Mice help!

I know there are a few people who have mice, so maybe someone can help me.
I have had my two girls, Sadie and Penny for awhile now. I got them at Petsmart awhile ago, and they have always shared a tank. Penny has always been more active and adventurous. Well, I hadn't seen Sadie for a few days (I don't really hold them, bad I know) and I was going to start looking for her. Well, I saw her today. Her face is covered in scratches, and she has a big red open spot on her side about the size of my pinky nail. Rather large for a little mouse.

I separated them. My tarantula is in a glass jar until I can get a new ten gallon for him. I also now need a new food dish and water bottle, Sadie has a water dish for tonight.

I also got covered in urticating hairs from the tarantula. The cats are lucky I thought of them, and locked them all in a bedroom while I did what I had to do. I am now itchy all over my neck/chests/arms from the spider. Sigh.

So, any ideas why Penny went nuts on Sadie? Will they ever be able to live together again? Will they live happily solo? What should I do for Sadie's wounds?

The first thing that pops into my head is that they need another mate. Mice do better with between 3 and 6 as a group. Less than that, or more than that, and fighting and bickering goes on. Also, the girls NEED companionship, and usually when they're made to live alone, they'll fret, wither, and eventually die. They need friends. Males can live alone (never together), but girls need other girls to live with. I would personally go out and get a third girl.

However, another tricky part is that groups of girls bond together. When you randomly add another girl that's a different age and hasn't lived with the group, they won't accept her. It's recommended that when you get girls, get a group right at the start (usually helps if the group all comes from the same place). Don't ever buy one at a time. They bond to each other much better than they do to their humans (girls are notorious for not caring about people; it's the males that develop bonds with people). You could try getting another girl (or two) and see if the two girls you already have are so desperate for a full group that they accept her. But keep a backup plan in place (another tank for the newbies if they get rejected, for example)

Also, are you sure they're both girls? Our Petsmart only sells boys, but it's not totally out there that a mouse could be misidentified as the opposite gender. If you've actually got two boys, they could be fighting for that reason.


You can also check out a mouse forum at http://forum.thefunmouse.com

I'd let the injured girl heal, and then try reintroducing them using the split-cage method.

Other than that, I don't have any advice. I've only owned gerbils and hamsters.

They are most definitely both girls. That is all our petsmart sells. They have lived together for a year or so now, so this is really random. I'll wait for Sadie to heal, and try to divide the tank and see how they react. I'll also try getting a buddy for them. Can they all be content in a ten gallon together, or will they need more room?

Originally Posted by laceface

They are most definitely both girls. That is all our petsmart sells. They have lived together for a year or so now, so this is really random. I'll wait for Sadie to heal, and try to divide the tank and see how they react. I'll also try getting a buddy for them. Can they all be content in a ten gallon together, or will they need more room?

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A 10gal can hold up to 3 or 4, but I wouldn't press my luck much further than that. If you can find a 20gal tank, then that'll hold more mice (but more importantly, give them more room). But a 10gal can easily hold 3 mice. (now I'm looking at my empty 10gal and imagining possibilities, lol)

I'd suggest a different, larger cage. I try to avoid tanks anyway, they don't provide much air circulation.

Sigh. Sadie girl passed today. I was holding her when she kicked the last time. I actually wasn't worried about her, she was eating, running on her wheel, and acting relatively normal, though I noticed her back was very hunched. Today I found her laying outside of her hide, and took her out to check on her. Every time she moved, she shook horribly, and I didn't think it would be long for her. Sadly, I was right and she passed. Penny, the other mouse, will be hopefully going to the vet saturday, if I can afford it. If I can't, hopefully putting her down will be in my price range, as I know she is sick, or perhaps it is old age. Either way, I don't want her to suffer.

Sorry to hear your baby passed away. I remember how rough it was with my mice.. so many problems, and such a short life for such fun little pets. I just couldn't do it anymore.

I'm sorry to hear about Sadie. She's over the Rainbow Bridge now...
I hope everything works out with Penny.

Thanks guys. Penny is still breathing hard, but she is looking bright eyed, and cleaning herself. Hopefully she will be ok.