, so I will be incorporating that into their training. Phillis, my runner girl, didn't shake her tail as much and even got a little closer herself! I am excited with their progress and highly recommend tub training.

Into the Tub

The way I did my tub training was to wait until they were in their hide (a plastic flowerpot with a hole in the lip) and then gently scoop them up and cover the top as I carried them into the bathroom. I plugged the drain and put a towel on the bottom of the tub to keep their little paws warm. Then, I left multiple treats such as seeds, fruits and veggies on the bottom to see what they liked. As far as placing them in the tub goes, I slowly tipped the hide upside down and placed it in the tub. I didn't force them to come out, and sat cross legged on the opposite side. Make sure to put the hide in the middle so they can't climb on top and make any daring leaps out of the tub. I then just sat and let them explore the tub, and me. Any suggestions or additions?
Let me know! Very Happy

by Nijimi にじみ Wed 15 Nov 2017, 2:38 pm

It's good that you're making improvements. Try hand feeding in the tub after you learn what they like instead of leaving it all on the bottom. Cat6

by Rodents rock! Wed 15 Nov 2017, 7:30 pm

I would say just keep doing what you are doing and you will continually make progress with your girls. Great job!

by stephlisa Thu 16 Nov 2017, 2:40 am

Nijimi にじみ wrote:It's good that you're making improvements. Try hand feeding in the tub after you learn what they like instead of leaving it all on the bottom.

Actually, I would discourage hand feeding until they are tame as they could easily come to see you as a food dispenser rather than a friend. Ialso tend to give them treats when they go back to the cage (but whatever works for you).

When they are braver, put your hand down in the bath, let them investigate it, hop on or off etc. Next time, when they get on, lift them up gently and back down again. Then lift them over to the other side of the bath. Colin used to love being giving rides across the bath!

by Nijimi にじみ Thu 16 Nov 2017, 6:08 am

Hm that's weird. I let my mice settle in their cage for a week to let them get used to their home. I would hand feed Fig, who's very adventurous and loves playing. Kimchi on the other hand isn't as friendly but that's probably because she's sleeping all the time.

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