Help Super Anxious Mouse

by AmyLynn Wed 02 Jan 2019, 10:48 pm

Hello,
I have several mice but one of my males less than 6 months old had began to behave differently and it is causing him to not drink enough water. Let me explain.

So about 3 weeks ago Tiny put on a lot of weight when it started to get colder out. He simply ate more faster and put the weight on very fast. He stopped running in his wheel and started over grooming himself. So, we switched from a bar cage to an aquarium with a new wheel and he was super happy. Then things took a turn for the worse.

So Christmas eve we came home from families houses who have cats. My daughter said hi to him before showering....just walked by his tank as he was running on his wheel and he froze in place and looked terrified....She quickly backed away everyone showed and then opened his enclosure and attempted to be reassuring. He would come out of his nest box as long as your hand is right there. He some times sneaks out to eat but it is rare. He eat in his box or in our hand and only comes out to drink if we are with him. I broke down and moved the water bottle next to his box so he can stick his head out and drink. But this is getting worse not better since Christmas and I do not know what to do.

When he is on our hands he seems alert and affectionate. Tiny was hand raised by us and was never in a pet store and trusts us fully....

This is no way for him to live. I don't know how to help him be his happy self again.

by Peachy Fri 04 Jan 2019, 8:50 am

How big is his cage? What kind of toys and such do you have in it? Mice like their cages busy so they can go from one hidey spot to another. He probably comes out to eat and drink in the night when no one is watching. You could try putting some paper up on the back and side walls so he feels his home is more enclosed and he’s less likely to be snuck up on.

by AmyLynn Sat 12 Jan 2019, 2:50 pm

Hey I wanted to let you know that I tried to create more hiding spots in in his new bigger aquarium habitat without any luck. It got worse. Then something funny happened. I needed to deep clean his cage so I put him in a holding cage with some toys. Just one of those starter critter-trail cages that I had him in when he was just a wee little thing....he LOVED his old cage again. I moved him out of it because I felt it was too small for him, but he is super happy. He is running in his wheel, eating and drinking, and playing. We add some extension to the cage and I am looking for some more. It will be awful to clean and smaller than I would like, but if he is happy in it and feels secure, who am I to tell him other wise. He is even happy to come out a play outside his cage with us again. Such a turn around.

by CallaLily Wed 16 Jan 2019, 1:37 pm

I’m glad he’s his happy active self again. Mice don’t like wide open spaces so you definitely have to cram in a lot of hides/toys/climbs. It makes for a very cluttered looking cage but it’s needed. And then occasionally a mouse just seems to do better with a smaller overall space, like it sounds like your guy here seems to like. It’s not ideal, but it happens. Each mouse is different. Smile

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