Please help me, I lost a mouse and I have questions

by NowIt'sJustSnowflake Thu 19 Nov 2020, 8:01 am

Hi, I'm Wendy, a first-time mouse owner. Last night I lost a mouse, who was about a year old because she was trapped under a cup for a few days with no food or water. I made her comfortable but she still passed. RIP Vanilla Sad

And now it's just Snowflake, and I don't know if she needs a friend? She's around a year old, maybe a little older. Please, I don't know what to do and I need some advice. I feel horrible about Vanilla because I accidentally killed her, and I only want the best for little Snowflake. Please, please, someone help me.

by Molly_mouse Thu 19 Nov 2020, 1:47 pm

I was in the exact same situation as you about two weeks ago, having only a pair and then having one pass. First let me say, you didn't kill your mouse. I promise. You made a mistake, you will learn from it, and I'm sure you won't repeat it. It seems like you cared about her a lot, and that you were a really good mouse owner to her. In the future, I'd make sure to do what I call "mouse inventory", I just make sure all the mice are acting normally, aren't trapped, and aren't showing any symptoms of sickness. I had two mice, Ellie and Molly, and Molly passed because of what we think was a lung tumor (we took her to the vet, we were told it was either that or pneumonia, and we were given antibiotics in case it was the latter, and they didn't work so we're not exactly sure what it is. She did have some sort of treatment that helped her breathe more easily that extended her life a couple more weeks, though). This left Ellie alone. Because I'm a student and I'm doing school from home, I was able to have Ellie out for upwards of four hours a night. We wanted to avoid getting another mouse/mice, if possible, just because I'd been feeling overwhelmed lately. Still, I knew how social Ellie was, and even with her four hours a night of snuggles and exploring, she started to exhibit signs of loneliness. I noticed she started stress grooming, she stopped eating certain foods, and didn't run on her wheel or do other activities as much as she used to. I decided the best thing for her would be to get her some new friends. And they are currently together right now. She's about a year and a half old, and the new mice are five weeks, and five months. It was really interesting, Ellie sprung back to life with the baby! Her name is Clover, and she follows Ellie around like a duckling. I would say, it very heavily depends on the mouse, but if you can get new mice, do. Some mice will stop eating or even moving without a friend, and I'm lucky Ellie never got to that point. That would probably be the best and least stressful thing for her. However, if you decide this is where you want to try to end your mouse journey, and you think Snowflake could do fine on her own, it's not absurd to try. However, you do need to be prepared for the possibility that she might not be okay with being alone, and in that case, she does need a friend. I hope this helped, and please let me know if you need any other questions!

by NowIt'sJustSnowflake Thu 19 Nov 2020, 6:35 pm

Molly_mouse wrote:I was in the exact same situation as you about two weeks ago, having only a pair and then having one pass. First let me say, you didn't kill your mouse. I promise. You made a mistake, you will learn from it, and I'm sure you won't repeat it. It seems like you cared about her a lot, and that you were a really good mouse owner to her. In the future, I'd make sure to do what I call "mouse inventory", I just make sure all the mice are acting normally, aren't trapped, and aren't showing any symptoms of sickness. I had two mice, Ellie and Molly, and Molly passed because of what we think was a lung tumor (we took her to the vet, we were told it was either that or pneumonia, and we were given antibiotics in case it was the latter, and they didn't work so we're not exactly sure what it is. She did have some sort of treatment that helped her breathe more easily that extended her life a couple more weeks, though). This left Ellie alone. Because I'm a student and I'm doing school from home, I was able to have Ellie out for upwards of four hours a night. We wanted to avoid getting another mouse/mice, if possible, just because I'd been feeling overwhelmed lately. Still, I knew how social Ellie was, and even with her four hours a night of snuggles and exploring, she started to exhibit signs of loneliness. I noticed she started stress grooming, she stopped eating certain foods, and didn't run on her wheel or do other activities as much as she used to. I decided the best thing for her would be to get her some new friends. And they are currently together right now. She's about a year and a half old, and the new mice are five weeks, and five months. It was really interesting, Ellie sprung back to life with the baby! Her name is Clover, and she follows Ellie around like a duckling. I would say, it very heavily depends on the mouse, but if you can get new mice, do. Some mice will stop eating or even moving without a friend, and I'm lucky Ellie never got to that point. That would probably be the best and least stressful thing for her. However, if you decide this is where you want to try to end your mouse journey, and you think Snowflake could do fine on her own, it's not absurd to try. However, you do need to be prepared for the possibility that she might not be okay with being alone, and in that case, she does need a friend. I hope this helped, and please let me know if you need any other questions!

Thank you so much. It's good to know I'm not alone, and I read your reply smiling. I love Snowflake so much and I want her to be ok. I will say that Snowflake wasn't always nice to Vanilla, but they still slept together. I'm going to keep an eye on her, and if she shows signs, I will either get another mouse if possible, or try to rehome. I do not want to rehome her at all, but it might be my only option. I've heard that in this type of situation, the younger mouse often gets bullied, and I don't really know what to do but play it by ear. I don't want more mice. They are very entertaining, but I haven't been able to have a close bond with mine. Mice for me has been like having fish but with more maintenance and love. I love Snowflake and I loved Vanilla. I wish she could just be fine, but I know she might break down and her quality of life could plummet. I hope she'll be okay, but I'll let you know what happens. If she's okay, then I'll just be happy that I won't have to stress myself about another mouse. If she has the worst, though, I might have to rehome. I don't think I am ready for another mouse for a while. I feel so hopeless, it was so unexpected. I'll keep you posted Smile

by River Thu 19 Nov 2020, 7:09 pm

When I got out of keeping mice for a while, I kept my old mouse entertained as best as I could once she was on her own. I handled her a lot and made sure she had a lot of toys. However, mine was visibly old and experiencing health issues at this point, so I knew she didn't have to be alone for long. If you think your mouse will live a long time yet, then rehoming or getting another mouse is an option.

A year-old isn't too young for a mouse, though. They have very short lifespans. That said, I have also had them live two and a half years, so I'm not sure what I'd do, either. I hope sharing my experience helped a little, though.

I am so sorry for your loss and I hope you can find healing and forgiveness within yourself. <3

by Sponsored content

Please help me, I lost a mouse and I have questions

Please help me, I lost a mouse and I have questions

Re: Please help me, I lost a mouse and I have questions

Re: Please help me, I lost a mouse and I have questions

Re: Please help me, I lost a mouse and I have questions

Re: Please help me, I lost a mouse and I have questions