Re: Lucy Has a Bald Spot

by Rodents rock! Thu 27 Apr 2017, 8:09 pm

MouseBites wrote:
Rodents rock! wrote:
MouseBites wrote:yeah the popsicle sticks seem like the most likely cause now all things considered. i had just started using them a week ago so the timing seems right. i'll remove those and see how that goes. was looking forward to making them stuff but i guess i'll just have to be more creative now

Thanks so much everyone any other thoughts or advice is still appreciated though!

Hi MouseBites, just a suggestion, it would be best to also do a whole cage clean to be sure that you start with a clean slate when removing the wood. If you don't mind my asking, what area do you live in in Virginia? I moved to Flagstaff AZ about 18 1/2 years ago from Fairfax VA. I had also lived in Arlington VA for a few years. I'm originally from Baltimore MD.

i live near Arlington actually

i'd like to know where you got that ladder as well. the shelf too. what exactly do they chew on without wood?

ETA: i was just planning to get rid of the popsicle sticks, should i go no wood at all? they seemed fine with the willow tunnel.

Oh ok cool, Arlington Very Happy

I got the ladder in the bird section of PetSmart.
The shelf is a new addition to Mickey's tank and I was so excited to find it as I've been looking for a long time now for some sort of platform that is plastic. It's from a company online called Eco Level. They are actually made to add different levels to fish tanks and reptile tanks. So I thought, I could use that for my mouse tank! Shocked

They come in three sizes, I got Mickey the small size. They are very sturdy. So happy with the purchase and the company. Check them out online and let me know what you think Very Happy

I still give Mickey the apple wood sticks, haven't had any problems with those. I get those at PetSmart as well, in the small pets section.
I would leave the willow tunnel in there, I think that would be fine.

by River Thu 27 Apr 2017, 8:57 pm

Maybe I should experiment different wood types! I never thought that might work. Its worth a shot.

by CallaLily Thu 27 Apr 2017, 10:37 pm

MouseBites wrote:
what exactly do they chew on without wood?

Cardboard, sisal, loofah, seagrass, hay, lava stone, corn husk -all of these are commonly sold as chews in pet stores- whimzees, any mouse-safe crunchy/chewy treat.

by MouseBites Sat 29 Apr 2017, 12:28 am

Rodents rock! wrote:[
Oh ok cool, Arlington
I got the ladder in the bird section of PetSmart.
The shelf is a new addition to Mickey's tank and I was so excited to find it as I've been looking for a long time now for some sort of platform that is plastic. It's from a company online called Eco Level. They are actually made to add different levels to fish tanks and reptile tanks. So I thought, I could use that for my mouse tank! They come in three sizes, I got Mickey the small size. They are very sturdy. So happy with the purchase and the company. Check them out online and let me know what you think
I still give Mickey the apple wood sticks, haven't had any problems with those. I get those at PetSmart as well, in the small pets section.
I would leave the willow tunnel in there, I think that would be fine.

cool. thanks. i need something to put the food bowl on since they always get bedding in it at night. and the willow tunnel is just a pile of sticks now Laughing

will get another soon.

CallaLily wrote:
MouseBites wrote:
what exactly do they chew on without wood?

Cardboard, sisal, loofah, seagrass, hay, lava stone, corn husk -all of these are commonly sold as chews in pet stores- whimzees, any mouse-safe crunchy/chewy treat.

ah. i mean i knew they chewed on those but i figured they needed something harder to wear their teeth down. and do mice like hay? thought that was more for guinea pigs. which type is best?

by CallaLily Sat 29 Apr 2017, 8:19 am

They will chew and nest with hay but they don't need it. I think any type of hay is fine since they don't really eat it. They also sell things like timothy twists, which my mice in the past have loved to shred.

Anything they chew on will help wear teeth, even their food. If you're worried some of the softer things won't be enough, try the lava stone chews or whimzees dog chews.

by River Sat 29 Apr 2017, 12:07 pm

My mice love playing with hay. It's a favorite!

I have never used lava blocks and only used a dog chew once. My girls have been wood free for many months and are doing great!

by MouseBites Mon 01 May 2017, 6:37 pm

so just an update. i removed all the popsicle sticks on Wednesday night, cleaned the aquarium and put new bedding in on Friday, and picked up a bag of Sun Seed Sunscription Vita Prima Parakeet Formula on Saturday. i've stopped using the Kaytee food altogether but i've still been giving them the Oxbow Rat food. is the Sun Seed alone enough for them to live on? i know the guaranteed analysis is better but i'm just not sure if they're getting all the nutrients they need too. sometimes they kick the food out of their bowl, i guess when they're trying to find the foods they like, so it makes it hard to tell what they're actually eating sometimes. i worry that they're only going to eat specific foods and not get the full nutritional value from it. so that's why i sort of like the idea of having a lab block in there. my thinking is that even if the protein is a bit high, i know they're at least still getting everything else they need. but idk. i'm just still a little confused this.

i guess the good news is that the bald spot isn't getting any worse. if anything maybe slightly better. still no redness on the skin or any other bad signs. after looking at older pics i did notice that there does seem to be some hair loss right around her left eye (it's hard to see in the pics i posted). it's like a ring around her eye where there isn't hair. it's such a subtle difference and it didn't really look abnormal so i just didn't think much of it.

so yeah. i'm thinking the it should keep getting better but any more advice is appreciated.

by MouseBites Tue 09 May 2017, 12:20 am

another update- still looking for some help!

Lucy still only looks slightly better than the original pics. the rings around her eyes that i mention in the last post are still the same. i cleaned out the cage again on Friday and removed all the wood for now. they're eating mostly the parakeet mix now plus treats/veggies. got them some new plastic ferret ball toys (don't seem to like them much) and one of those fast food cardboard cupholder things that they like crawling in and chewing on.

just so unsure as to what to do next. was hoping to see more improvement by now.

by scaredymouse Tue 09 May 2017, 2:48 am

Has this mouse been treated for mites? Also you should stop giving them the rat food. The whole point of switching to the other food was to decrease the crude protein. High protein can cause skin issues and hair loss. The parakeet food is complete nutrition. Of course, you should still feed fresh foods and healthy treats (nuts, mealworms, flaxseeds, cheerios, oats, etc.) though!

by MouseBites Tue 09 May 2017, 3:51 am

scaredymouse wrote:Has this mouse been treated for mites? Also you should stop giving them the rat food. The whole point of switching to the other food was to decrease the crude protein. High protein can cause skin issues and hair loss. The parakeet food is complete nutrition. Of course, you should still feed fresh foods and healthy treats (nuts, mealworms, flaxseeds, cheerios, oats, etc.) though!

no mite treatment. and yeah i've pretty much stopped giving them the rat food this past week.

by scaredymouse Tue 09 May 2017, 6:26 am

https://www.petmousefanciers.com/t17-itching-hair-loss-and-parasites

Almost all mice come with mites, sometimes they never cause any visible problems. But if they haven't been treated, they definitely should be as mites can definitely cause hair loss and skin issues. Ivermectin is safe and easy to use. The link goes over it thoroughly.

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