Mice

[ViiT]

I'm sorry to hear about your hamster :/

How are the mice doing?

[CallaLily]

They're well. I had to separate Bacon again, moving Hashbrown with her since she's the nicest one to Bacon. Cheeseburger and Twix really bullied Bacon a lot. I kept a close eye on the situation and had separated them all once before, putting Cheeseburger in "time out" since she was the worst. Things seemed to be going ok when I reintroduced them but a few weeks in, Cheeseburger bit Bacon's tail in 3 places drawing blood. It looked far worse than it actually was though. Lots of bleeding for a few tiny bites. Her tail is healing well and Hashbrown remains sweet to her. Cheeseburger and Twix get along well enough for the most part. The plan was to seperate for 3 weeks, let Bacon's tail heal all the way, and try reintroducing again. BUT, Bacon seems so very happy with just her and Hashbrown. She's eating more, playing more, and sparking! She never sparked before like this so I really think I'm just going to stick to the two groups of two girls. When they're older, and that day arrives that one of them has to go, I'll try the three left behind together again. I'm told they may mellow with age. Hashbrown was a little depressed at first, leaving Cheeseburger and Twix but she's come around. Back to her usual self. Playing, sparking, and even snuggles with Bacon at nap time. No one slept with her before. She was my poor little outcast and it really showed. Especially now that I'm seeing her appearing to be really and truly happy. The only issue now....I think I'll need to downsize Cheeseburger and Twix. They've got the 29g to themselves and some minor tiffs have been going on now and then. If it gets worse or doesn't get better, I think they'll do better in a 10g or 15g. I have a 15g but the Betta is using it. I could move him over to the 29g and then Cheeseburger and Twix to the 15g. Playing musical tanks stinks. And then there's the worry...will the 29 still hold water? I'm thinking probably not with all the "housework" the meecers have done. Hhmmm. I guess I should grab another 10 and just hang on to the 29. Crabby ISO tank maybe?


In other mousey news, the girls have really come a long way in taming. They hop into my hand willingly at playtime. Twix will hop into my hand pretty much any time I ask her to. She likes to climb up my arm and onto my shoulder but still can become rather nervous after she's there. So we're still working on that but at least she comes willingly. The other girls sit in my hand fairly good once I coax them into hopping in my hand. They'll climb around on me some too but not in the same rushed or nervous way Twix does. It's weird because even though she spazzes a bit after willingly coming to me, I put her back down and she immediately runs over to hop in my hand all over again.

[CallaLily]

Sorry, Tapatalk doesn't like long posts. :roll: At least it's actually letting me read and post today.

But I don't know if I'm mistaking Twix's excitement for nervousness? It really seems like she's saying "My turn! My turn!" and then once in my hand screaming "Nevermind! Let me down!" Makes me think of this really big tough looking guy I sat next to on a roller coaster once. Very happy and excited looking about the ride.....until it started and he screamed like a little girl the whole way! That was the most fun I've ever had on a roller coaster. I laughed so hard I cried. Afterwards, he ran right back into the line.

[Crabinski]

Thought I'd pop in on this thread to share with anyone with small pets like mice or hamsters. I stopped in at Petco after being treated to breakfast for our wedding anniversary (15 years! ). The plan was to just look around but I stumbled across a sale I couldn't refuse. The ceramic Cheese and Cracker House and Gourd small animal hideaways were on clearance for $1.98 and $1.48!! The Barn hideaway had a clearance tag ($1.98 I think) too but was sold out. The mushroom hide didn't have a sale tag but when my husband asked about it they said it was on sale for $7.98. I don't see this sale online so it seems to be in store only. Just a heads up.

pic of the two I bought: http://s76.photobucket.com/user/ILuvBob ... sort=3&o=0 They're in perfect shape so it's not a sale because of damage or anything. I guess they are considered seasonal items?

Thanks for the tip, Calla! My Petco had the gourds, cheese houses and barns on sale but, unfortunately, the adorable ceramic mushroom was still full price. The ceramic barn was also reduced from $19.99 to $1.98 but it was so big -- it would have taken up about 25% of the floor space in the 20L and that's just too large for a single item. Also bought a pack of the cardboard fruits for $0.98 (from $3.99) as the girls have really enjoyed climbing and chomping on them in the past. Nice to have their Christmas gifts all ready to go !

[wodesorel]

What is "sparking"??

Also, you both have talked me into stopping at my local Petco this weekend while we're doing errands. Those hides sound perfect for my teeny hermits! And if they're ceramic they might work for the fish tanks, too.

[Crabinski]

What is "sparking"??

Also, you both have talked me into stopping at my local Petco this weekend while we're doing errands. Those hides sound perfect for my teeny hermits! And if they're ceramic they might work for the fish tanks, too.

"Sparking" is a sigh of sheer mousie delight: they make quick little bounces as though they were being hit with tiny jolts of electricity and do so when they are very, very happy .

[wodesorel]

I just went and looked up videos on sparking and popcorning, and that makes me really really happy because Lucky would do that often when she thought I wasn't looking! Especially when she got a handful of fresh dryer lint to make a new nest, or when I would bring her down chunks of apple. Here I always thought she was just a miserable little mouse waiting for spring and making weird little twitches, and instead it seems she was rather happy the whole time.

[CallaLily]

So glad you were able to pick some up, Crabinski! I wish I had seen the cardboard fruit. I just might have to go back and look again!

Wode, they would definitely work for smaller hermits. Nice sized openings and they are both bottomless. For the price they are worth it! Yep, sounds like you had a very happy mouse.

[wodesorel]

I got the barn. I love it! It's huge and it was a grand total of $2.12 including tax. I wanted the mushroom as well but there was no tag for it at all on the shelf and when I took it to the register it came up the same price as yours, Calla. They said it was on sale, but I didn't think it was quite worth it.

[CallaLily]

At first I was like "$2.12...what?" Sales tax. I forget. Pics if you can please. My store was sold out and I don't see it online.



I wanted the mushroom but it just seemed so wrong since I was getting the others so cheap.

[wodesorel]

The silo is a climbing tube!

[CallaLily]

That's so cute and roomy looking! Thank you.

[wodesorel]

I think it was only slightly wider then the cheese house, but the doorway is cut so big that it seems larger. Really nice construction. I'm actually really impressed by the quality and I don't understand why they're on clearance. It's impossible to find nice ornaments like this!

[CallaLily]

Since I'm on the laptop anyway....some pics.

Cheeseburger



Hashbrown



Twix



Bacon



I usually try to get tank pics right after setting it all up before the girls trash it but here's what they look like right now...mess and all.


As you can see, the 10g especially is due for a clean. It doesn't take long.

A few other tank shots from before the new hides.


The "snow" didn't last long but they seemed to have fun moving it and burying it!
(snow = bits of white construction paper)

[CallaLily]

Couldn't resist a Valentine's theme.

I hope you guys don't mind. It's just sooo easy to share pics from my phone here (now that I've figured out why I was having so much trouble with Tapatalk)!



My youngest son wanted me to use the second set of blocks. The girls have bumped that first letter but it's supposed to be "cutzi". He's meaning it to say cutesy, btw. Not cut zee. He knows its the wrong spelling but he was very limited on letters. I'll have to pick up another pack of blocks I guess. I often call the girls cutezy cutes, so it works for now.