How to care for feeder mouse?

by starwolf11 Thu 26 Mar 2020, 2:12 pm

I bought a feeder mouse (and rescued them) but I’m worried they might be carrying some sort of disease (they look fine). I used pet shampoo and cleaned her fur, also put coconut oil on her fur. Is there anything else I can do to make it a cleaner, safer pet and get rid of any diseases she may have?

by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Thu 26 Mar 2020, 4:39 pm

A first visit to the vet should put your mind at ease. Find out ahead of time if the doctor will check for both endoparasites (ones that are inside) and ectoparasites (ones that are outside), since that is of special concern to you. Usually a mouse will contribute a little poopie specimen (where endoparasites might be found) either on the drive to the vet or during the examination, but you can always collect a few in a zip-lock plastic bag ahead of time and take them along. Looking with a magnifier, doing a skin scrape, or applying and peeling up a piece of tape may detect ectoparasites. The vet can also tell you if there is any indication of respiratory illness. And, of course, if anything is wrong you will get a prescription (if necessary) and instructions on how to handle things.

If you bought directly from a pet store, being a feeder does not automatically mean a background of filth and disease. A serious, reputable rodent mill would not want word getting around the reptile-owning community that "food" originating from that source was transmitting parasites.

My precious little April was a feeder. She was never perceptibly sick until her final two weeks, when she was already about two years "young".

by Stuart.the.albino.mouse Thu 26 Mar 2020, 7:20 pm

personally I wouldn't bathe a small animal unless said by a vet. But beside a vet visit for the most part you should be ok as its generally easy to see when there sick. If you dont go to a vet I would reccoment waiting a month before introducing to other mice.

by chiroptera Fri 27 Mar 2020, 5:27 am

Mice are no more "dirty" or unsafe than any other pet - dogs, cats, birds, etc can all transfer diseases to humans, too, if they're not taken care of. So, unless you got your mouse from the wild or from a very unsanitary/improper breeding situation, your mouse should be safe. It's actually much easier for you to get your mousie sick than the other way around.

As stated, you can take your new mouse to the vet if you're worried, or just want to make sure she's safe. But in the future, please don't bathe your mouse! It's really not good for them to be submerged in water, and pet shampoo is intended for bigger animals and not necessarily safe for little mice.

Good luck with your new mouse! Check out the rest of the threads here (especially the stickies) and feel free to ask questions! Smile

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