Rest In Peace Elena

I had to say goodbye to my Elena on Thansgiving.  It's so hard when they have to leave us.  I hope that we gave her a good life.  She was my little acrobat, wheel racer, smartypants, lover of tangerines. 

She will be missed so much.  We really loved her, as we do all of our pets.  This is the hard part of loving our pet family.  It's so sad when we have to say goodbye.  I know that I have to get used to this if I am going to rescue the sick, elderly, and unadoptables, though.  The way my heart is I know I never will get used to the goodbyes.  I really want to help these animals, however.  They need us, and I look forward to caring for them and loving them through their last days.  Soon the house renovations will be complete and I can help out even more.

My Tony Passed Away

With a heavy heart I have to report that my fat boy Tony has passed.  He was very, very old.  Over 2 years old.  He lived a long life for a rescued feeder mouse.  He was healthy until this week, although he still seemed really happy right up to the end. 

He started to keep one eye half closed and really slowed down.  His breathing got labored and last night he may have had a small seizure.  I knew there was nothing that could be done for him, so I didn't want to put him through any stress of taking him to a vet/unfamiliar environment.  I wanted it to be peaceful for him.  It's not peaceful at all for me.  I loved him so much, and he will be missed so badly.

I held him for the last time this evening and fed him his last meal.  I made him some lasagna noodles because I knew it wouldn't be long.  He didn't seem interested in any other food.  But the lasagna--he ate that with gusto.  He seemed so genuinely happy to be chewing on that noodle that it almost gave me hope that he would pull through.  When I checked on him at 4:30 am I saw him in his final sleep inside one of the tubes I made for him.  And then the tears started. 

Tony was just a nice mouse who I believed loved me.  He was happy-go-lucky and always seemed glad to see me.  I'll never forget the day we met and he looked at me quizzically with his little jewel-red eyes and tentatively sniffed the air as if to ask, "Are you my new mom?" 

I never will forget him.  I couldn't have loved that sweet boy more.

Making Pet Mice Happy

For me it is one of life's greatest joys to bring joy to the creatures in my care.  My mice are such great pets, and they really appreciate the efforts.

One of the simplest ways to keep them entertained is to create fun habitats for them each time you clean their cage.  The enjoy climbing, exploring, and varied textures, toys, and treats.  I accomplish this by building habitats out of recycled food boxes and paper towel cores.  To clean the cages I find a mini dustpan and brush to be very helpful to clean quickly.



I clean the aquariums with vinegar because it is safe for the pets.  I also use Care Fresh bedding. 

The mice love it and it is safe for them.  Wood chips cause respiratory problems for pets and people.  I am very allergic to cedar chips.  The Care Fresh performs well and controls odor the best.  And the mice love to climb around on it and dig through it.

I gather my supplies:  saved up boxes, a utility knife, and scissors:

The knife is great for cutting climbing or connecting holes in the boxes without hurting your hands.  Scissors work well for cardboard tubes.

I just keep a large box in the mouse room (yes, they have their own room;-)  and fill it with the empty containers that I save for building their habitats.  I try to get different shapes and sizes so I can build different configurations to keep things exciting for the mice.



Once the cage is clean and dry and the bedding is down I look at what I have and try to think of inventive ways to use it.  My mice love pasta boxes.  I cut ladders on the side for them to climb.

This time I put paper towel cores (with several holes for sclimbing through) around the perimeter of the cage.  My mice Tony & Elena love racing through the tunnel and climbing out of the holes to run on top of the cores too.

I also like to give my mice a great place to sleep.  I cut up old t-shirts or sheets into strips and tuck them inside smaller boxes so the mice have someplace really soft to sleep where they feel protected.  I wouldn't use towels or anything terrycloth because their tiny nails get caught in the material.  Usually an aspirin box or other medicine box is a perfect size for a mouse house.

I like to add Oxbow Timothy Hay to the habitat for texture, fiber, and something for the mice to dig through and eat.  Willow balls, chew sticks, and a tail-protecting wheel are also a must.  The mice really need things to chew and a way to exercise.  I also have a freedom ball that they love to get in and explore the rest of the house (just block your staircases).

Now for the really fun part:  watch your mice enjoy what you have created for them to enjoy.  Sometimes mine will "popcorn," or jump for joy, because they are so excited about their new digs.  This is my big boy Tony right after I put him in his new habitat:

Tony is the sweetest mouse.  He just loves attention and to be held.  He knows his name and loves when I talk to him.  He loves to rubbed on his forehead and neck.  He also gets visibly happy if I give him a piece of pasta for a treat.

And here is Elena my girl exploring her new habitat, too:

Elena is my spirited acrobat who loves climbing high.  She is one smart mouse!  She likes to cover up her food dish to hide it, and her favorite thing to eat is pecans, tomato, and watermelon.  She likes to grab the pecan from my fingers and eats them with such gusto.  She loves fruit, and she enjoys watermelon so much that she squints her eyes in joy when she eats it.

They definitely have their own personalities, and they are a joy to watch and care for.