How to Rice Diet to relieve constant scratching and high protein

by ubemilkshake Mon 01 Mar 2021, 2:39 am

Howdy howdy,

Trying to switch to rice diet for my mouse Sesame, suspecting she's got too much protein from my recent switch of food.

Video:
https://www.reddit.com/r/PetMice/comments/lv0z21/constant_itching_causing_balding_trying_to_switch/

Lately she has been constantly itching and scratching herself for the past few days. I suspect it's due to high protein after trying to switch to Mazuri food blocks since my old mix has run out. Though she has been ignoring the blocks lately. Tried switching to Manna Mouse & Rat food as well, giving a tablespoon full throughout the day, and I assume this made her protein go up even more for a ~2.5" mouse. So I'm thinking he's got hotspots because she's primarily scratching around her neck.

I moved her into a new clean bin with essentials to keep a closer watch on her in case there maybe something else in her previous enclosure affecting her and to eliminate all old food that may be buried in there she might find to eat. Switched to rice for now

I gave her uncooked white rice since that's all I have in the house as a family staple. But is just this ok until her scratching problem relieves? Can I give her plain rice crispies? What should I add for her to eat? Veggies, fruits? Get more of the old mix I was previously serving - Kaytee Fiesta Mix which never gave my mice a problem before?

EDIT: Scheduled an appointment but it won't be until the 12th... Hoping Sesame will still be okay. Some people on my video said this might be mites - is there some product I can use to help her if it really might be mites that won't harm her if she actually doesn't? And won't hurt her small wounds?

---
UPDATE 03/09/2021: Yesterday I got to take Sesame to the vet and explained all of my concerns and what's happened with her. After everything, the Dr. suspects it really may be bugs on her because I did also do a bin clean about two weeks ago the same day I switched to the Mazuri food I mentioned above. And about 3-4 days ago I switched back to feeding Sesame her old food - Kaytee Fiesta mix which the Dr. said may have helped Sesame scratch lesser than before since it has lesser crude protein % than Mazuri/Manna. Dr. thought her scratching could also be from grumpiness/stress.

Dr. did a skin scrape and although didn't find bugs, she gave Sesame a diluted dose of this product called "Revolution" that's for cats (I think) just to be safe. And as of now, Sesame appears to be much calmer now. Still scratching a bit but far less than before, and is cleaning herself more than scratching, which is a big improvement. I was concerned about Sesame's nails and was hoping they could be trimmed, but the Dr. wasn't able to trim Sesame's nails since they're so small. So I will try to find a way to have them naturally smoothed like with putting rocks that are clean, safe, and smooth in her bin for her to walk on

I've also been spending a lot time with Sesame to give her company in case she is lonely, hand-feeding her and giving her water by holding the bottle for her and letting her climb around on me. She's come to be fairly relaxed on me, even just sitting and chilling on my leg/arm while I work on the computer

Thanks you guys for your help, I hope that Sesame will feel better and grow her hair back soon:)

by River Mon 01 Mar 2021, 1:24 pm

From what I recall, it's usually recommended to use cooked brown rice, but I may be mistaken. Confused

by Dee67 Tue 02 Mar 2021, 1:21 am

Use brown rice, add in some of her old food after a couple days if the scatching improves, then watch carefully. You could also offer a limited diet in the first few days, a cooked pea, a plain cheerio...

by Dee67 Tue 02 Mar 2021, 1:49 am

Oh, and you can buy Ivermectin to put on Sesame if the simple diet doesn't help. Reading the following might help you distinguish allergies from mites. This is from the site pethelpful.com

Skin Allergies This does not include mites (see below) as they are not an allergy. Skin allergies are another common problem easily solved with extra care. Often mice will have an allergy to bedding, such as certain wood shavings, usually ones bought from pet shops. These shavings can be dusty and may have been sitting for long periods, or if they are really cheap they might not have been treated right. Mice can get allergies from some dry meadow hays and dusty hays, which can irritate eyes and cuts as well as skin. Mice can have food allergies too: vanilla (if used in the water or cage), hamster feeds, fresh foods and herb-based foods are the most likely to cause allergies. It is easy to spot a skin allergy. Signs include: Baldness Excessive scratching (other than grooming) Rubbing against items in the cage Outbreaks of redness, swelling or clusters of bumps High stress levels Obvious discomfort Bleeding scabby skin Lethargy These can happen even up to a week or so after using a new product. Remember, don't use more than one new product at a time. If you are changing to a new type of feed, don't go out and buy loads of different treats, because if an allergy breaks out again after several days it will be hard to tell which product caused it. The same with bedding: use an older supply up when changing bedding, so you are using one new thing at a time, and you can locate the source of any problem and bring it under control. The same with cage cleaners. You must be careful to only use small-animal cage cleaners such as Johnsons, as they can be wiped off easily, and be sure to rinse thoroughly because over months or years even appropriate cage cleaners can cause allergies on the skin! If anything causes even a small reaction in your pet, discontinue using it. Although even if your own mouse is allergic to it, it's possible a friend's mouse or hamster can try it out. Treatment includes bathing the area in a warm water and salt solution, using a piece of tissue or a cotton bud. Do not bathe more than twice a day as this can make the skin dry and cracked. Don't bathe the whole mouse, just the affected area. Try to dab the mouse as dry as possible afterwards. Don't leave a mouse to sit wet and cold to dry off; this includes eyes and ears. If the mouse continues to scratch, clean out the whole cage and make an appointment at the vet's; it could be mites. Be careful to monitor the mouse as cuts on the skin can become irritated or infected. Ointments are available but often they are too strong and not much use; they can make things worse. I recommend salt water solution, it is safest for your pet. In rare cases, extreme allergies can cause death. If you suspect your mouse has a serious allergy that is not clearing after a few days—bear in mind that it can take a few weeks for fur to grow back and cuts to heal—better go to a vet. Mites Mice are prone to getting mites. They usually come from damp dirty bedding, such as wood shavings that have been left outside or not cleaned out regularly. Also wash your hands before touching your mice, if you have been outside in the grass or touching other animals because you can transfer mites to your pet with your hands. The symptoms of mites include: Excessive scratching (other than grooming) Fur loss Loss of appetite Raw or cut skin Scabby skin Mites visible in fur (back and ears are the most common places) Mouse appearing distressed Mouse rubbing on toys Aggressive behavior or other behavior changes Looking to be picked up constantly Go to the vet to have mites checked out. You can treat mites with ointments (make sure you finish your course of treatment) and by cleaning the cage thoroughly each day. wrote:

by Dee67 Tue 02 Mar 2021, 2:02 am

Also check out this page on persistent scatching at
http://mouseranch.com/FYI/itchy&scratchy.shtml

by ubemilkshake Tue 02 Mar 2021, 7:19 pm

@Dee67 @River Thank you guys! I'm reading up more on treating Sesame and feeding her fruits and veggies at the moment. I can't find Ivermectin so I've gotten Vetericyn to help relieve her scratching for now. Will update on how things go. She's staying strong! Love

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How to Rice Diet to relieve constant scratching and high protein

How to Rice Diet to relieve constant scratching and high protein

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Re: How to Rice Diet to relieve constant scratching and high protein

Re: How to Rice Diet to relieve constant scratching and high protein

Re: How to Rice Diet to relieve constant scratching and high protein