Mass sedation - calming down crazy mice

[Die Fledermaus]

Strange question, but why not? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. . .

I have some wild agouti mice here. Lots. How? As youngsters, three sneaked into a cage with a normal fancy male, and two were female. Dominant genes take over. You can see what happened. Where they came from I do not know. I have cats in the rest of this place (they never come in this big room), so the mystery remains.

Well, these mice cannot be sexed. Too wild., CRAZY wild. Been there, done that in years past. Can only with difficulty partially clean their tank.

I could take the whole tank to a really big wild park (Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY) and release them. Eh. But I do wonder out of curiosity if there is any way to slow them down suffient to be caught and sexed and stashed somewhere during a cleaning.

I know this is kind of funny, but I'm curious. Any gas, liquid, or food that could be given to them safely that will slow them down to merely the level of a typical fancy mouse??

A little chloroform (not available, no doubt) on top of the mesh top?!

I don't really expect a solution to this. I am more just venting about my dilemma. *shrugs*

I asked a few people in PMs about this, also.

Maybe beer in the waterbottle?

[Die Fledermaus]

The best advise I am getting is to find some kind of shallow clear box I can get one or two in, block them off, and check them out. I would them dump the mouse in the suitable tank.

[Hamsters82]

What you're suggesting sounds a bit odd, beer or chloroform? Since I know you I know you're just throwing things out there, but if I didn't I'd say you were crazy and mean.

The only thing I can possibly think of is to put on some thick gloves (winter ones perhaps) and try to get them that way. Or you could capture them in a clear tube or cup (put your hand on the front end) and look beneath it.

Other than that I think you putting them in the park is the best way to go. Wild animals (even caged) should be released.

[pinky]

Not sure why you say "Eh" to the idea of releasing the mice. You've released agouti mice before--why not do the same with these? They aren't really pets--they're from an accident, so to speak. You have enough animals to take care of--you don't need a "dilemma."

[Die Fledermaus]

>> The only thing I can possibly think of is to put on some thick gloves (winter ones perhaps) and try to get them that way <<

You know they cannot be handled, especially not with bulky gloves.

>> but if I didn't I'd say you were crazy and mean. <<

People who do not know me elsewhere never thought that.

Of course the beer reference was tongue-in-cheek; i.e., TWAJ!

I know about wild. And may be so. But these are not field mice but house mice. Their chances outside are not the greatest even in summer - as you yourself a few years ago pointed out. I can ask about that elsewhere, also.

But trying to get them in a clear small container where I can sex them may be a way to go. . . we shall see. . .

Now let's have a beer! ;D

[Die Fledermaus]

Jul 12, 2009 13:54:18 GMT -4 pinky said:

Not sure why you say "Eh" to the idea of releasing the mice. You've released agouti mice before--why not do the same with these? They aren't really pets--they're from an accident, so to speak. You have enough animals to take care of--you don't need a "dilemma."

See post above.

Accident or no, they are here.

Lugging a taped shut glass tank all the way to Prospect Park is no fun, either.

We shall see. . .

[Die Fledermaus]

Today I got a small clear glass cheese shaker for this purpose. Might be able to get some mice sexed in there, with patience.