# Great. Now we have Lice.



## AllieMouse (Apr 9, 2011)

I've spent hundreds of dollars on these $2 mice... I'm really starting to lose my marbles.

The new girl we brought home, Pumpkin Head, has brought some "friends" with her, and now Sweetie Pie and Angel Face have those "friends" too.

Ken decided to rub olive oil on their backs for "preventative measures". They have not stopped licking since. Was that a stupid idea? Are they going to lick holes into themselves?

It seems like everytime something gets better, something gets much, much worse.

I should have just bought breeder mice... this is killing me. Please tell me I can treat lice without a vet visit.


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## morning-star (Apr 9, 2011)

Beaphor spot on is good for lice and other parasites! (or any thing along these lines -should be able to get it at most big pet stores)


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## tinyhartmouseries (Dec 30, 2010)

Ivermectin pour on for cattle can be used to treat mice. Just .02 on their backs once a week for three weeks, skip a week, then three more. .02 is like a DROP. Don't buy the oral paste. That's practically poison for mice!


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## cjdelphi (Mar 23, 2011)

just stick them in the sink and make them swim around for a while make sure it's shallow enough so even if they get tired they can't drown they just float, maybe a small rock or something for them to land on, lice can't breathe under water...

edited

sorry, I was thinking of fleas, this is what i did with my cats lol.


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

a very cheap tub of flea powder-costs about £1 here, works instantly. Use the dog or cat one or better one for cage birds. Olive oil ? - best to ask before you do things like that ! powder is best as it falls off into the nest and kills the larval stage of the mite before they devlop into adults.


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

Rub with olive oil, roll in breadcrumbs and grill gently for ten minutes turning frequently. Serve with fava beans and a nice chianti!


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

Did the Olive oil idea come from a the idea of a human head lice remedy?

You can rub oil into your hair when you have head lice, it helps the eggs and lice detach from the hair; however yu have to then comb it with a very fine toothed metal comb to remove the pests. takes forever.

I wouldn't like to try combing a mouse!


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## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

Oiling the mice will just make them lick themselves madly and they will get very tired as a result. What you should be looking for is a SAFE, spot-on mite/lice treatment over there that can be safe to use on something as small as a mouse. Ivermectin is a nerve agent and if you don`t know what you are doing, you will kill the mice and it`s not a nice death, let me tell you. This stuff can also cause reactions on the skin of mice if they have any open wounds, so avoid applying it near any cuts.

Your vet IS the best person to do this if you don`t know what to do or what to buy. Ivermevtin or Selamectin have to be the right concentrations or it will be far too strong to use on a mouse. Amazon over here sell a spot on treatment called xeno50 mini and is just applied as a few drops to each mouse. Go onto Amazon.com and search for it. The dosing instructions come with it and it`s probably the best preperation that is over-the-counter.

Don`t bother with oils and powders. You could well make matters worse and DON`T put them in water either. :? I don`t see how water will help eradicate parasites.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Making mice swim could well kill them, either through stress or catching a chill. There are plenty of perfectly safe products in your pet shop; powders for small birds or spot-on treatments/sprays for small animals. Just follow the instructions on the one you buy 

Sarah xxx


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## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

As SarahY said, and make sure it sais `mice` on the pack and not `for rabbits & guinea pigs` as these are a stronger concentration for larger animals. You often find that people buy these thinking they can use less of the solution because it`s for a smaller animal (like a mouse or a hamster) but it`s not. They are all marketed in different strengths and concentrations for the animals stated on the packet, so don`t let pet store people tell you otherwise as they can be as useful as a catflap in an elephant house.


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## AllieMouse (Apr 9, 2011)

Seawatch Stud said:


> Rub with olive oil, roll in breadcrumbs and grill gently for ten minutes turning frequently. Serve with fava beans and a nice chianti!


that's the funniest thing i've heard in a while haha...

i was actually reading it to myself, i was all like, "...olive oil....breadcrumbs...grill them - GRILL THEM? What?!"


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

I didnt think head lice stil excisted they dont have nit nurses at schools now do they lol.You know all these mice problems mine never get anything wrong with them either im doing something right or Im just not noticing anything and there riddled with problems but they always seem healthy cleaned out twice a week , water changed daily twice a day if warm fed twice a day 7.30 am and 7.00pm because I dont like Emerdale lol they dont get mites/ lice never had diarreah no respitory disease.Touch wood they continue


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

> I didnt think head lice stil excisted they dont have nit nurses at schools now do they


That's because it's not politically correct any more to tell a child that they have nits :?



> fed twice a day 7.30 am and 7.00pm because I dont like Emerdale lol


 :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sarah xxx


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## AllieMouse (Apr 9, 2011)

hey guys! i just got UltraCare Mite & Lice Bird Spray. i hear/read alot about people using bird lice spray because it actually has a*lower* concentration of pyrethrins than small animal lice spray (0.03% as opposed to 0.06%)... i guess it doesn't have as big a "bang" as the small animal spray would, but hey, i can always add more or treat for a longer period.

just a couple more questions before i begin... 
1. should i dilute this stuff any further? maybe by half?
2. do i just give them a dainty little mist or spray them until they are soaking wet?

i'm going to wait for a warmer day this week, put them in a box with a towel on the balcony. ken will be gaurding the box close (but not too close, eww) to defend them against any potential predators. i'm going to sheild their eyes and face while i spray them. while the lice are dying and ******* off, i'll be inside cleaning the crittertrail. then i'll dry my little babies off and welcome them into a fresh clean home with brand new toys and chews.

sound like a plan?


