one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

by timez Sat 01 Oct 2016, 10:12 am

Hi,

I just found one of my new 11 week females dead in her cage Sad

.

I had 3 females in there (eclipse was the one who died)

She was laying behind a cardboard tube in the bedding.

The pet shop I got them from sold me the worst kind of wheel i found out now i have started to look. - the one with straight wire bars.

Last time I was there she had told me and my friends that "ive been doing this 30 years" "Females cant live together" and "I wouldnt wanna llive with my sister" - I corrected her and told my friends under no circumstances listen to that advice.

If i go back and complain im sure she will have none of it about the wheel being dangerous - or the cause as i think it is... esp because Eclipse used to sleep under the bedding near the wheel.

I'm really upset - and also feel like it was the pet shops fault for selling me a dangerous wheel - it was the one she said was safe as well.

I feel like they should give another mouse for free now - not that Eclipse is replaceple - never will be Sad

-but now they need a 3rd again and i only had her a week.

I am trying to not let my emotions out atm because if i do ill just cry.

What do you all think - and what should i say to the pet shop?

Timez (whos much more upset than he seems - my poor baby Sad

by CallaLily Sat 01 Oct 2016, 12:03 pm

I'm so sorry to hear about Eclipse. Sad

Unfortunately as far as the pet store goes, unless they're straight up neglecting or abusing their mice (no food/water, filthy cages, etc), all you can really do is politely explain where you feel they've gone wrong in their care methods and hope they'll listen.

If it were one of the major pet stores, you could contact their headquarters to lodge a complaint.

by MouseLover Sat 01 Oct 2016, 1:52 pm

So sorry to hear this Sad

how very sad.

Not that I disagree with you - the barred wheels are indeed dangerous -but I just wondered what makes you think it was the wheel? Did it look like she'd injured herself?

If you only had her for a week and she died, I think it would be fair for the shop to give you another mouse. Whether or not they'll give you one is up to them I guess Sad

by Nestmouse Sat 01 Oct 2016, 3:25 pm

Sorry to read this, Eclipse was very young. It doesn't seem from what you describe that she died from an exercise wheel injury, unless you noticed a broken leg or other things. Sometimes young mice don't survive into adulthood really, perhaps it was a natural death which had to happen? Anyway, for wheels, I only use the 'flying saucer' wheels, they guaranteed can't hurt the mice's legs or tails. I'm sorry for your loss! Sleep in peace, little Eclipse.

by timez Sat 01 Oct 2016, 4:23 pm

I guess i think its the wheel because she was fine up to now - and when i was watching the other 2 in the wheel - even they had a good few near misses of getting caught or stuck while the other one was running - so it came straight out - just in case and has now been replaced by a plastic one that come in basic cages - until i can get a flying saucer on Monday.

I guess as well - we have the whole litter here - and eclipse is the only one who hasn't made it - and she wasn't the runt.

- I just dont know what else it could be - unless as you say it was a natural death - but all the others are still fine.

I really hate death - and i really hope im wrong about it being the wheel - to think of her dying from that in pain and alone behind that tube breaks my heart Sad

I still have her in a box because im burying her tomorrow - i guess i could look but i wouldn't know how to even tell if it was an injury or not - or even a break?

timez

by Peachy Sat 01 Oct 2016, 6:25 pm

A few weeks after my litters were weaned, a couple of the mice passed away for no apparent reason. Not to say it wasn't the barred wheel, but I guess sometimes that just happens. Sad

I'm sorry to hear about Eclipse, and I hope the pet shop will be understanding and helpful.

by timez Sun 02 Oct 2016, 6:00 pm

me too - even tho i might be getting another mouse still - its still not eclipse and i am really sad for her - i had to bury her in the garden today and have a little stone im gonna write on and get some tiny flowers for it.

Keep thinking about her - its hard even tho its only been a week she was here.

timez

by MouseLover Mon 03 Oct 2016, 6:50 am

Try not to feel too sad - though it's easier said than done. I know it's hard when a mouse dies too young, but the sad truth is that some mice just aren't built to last Sad

what's important is that while she was here, she was loved, if only for a short while. You gave her a good home where she was happy, and that makes it worth while. Now you have the opportunity to offer another mouse the same thing.

by timez Tue 04 Oct 2016, 8:53 pm

Thank you all so much for your kind words - and yes she was defo loved - even now she still is loved even though she inst here anymore. I just hope she wasn't in pain or had to suffer - when i found her, her eyes were still open tho - so i doubt she went in her sleep unfortunately - poor little thing - I know ill defo never forget her - ill think of her when im an old man and on my own death bed - after all that time still.

by Artistwolf Tue 04 Oct 2016, 10:20 pm

Eyes being open could point to a sudden thing like a heart attack too—so it's still possible she wasn't in any pain.
I'm so sorry for your loss... Time is the only thing that can heal these wounds, but of course the scar is always there.

by CinnamonPearl Wed 05 Oct 2016, 5:23 pm

I'm so sorry to hear this. How terrible. It's just so unfair when you lose a mouse so fast right? With so few good memories to remember... sometimes you wonder if it was even worth it.

Sounds like this pet store has no idea what they're doing. If they're breeding their own mice, it could definitely be poor genetics. I would go to them, file a complaint, and try and get another mouse for free. And I wouldn't give them any business again. Obviously they don't know what they're doing, even more so than the major chain pet stores, which is saying something.

You already buried her, but next time if you want to know what could've caused your mouse's death, consider having a necropsy done by a vet. It's the only sure way to tell, and they can be very enlightening.

by Brynne Thu 06 Oct 2016, 5:04 am

Oh, you have my condolences. Sadly, mice drop dead for no apparent reason. It's shocking. In my experience, it's better than watching a sick mouse suffer and linger for a long time.

As for bared wheels- I had dozens of mice and gerbils use old-fashioned bar wheels when they were simply known as normal wheels in the 80s and 90s. I continued using a few right through 2005. As dangerous as they were, I never saw one injury from a wheel. Ever.

by timez Fri 07 Oct 2016, 4:42 am

I really dont think the pet shop did know what it was doing either - and now another event - i think Nebula - one of the other baby mice - is pregnant - shes massive now - i think she will give birth soon!

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one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it

Re: one of my new 3 females died - I found her just now :( - the pet shop sold me a wire bar wheel - I think it has somehing to do with it