Re: Three New Mice

by Peachy Tue 28 Feb 2017, 4:39 pm

I was wondering about your plans earlier! lol I've kept groups of 2-8. Right now I have groups of four and seven and they're both doing great. In my experience, chances of success will depend on how you introduce and the personalities you're introducing more then on the number of mice.

by CallaLily Tue 28 Feb 2017, 6:24 pm

Awesome, thanks!

by scaredymouse Wed 01 Mar 2017, 3:10 am

I had 6 happy girls for a while back in the Gilly & Furgie days. And I intend to keep Georgie and her 5 girls together but that should be easy Smile

With my 2 other new girls who came with Georgie, I plan to introduce them to older colony and hope they all work out. I don't know if you've heard but I'm up too my eyeballs over here in mice.

by CallaLily Wed 01 Mar 2017, 7:09 am

You do have quite the group. Giggle

You also seem to have very good luck with intros, if I'm remembering right. Could you go over how you go about them with me?

by scaredymouse Wed 01 Mar 2017, 11:17 am

Haha, I think I've just been blessed with great mice! Gilly was such a loving marshmallow, she just made things work. I don't know what will happen when I try too introduce the new girls too what's left of my colony. Although, I an pretty proud of how Bitsy has changed! She was always my brattiest mouse. She bit jellybean in the butt and tail rattled and squinted. Jerk! Now she's as sweet as can be. I think it was due to all the time outs.

Anyway, I introduce in the kiddie pool with a regular amount of toys. Then deep clean the tank. And then plop them in. I sprinkle treats everywhere and include 2 wheels but only one nest. I have a hammock, so there is always another place to sleep, though. I do swap out nest bedding the week before so they aren't shocked when they meet. That's it! And if course, monitor them closely and give time outs until resolved. I've never had to give up on a mouse.

by CallaLily Wed 01 Mar 2017, 11:51 am

Thanks! I was hoping you had some super secret trick. Laugh

I hope your upcoming intro and mine both go smoothly. Good vibes

by scaredymouse Wed 01 Mar 2017, 12:57 pm

well, my super secret trick is that I am one heck of an alpha mouse and they all respect me very, very much.

by CallaLily Wed 01 Mar 2017, 1:18 pm

Well, you've no worries then. Smile

I keep going over past intros of mine.

1)Cheese/Bacon + Twix/Hash. This one failed after multiple attempts, blood drawn several times. I remember I finally gave up because poor Bacon was so bullied and was looking quite rough. I placed her with Hash because she was nicest to Bacon. Cheese and Twix together. Looking back I intro'd in a play bin and then from there a scrubbed but fully decked out tank (all clean or new). Probably was my mistake there.

2) When Twix passed, introducing Cheese to Bacon and Hash went over with zero problems. They were all much older so I'm sure that made all the difference.

3)Introducing Cheese to Celyn and Rina, zero issues.

4)Introducing Seren to that group results in blood drawn on poor old Cheese, so I decided to hold off trying again until Cheese passed on.

5)In the meantine, I intro'd Seren to Hazel so she wouldn't be lonely. Rough going but stuck with it and they made it.

6)Introduced Celyn/Rina and Seren/Hazel. Rough going, blood drawn a couple times. Seren was the aggressor both this time and last. I stuck with it and it eventually worked out.

Is it too much to hope that this time goes super smooth? Laughing

EDIT: Ooh. I almost forgot. Arsinoe is willingly walking into my hand today! Yay

Only trouble is she's a bit nibbley. Nothing that hurts, just tasting or maybe grooming? I just gently pulled away and said "no biting" and then offered my hand again. She's still doing it some but I think she's starting to get the hint. She let me pet her a little bit too. Maybe she'll like scritches. That would be nice. Bouncy

Daryl was the only other mouse I've had that did. Funnily enough he was a little nibbley at first too, but with fingernails. Arsinoe is trying to nibble my palm or fingers.

by scaredymouse Wed 01 Mar 2017, 2:04 pm

you know what... actually I do have a super secret tip. I always save something that smells like the new mouse, so that if things aren't going her way... I put it in the tank with everyone, to perhaps tip things in her favor. Something important, like a wheel or a nest. There was one time, with a really young mouse, when I set up the group tank, I put her nest in there to start off with.

So everyone still meets on neutral territory, but the new tank has a little bit of home for the new little lady. The rest of the group does just fine in that scenario, especially since I swap out bedding the week before.

by CallaLily Wed 01 Mar 2017, 2:15 pm

That's interesting. I wonder if something like that would have helped poor Bacon. But in the end her and Hash really bonded so I still feel like it all worked out ok.

by CallaLily Wed 08 Mar 2017, 10:28 am

These girls are still ignoring the buckwheat. On tank cleaning day last week, I found a pretty good sized pile under the bedding - I think it's safe to say they're not eating any of it. Weirdos.

Arsinoe is still being great, she'll climb on my hands and isn't spooked much at all - no more nipping. Tilda is a little brat and avoids me as much as I'll let her get away with. She's also a tail rattler but she's getting better. Eulyn is still my scaredy mouse. It's so weird how those first couple days she was so curious and excited about tube rides and now she just hides mostly. Not sure what happened. She looks good, sounds good and will eventually creep out and play so I don't think she's feeling bad or anything. Definitely keeping a close eye on her just in case.

Pics from yesterday.
Three New Mice - Page 2 20170310

And this one of Eulyn is a little older.
Three New Mice - Page 2 20170220

Oh and, no sign of baby bumps! Dance6

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