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Author
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Topic: My new, um... Mice
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Isis
Knowflake Posts: 1008
From: CA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted October 07, 2004 03:55 PM
 
Well, we have a bit of a mouse problem - we've been using traps, but I will have to call an exterminator to deal with it. Anyway, we caught this mouse in a trap last Saturday, but it got away and I found one of my dogs terrorizing it. I got Evie out of the room, and went and got tongs, when I returned, the slobbered and terrified mouse was still sitting in the same wide open corner, so I picked her up and put her in a containter. I wasn't sure what was wrong, but it appeared as if either she was crippled in her hind quarters, or her leg was messed up. Anyway, I figured, ok I'll nurse it back to health and set it free. Well, using water bottle caps I put water and bird seed in the cage (I have 3 birds), ripped up cotton balls for bedding, and fed her peanut butter on the end of a toothpick daily. So anywho, I realize that it's just one of her rear legs that is hurt, but as time goes on I see that she's better able to get around, so, yesterday I decide to let her go. I went out into my backyard, turned the tupperware container on it's side and waited for her to run away like most mice do (we've caught several just by the tail in the traps, and let them go). Well, she didn't. So I upended the thing to get her out, which is when I discovered she had a huge wad of cotton stuck to her bad leg. Obviously she can't get around very well with this thing stuck to her, so when she ran the four inches to hide underneath our morning glory, I used to the tongs to try and disloge it, to no avail. At this point, she's just terrified, but nevertheless just sitting there. When it became apparent I wasn't going to be able to get the cotton off under the cicumstances, I was able to dislodge the cotton from the vines, put the container back on it's side and she ran right back into it. I'm thinking, ok, she doesn't want to go, fine, we'll try again another day. Later in the evening, I go to check on her, and find a baby in the bottom of the container. So NOW I realize why she didn't want to leave - she was about to give birth. This morning, I see that she's wrapped baby #1 up in the cotton, and it's been strangled. However, there are two more live ones in there, along with another dead one, fully formed, and other half formed ones.  Well, seeing that the cotton isn't working, I dislodge the dead baby from her foot (she winds the cotton around her bad foot and gets the babies in it, presumably to keep them warm, but the side effect is their strangulation), clean out her cage, and hurriedly dash to the pet store for some proper rodent accomodations and bedding. So now I've got she and her two babies in a new mousey home, with non-cotton bedding, and I'm hoping that the babies and mommy survive - those babies are sooo teensy.
After calling her Arthur for several days, we've now renamed her Dot (after Dot in the Animaniacs). I just wanted to share my amazing mouse story and ask everyone to pray or think positive thoughts that mommy does what she needs to, that I haven't freaked her out too much to take care of her babies, and that all three survive. I've named the two babies Pinky and The Brain 
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KarenSD
Knowflake Posts: 512
From: San Diego CA USA
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted October 07, 2004 04:35 PM
Isis... this is a magical story.I am a big, big animal lover and I absolutely can't get over this! Thank you for sharing, and for being you!  IP: Logged |
Eleanore
Moderator Posts: 853
From: North Carolina
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted October 07, 2004 06:08 PM
Wow, Isis, that's great! I'm sending loving thoughts towards you and your mice  .
I absolutely love Animaniacs and I think you've done a wonderful job on naming them.
Hubby and I have a syrian hamster now and I used to have a mouse when I was younger. I can't help it but I think most rodents are adorable, and very smart. I don't know too much about mice, but I know that my hamster does very well with a diet of regular store bought hamster/rodent mix (the one with the least sunflower seeds), a pinch or two of Timothy Hay everyday for that essential roughage, an alfalfa treat once a week (since they last long) for supplemental protein, calcium, beta carotene and other vitamins and nutrients that doubles as a way to ensure proper tooth wear (gnawing is very important to rodents), and lots of fresh, clean water. Her special treats are usually tiny bits of fruit a of couple times a week, like half a grape or something. We change her bedding once a week, more often if it's really smelly but that's rare. Her wheel is the all plastic kind which is safer for her little feet and we let her out a couple of hours a night in a "critter crawler" that's been secured with tape, otherwise she escapes and hides in the kitchen. She also really enjoys toilet paper tubes. 
