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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jun 7, 2004 22:18:00 GMT -4
After reading the NY Post article on mice cited in another thread, I made arrangements with the breeder to get some. And I did today. There were scores of mice at his place in dozens of containers. I picked out six young females, and they were rather calm, friendly, and cute. They were also all different colors or types. I also saw a male who was the same color as Jeannie's Puck! I kid you not. Gorgeous. I also saw a bunch of babies. I do wish I had thought of bringing my camera, but hopefully the breeder will post some images later. The mice are now in a ten gallon aquarium with wooden hide box, a two level plastic town house, a single level town house, a Comfort Wheel, and some tubes and a wood triangle block. Plus food dish. They apparently gnaw so very little on those plastic houses they were OK to have; the breeder had many of them. By the way, the mice are slightly bigger than dwarf hamsters. I detected no "pissy" smell, even with dozens of containers; females are supposed to get along better in large groups than males. The breeder only had mice. After running around exploring their new digs they are now having a snooze - three in the hide box and three in the two-level house. Photos - in a separate thread - in a few days. Mice. Highly recommended.  It is quite interesting to see half a dozen rodents running around in a small container. I would need a thirty gallon tank for as many gerbils. |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jun 8, 2004 0:59:48 GMT -4
 You can see one, in this their new home. The rest are inside having a sleep. |
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Post by jeannie on Jun 8, 2004 16:22:01 GMT -4
Cute - it looks like a great setup too. 6 mice is one less animal than I have in total  |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jun 9, 2004 6:09:22 GMT -4
They are EASY to care for - six in one tank. It is funny to see all those heads stick out of their houses looking and sniffing around when I get nearby. I left them cheese last night, and they liked it; celery too. Differences: They CLING! I can't get them off my fingers as they hang on like monkeys, even when I turn my hand right over. They poop when nervous more than gerbs, but I assume they will get to know me and mellow. They are however "calmish" when held, not skittish or frenetic at all. No detectable smell. No gnawing I can so far see on the plastic. Two have learned the wheel, and they are polite in waiting their turn. Their bodies are a little smaller than dwarfs; of course the tail makes them seem longer. Spotted a blue and green macaw (as per the posted image from a pet store) outside a local restaurant with owner (different bird). He was very enthusiastic - and his yearly vet bills for the TWO macaws he has was only a hundred bucks per bird. Been busy of late: hunting roses, rodent servitude, Yankee Stadium. . . and more importantly my uncle died. I'll post something in a separate thread on that.  Get yourself some mice, or just check out the guy's mice - it is quite a sight, especially the one with the golden fur! |
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Post by calvinator1 on Jun 9, 2004 18:30:47 GMT -4
Wow! They sound like fun, DF. Does Poppy watch any of the other animals?
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jun 9, 2004 23:03:24 GMT -4
Wow! They sound like fun, DF. Does Poppy watch any of the other animals? The mice are next to her so she must see them. I let Poppy sniff and see the hamsters, and vice versa, and after a short period of interest they go about their business. (Poppy attaches herself to my foot whenever she is out with me there). I just took photos of all six, and they are remarkable calm. . . but, again, they cling like mad. I have to shake them off my fingers! I have to give them names and process the photos. In another day it should be easier to tell all apart. |
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Post by mishimouse on Jun 11, 2004 17:00:41 GMT -4
Congrats. One of the more disgusting traits with mice happens to be cannabalism. Every time one of my female mice dies, her cagemates will actually eat her or chew her up. It's quite disgusting, and I've only had it happen with my females. Good luck with yours.  |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jun 11, 2004 21:55:41 GMT -4
Congrats. One of the more disgusting traits with mice happens to be cannabalism. Every time one of my female mice dies, her cagemates will actually eat her or chew her up. It's quite disgusting, and I've only had it happen with my females. Good luck with yours. That is not uncommon with social rodents in general, not just mice. The reasons have been explained many times. I had a few gerbils die but they were never chewed up at all by their tankmate. Even Larry the Runt (brother of eight surviving hamsters from the late Rainy's litter) was untouched in a tank with 11 young siblings and his mom. Photo thread coming very soon. Have to finalize names, and be sure of which photo belongs to whom; it takes some getting used to, who is whom. BTW, in that photo above, I replaced the dark green "chube" with a second Comfort Wheel. They are both in regular use when they are awake. All the mice are usually sleeping in a big heap in the lower level of the two-level town house. |
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Post by mishimouse on Jun 11, 2004 22:58:37 GMT -4
I know it's not just with mice, it happens generally with most types of rodents. Just be on the lookout for it, I know it certainly isn't a pleasuring experience.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jun 11, 2004 23:39:10 GMT -4
It seems more prominent with dwarfs.
All these girls are quite young, so hopefully no one will start dying until well into 2006.
I am now trying to finish segregating the photos into the six groups. The white guy, and the fuzzy fellow, will be easy to identify. Of the four remaining two each are similar types (such as silkies), and unless I got the shot just right it is hard to ID those markings. Well, I was able to ID three different black gerbs (Tommy, Dill, and Phil) quickly, but in photos I must have the proper and helpful mark.
Photos later tonight I suppose.
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Post by mishimouse on Jun 12, 2004 0:48:58 GMT -4
Did the breeder tell you their specific colors? I love identifying mouse colors... it's way too much fun for me. LOL
I've never seen Jeannie's Puck, so I will have to go picture hunting through the forums as I'd love to know what color that one mouse you saw actually was.
I might as well post up some pictures of my 8 mice sometime too.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jun 12, 2004 0:56:23 GMT -4
Did the breeder tell you their specific colors? I love identifying mouse colors... it's way too much fun for me. LOL I've never seen Jeannie's Puck. . . Yes you did. Every picture in her flashing avatar is Puck (except the one of her). I processed the photos, cropping and improving contrast and brightness, and then sent them off to someone in the U.K. to turn them into a series of .gifs. You can also click on the icon beiow her name to get to her homepage which has photos. The breeder told me the names. You think I remember mouse colors I never heard of before? I asked him to send me the names via e-mail, and he will soon, no doubt. |
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Post by mishimouse on Jun 12, 2004 0:58:52 GMT -4
Really? Goes to show my lovely ignorance. Can't wait for the pictures. |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jun 12, 2004 8:04:57 GMT -4
When I post them you can help identify the types. You may also have to help identify a few photos I am having trouble figuring out which ones they are. That will be in a separate thread. Soon.
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Post by mishimouse on Jun 12, 2004 23:37:22 GMT -4
Can't wait for your photos now, I'll post some of my own in time too. |
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It is quite interesting to see half a dozen rodents running around in a small container. I would need a thirty gallon tank for as many gerbils.