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## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

Being a US product I`ve never heard of it, but bird products are used by some members so they will advise you on it`s use. I personally would`nt spray it directly onto the mouse for fear of a fidgeting mouse moving about too much and spraying her face. What I would do, is spray the solution onto a cotton ball away from the mice and then wipe it gently onto the upper back of the mice, parting the fur on the neck behind the ears where mites usually gather.

Remember too that mouse fur mites are very different from the mites that birds carry and pyrethrins are plant based, so not as strong as say, Ivermectin would be in products sold specifically for small rodents. My concern would be trying products that may not be effective anyway but may well cause a reaction on the mices` skin.

Don`t US pet stores stock small animal spot-on treatments? I would have thought they would sell something similar to Beaphar or Xeno50 mini? These can be bought online remember, so it`s always woth doing a search for them. Especially the Xeno50 mini one.


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Bird sprays johsons make one are fine just watch there eyes.


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## AllieMouse (Apr 9, 2011)

racingmouse said:


> ...I personally would`nt spray it directly onto the mouse for fear of a fidgeting mouse moving about too much and spraying her face. What I would do, is spray the solution onto a cotton ball....
> 
> ...pyrethrins are plant based, so not as strong as say, Ivermectin would be in products sold specifically for small rodents...
> 
> ...Don`t US pet stores stock small animal spot-on treatments? I would have thought they would sell something similar to Beaphar or Xeno50 mini? These can be bought online remember, so it`s always woth doing a search for them. Especially the Xeno50 mini one.


That sounds like a much better idea. Much safer and easier to control.

I didn't know pyrethrin was from a plant. Then again, many things can be traced back to plants, even drugs like cocaine and morphine that people regard as *unnatrual chemicals*. Anything on this planet can be traced back to natural origin; I should have known better.

I'm glad I'm using a safer product. We've already had one mouse die due to a medical reaction.

The Petco I go to is terrible (obviously - look at all the problems I've been having). They only have Beaphor and other spot-on products for dogs. And there was no Xeno50 at all. I found the small animal spray in an area it wasn't supposed to be in. Lucky Ken was thereand thought to look at bird spray. Ken is medically inclined and is good with ingredients and stuff like that...


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

yes fly sprays , garden insecticides,acaricides from the Pyrethrum plant very usefull.


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## AllieMouse (Apr 9, 2011)

geordiesmice said:


> yes fly sprays , garden insecticides,acaricides from the Pyrethrum plant very usefull.


So it will work safely?

Like I said, should I dilute it? Do I saturate the mice or just mist them?


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## Roland (Aug 17, 2009)

Seawatch Stud said:


> Rub with olive oil, roll in breadcrumbs and grill gently for ten minutes turning frequently. Serve with fava beans and a nice chianti!
> Again an interesting comment from Phil Arnold.


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## Kallan (Aug 16, 2009)

AllieMouse said:


> So it will work safely?
> 
> Like I said, should I dilute it? Do I saturate the mice or just mist them?


We don't have it here but just spent half an hour chasing alternatives!

It should be fine - the instructions for the rodent ones at 0.06% say to thoroughly wet the mouse, ruffling the hair to make sure it reaches the skin. Spray from a distance of 8-12 inches and try to avoid the head if you can. Wear gloves or wash your hands afterwards as it can cause irritation. Then let the mouse dry off somewhere warm so it doesn't get a chill. Once it's dry you can put it back into its box.

What you have is half that strength, so should be fine to use on your mice.


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## AllieMouse (Apr 9, 2011)

So I just used the spray on all 3 mice, and they're perfectly fine and bug-free! I used the cotton ball method that was suggested, and spread some spray on my hands (in gloves) and let them walk over it to get their under-bellies. While they were treating, I refreshed the cage thouroughly. They seem really happy in their fresh cage.

It must be hilarious for you guys...watching a n00b like me freak-out over lice. :lol:

Pumpkin Head is more relaxed. She still moves around when I hold her, but it's not frantic, panicky movement like it used to be. She seems alot more comfortable in her fur; I imagine it's hard to relax when your skin is crawling with itchy bugs. They all have softer fur, too! They're like totally new mice!

Thanks for the help, from those who gave it.

No bread-crumbs were needed :gwavec


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## motorbaby8111 (Apr 13, 2011)

i would call the vet thats not somthing u want to play around with you know


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Be carefull spraying indoors have plenty ventilation.


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

Roland said:


> Seawatch Stud said:
> 
> 
> > Rub with olive oil, roll in breadcrumbs and grill gently for ten minutes turning frequently. Serve with fava beans and a nice chianti!
> > Again an interesting comment from Phil Arnold.


 :lol:


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

SarahY how do you treat a child for nits if you cant tell them this politically correct thing is silly another regulation from Europe  Im allways finnished feeding the mice in time for Corrie.


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