I really, really hope your mice babies survive and thrive. Rodents are also very sensitive to sounds, both high pitched and loud so try to keep the noise level down around them. Talk to them in warm soothing tones; they'll learn to recognize your voice and won't be as afraid of you as they normally would be.
You're so cool for rescueing that mouse and her babies! 
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"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Ghandi
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Nephthys
Moderator Posts: 1629
From: California
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted October 07, 2004 10:29 PM
Dear Isis,WOW! Thank you for this wonderful story!  I can't believe you posted about this, because today I have been sick all day in bed with the flu, and I was thinking about my cat Yoda, (who is now in Heaven  ) and how once he brought a mouse home to the front door! I heard a tapping/knocking on the front door and I opened the door, there was Yoda looking down at the most sweet, innocent, pretty brown mouse. I leaned down, and I saw the mouse look up at Yoda, and in his innocent brown eyes, I felt him say, "why are you doing this to me?" I felt a thump in my heart!  I immediately made Yoda go inside the house. The poor mouse was bitten by Yoda so that he could only walk in a circle. I tried to move him towards the bushes. Yoda cried for 1 hour to go back outside and get his mouse. I later realised that the poor mouse probably died anyways, due to his injuries, and perhaps he suffered. Dear Eleanore, I haven't seen you in such a long time!! Welcome to HC! I hope you like it here!  IP: Logged |
Eleanore
Moderator Posts: 853
From: North Carolina
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted October 08, 2004 02:11 AM
Nephthys
Hey! It's nice to be back. And yes, I love Heathcliffe's Corner very much. You're doing a great job. Thanks for the welcome back. I sure hope you feel better soon, the flu is a pain. Love and Light. 
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"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Ghandi IP: Logged |
Aphrodite
Knowflake Posts: 3847
From:
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted October 08, 2004 08:42 AM
Sending Light and Love to Mouse Mama and Babies.IP: Logged |
Harpyr
Moderator Posts: 1796
From: sleepy Rocky Mountain village
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted October 08, 2004 02:22 PM
Isis, you are a softy just like me about the mice..Your story sounds like something I would do..I'm sending some white light to the mamma and her little ones too. IP: Logged |
KarenSD
Knowflake Posts: 512
From: San Diego CA USA
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted October 09, 2004 02:12 AM
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teaselbaby
Knowflake Posts: 248
From: Northeast Ohio
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted December 02, 2004 11:16 PM
Isis, did they survive? Angie IP: Logged |
Isis
Knowflake Posts: 1008
From: CA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted December 07, 2004 09:16 PM
No, they didn't survive Even more sad is the fact that, a few weeks ago when I went to put her back in her cage after cleaning it out, she got loose, and we just absolutely could not find her. She died in a trap shortly thereafter IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20338
From: Columbus, GA USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted December 08, 2004 09:36 AM
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"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
Sheaa Olein
Moderator Posts: 1841
From: Over here! (UK)
Registered: Jul 2004
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posted December 08, 2004 09:37 AM
Sorry to hear Isis I'm the same with mice we get here at the office. One died the other week which upset me a great deal Love to you
S IP: Logged |
Nephthys
Moderator Posts: 1629
From: California
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted December 08, 2004 12:20 PM
Isis,So sorry to hear the news. You made a wonderful effort to take care of them, though, and that's what counts.  IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 20338
From: Columbus, GA USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted December 13, 2004 11:00 AM
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"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
raihs
Knowflake Posts: 12
From: brisbane, qld, australia
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted January 20, 2005 12:11 AM
My new year's eve mouse story,
pet pussycat came in meowing something at me, looking down at her, I noticed a mouse between her teeth, she brings home things. Picked her up "naughty puss" and took it off her. OOPS it was someones pet mouse from who knows where. How did I know? He just sat in my hand looking at me, no struggle. So I fed him some cereal and he spent the rest of the night on my shoulder. Shame the kids were all away. Made a makeshift house but he or she escaped and hasn't been seen since.IP: Logged | |
Lindaland
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