just adopted a mouse from someone unable to keep her

by newmouseowner Tue 06 Oct 2020, 1:50 am

Hello, so I just adopted a mouse a couple days ago from someone I dont know very well. The previous owner only had her for about a week before I took her. I am concerned that the mouse isnt adapting well and I was wondering if anyone had advice for me to make it easier on the mouse. It is a girl mouse and it is just her so im concerned that she will get lonely, so i was wondering if it would be a good idea to get another female mouse to keep her company, and if anyone had advice on how to properly do that/introduce them/etc. Right now, she doesnt do much except eat, drink, and stay in her little igloo. I also changed the bedding in her cage from the stuff that she had from her other owner to new aspen bedding that i purchased, and it seems like she wont burrow much- could she just not like the aspen bedding? Ive tried to put my hand in her cage to let her smell me and maybe get used to me but she always seems very scared and im worried that im going to traumatize her. It also just kinda seems like she is depressed and that is the last thing that i want for her, but im not exactly sure how to fix it. Does anyone have any advice to make the move from her previous owner to me easier?

by newmouseowner Tue 06 Oct 2020, 1:54 am

I wasnt given many toys when she gave me the supplies she had for the mouse, only a couple wooden blocks, so I bought her a little saucer and some other wooden chews but she also seems very uninterested in them. Ive never seen her play with anything in her cage, all she really does is sit in her igloo Sad

by Robin~ Wed 07 Oct 2020, 6:32 am

Hello!

Female mice are very social and needs friends, so I strongly suggest getting at least two more. Depending on where you get them you may want to quarantine them to prevent disease spread, though.
There really aren’t any updated guides on bonding mice on here so I’ll leave that aspect to someone who has more experience. Generally, though, take things slowly and be patient. Smile

In terms of her behavior, how crowded is her cage? Mice don’t like wide open spaces and prefer their cages to be super crowded. As a general rule of thumb you shouldn’t be able to see the bedding when looking down from the top of the cage. Anything made of cardboard is bound to go over well—toilet paper roll tubes, boxes, egg cartons, you name it.
The bedding type may also be impacting her ability to burrow—from my experience aspen can be very difficult to burrow in and can be dusty, which can cause URIs. Maybe try a paper-based bedding like Kaytee Clean and Cozy next time you clean?

If you have any further questions don’t hesitate to ask!

by SarahAdams Wed 07 Oct 2020, 8:00 am

Hello! Your little mousie has been in at least two homes in a short period and will need time to get used to you and your home. Definitely get her a companion or two, depending on the size of her cage/enclosure.

Here is a video on introducing female mice to each other in a neutral setting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja_YbSFO6i8&t=57s

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just adopted a mouse from someone unable to keep her

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