Mouse is only timid in the cage?
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Mouse is only timid in the cage?
by River Tue 27 Feb 2018, 1:44 pm
Garcia is so skittish in the cage. She bolts when you move too fast and runs when I feed her.
But out of the cage, in her playpen, she's the absolute sweetest thing. She runs up to get het head scratched, jumps into hands, and then goes back to playing. Once she's in the cage she's sweet for an hour or so and then nervous all over again.
Anyone know why?
But out of the cage, in her playpen, she's the absolute sweetest thing. She runs up to get het head scratched, jumps into hands, and then goes back to playing. Once she's in the cage she's sweet for an hour or so and then nervous all over again.
Anyone know why?
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Re: Mouse is only timid in the cage?
by sweetlings Tue 27 Feb 2018, 3:19 pm
I can't really answer your 'why?' question, but I would be really interested to see if anyone can, as Scully is exactly the same!
She's the boldest and most adventurous in the playpen, and even shoves my hand if she wants a pat. She'll happily climb into my hand to be shown something new (lifted up to see a piece of furniture or explore whatever i'm doing) but this only applies outside the cage. She's very skittish in the cage, just like Garcia.
Is Garcia a very territorial mouse? I've noticed that Scully is the most protective of her space and things of all my girls (she's the only one I've ever seen tail-rattle, and that was at my dog walking past the cage immediately after I had given Scully a new toy to explore - She never usually bats an eye at the dog). I've wondered whether Scully's skittishness is nervousness for me intruding her space, which is why she's so bold outside that space?
Is Garcia like this at all?
She's the boldest and most adventurous in the playpen, and even shoves my hand if she wants a pat. She'll happily climb into my hand to be shown something new (lifted up to see a piece of furniture or explore whatever i'm doing) but this only applies outside the cage. She's very skittish in the cage, just like Garcia.
Is Garcia a very territorial mouse? I've noticed that Scully is the most protective of her space and things of all my girls (she's the only one I've ever seen tail-rattle, and that was at my dog walking past the cage immediately after I had given Scully a new toy to explore - She never usually bats an eye at the dog). I've wondered whether Scully's skittishness is nervousness for me intruding her space, which is why she's so bold outside that space?
Is Garcia like this at all?
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Re: Mouse is only timid in the cage?
by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Tue 27 Feb 2018, 4:46 pm
Let's all put on our thinking caps with the mouse ears, and think like a little mouse ... doo-dee-doo-doo ..... doo-dee-doo-doo-doo-dee-doo ........ . . . . . . .
Well, how about this: Remember that in cross-species communication, what we humans interpret one way from a non-human is not necessarily what the non-human means by it. For instance, think of all the animals that you should not smile at, because smiling bares your teeth and they think you are being aggressive. And that brings us to ...
When your mouse comes to you for attention, is its intent really to give you affection or to receive affection from you? Or it is looking to receive reassurance or comfort or safety? Or treats? And when it seems to be telling you to buzz off, is it really saying "I've got this. Don't need any help here. You can go now. Like, now. Go already."? It may accept open playtime as "together" time, when you are there to protect it from the big open spaces and relatively unfamiliar surroundings, and then need its "alone" time when it is back in the home sanctuary. But mice have such multi-faceted, highly complicated little personalities that I would not generalize this to a larger population over a longer time -- it's only a theory that somewhat fits the current observations.
Well, how about this: Remember that in cross-species communication, what we humans interpret one way from a non-human is not necessarily what the non-human means by it. For instance, think of all the animals that you should not smile at, because smiling bares your teeth and they think you are being aggressive. And that brings us to ...
When your mouse comes to you for attention, is its intent really to give you affection or to receive affection from you? Or it is looking to receive reassurance or comfort or safety? Or treats? And when it seems to be telling you to buzz off, is it really saying "I've got this. Don't need any help here. You can go now. Like, now. Go already."? It may accept open playtime as "together" time, when you are there to protect it from the big open spaces and relatively unfamiliar surroundings, and then need its "alone" time when it is back in the home sanctuary. But mice have such multi-faceted, highly complicated little personalities that I would not generalize this to a larger population over a longer time -- it's only a theory that somewhat fits the current observations.
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Re: Mouse is only timid in the cage?
by River Tue 27 Feb 2018, 4:58 pm
@sweetlings, she doesn't tail rattle but she does squint! She really doesn't like me in the cage, but she's never been aggressive over it.
Merci, she just walks up to my hand and sits by it or hops inside it. She grooms my fingers and nails sometimes. When she walks up to my hand, I rub her cheeks and ears and she seems to enjoy it and when she's done she just walks away. When she doesn't want me around, she just runs and hides in her nest or squints at me.
Maybe she does just like her alone time. Its possible!
Merci, she just walks up to my hand and sits by it or hops inside it. She grooms my fingers and nails sometimes. When she walks up to my hand, I rub her cheeks and ears and she seems to enjoy it and when she's done she just walks away. When she doesn't want me around, she just runs and hides in her nest or squints at me.
Maybe she does just like her alone time. Its possible!
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*Neutered male group. Do not house intact males together.*
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Re: Mouse is only timid in the cage?
by CallaLily Wed 28 Feb 2018, 8:33 am
Most of my mice have seemed more confident and relaxed with me in the play bin (after initial taming of course) than in their tank. Not that all were necessarily skittish in the tank but just more outgoing in the bin. I can’t say why that is, only that I think it’s fairly common.
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